Author: Money Mechanics

(Image credit: Getty Images)For parents of the Class of 2026, current headlines can feel challenging. After years of tuition payments and academic rigor, the prospect of a “weak” entry-level hiring market — the softest since the pandemic — raises a fundamental question: Is the return on investment for a college degree diminishing?Remember that market cycles apply to labor just as they do to equities. While a growing share of employers may characterize the entry-level landscape as “poor” or “fair,” it is vital to separate near-term economic friction from long-term wealth and career planning.For the Class of 2026, success may not…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Money makes the world go around, but talking about finances is a common point of contention among couples.According to a recent report from Fidelity, 45% of couples reported arguing about finances at least occasionally, while one in four cite money as the biggest challenge in their relationship.It’s no wonder that many couples avoid important financial conversations until they’re already sharing expenses, moving in together or talking about marriage. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues CLICK FOR FREE…

Arizona lawmakers have approved a proposal to eliminate state capital gains taxes on profits from the sale of a primary residence. It’s a measure supporters say would reward longtime homeowners and make it easier for families to move, freeing up homes for more buyers.The vote puts Arizona at the center of a growing debate over whether Americans should pay taxes at all when they sell their homes for a profit.It also lands at a pivotal moment for the housing market. Mortgage rates have eased back toward roughly 6% after climbing sharply in recent years. But the housing supply remains historically…

(Image credit: Getty Images)For families focused on long-term wealth management and estate planning, few conversations are more important or more delicate than a well-run family meeting.Done well, these meetings help parents and grandparents communicate not only the mechanics of their estate plans, but also the experiences, values and life lessons they hope to pass on to the next generation.There are countless reports detailing how most family wealth is lost by the third generation, and it is easy to see why. The further down the family line wealth goes, the less those later generations can connect with the effort it took…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Successful professionals are accustomed to being self-reliant. They have built strong careers by navigating complexity, exercising judgment under uncertainty and taking responsibility for outcomes.So, naturally, when it comes to investing, managing one’s own portfolio makes perfect sense. For do-it-yourself investors who follow markets closely and consistently remain hands-on, it can be both effective and personally rewarding.However, as career, family and other competing personal demands accumulate, managing an investment portfolio is often pushed lower on the to-do list. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus…

(Image credit: Getty Images)How much should you really be spending in retirement? For years, the “4% Rule” has been the gold standard. However, a 2025 study by research fellows David Blanchett and Michael Finke, “Retirees Spend Lifetime Income, Not Savings,” reveals that actual withdrawal rates are significantly lower than traditional models suggest.The transition from the “accumulation phase” of the working years to the “decumulation phase” of retirement is often cited as the most complex challenge in retirement. While traditional financial planning focuses on “safe withdrawal rates,” the research by Blanchett and Finke reveals a significant disconnect between what retirees can…

March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate progress while also taking a clear look at areas where financial disparities still exist. One of those areas is savings.Research consistently shows that women tend to be disciplined savers. They are often more likely to budget, build emergency funds and prioritize long-term security. Yet when researchers compare retirement accounts, investment portfolios and overall wealth, women’s balances frequently fall behind men’s.This gap does not stem from a lack of financial responsibility. Instead, it reflects structural and behavioral factors that affect how money grows over time. Understanding those forces and knowing how to…

Stocks were poised for a lower open Thursday, while oil prices rose further as tanker traffic remained halted in the Strait of Hormuz.  Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq 100 futures pointed down 0.5%, 0.3%, and 0.3%, respectively, about two hours before the opening bell. Yesterday, the tech-heavy Nasdaq, benchmark S&P 500, and blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up a respective 1.3%, 0.8%, and 0.5%, with the Dow snapping a three-session skid. Oil futures continued their ascent since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran over the weekend, killing its Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and Iran retaliated against…

Moderna stock has jumped after the legal settlement, but valuation concerns remain. The biotech sector showed resilience despite rising geopolitical tension. What are the best biotech stocks to watch right now? Biotech company stock emerged as one of the biggest gainers among large US companies on Wednesday, rising 15.99%. The jump came after the company settled a long-running legal dispute related to the technology used to develop its COVID-19 vaccine. The settlement removes a major uncertainty for the company and allows management to focus more on developing new drugs in its pipeline. Under the agreement, Moderna will pay up to…

Investor activity is sluggish on a national level, with purchases rising just 2%—but it varies widely from metro to metro. In Seattle, investor purchases jumped 37% year over year in the fourth quarter—the biggest gain among the metros Redfin analyzed. Orlando posted the biggest decline, down 16%. U.S. investors bought more single-family homes, and waded deeper into the luxury market. U.S. investor home purchases ticked up 2% from a year earlier in the fourth quarter, coming in at just under 50,000. That’s the eighth straight quarter of minimal changes in investor activity. This is based on a Redfin analysis of…