Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways Remote work can unlock thousands of dollars in hidden annual value.The costs you avoid by no longer commuting, including the time saved, add up quickly, as do other savings, like not eating out for lunch.Tax breaks and location flexibility also provide additional savings opportunities. If you work remotely, there’s a good chance you’re quietly getting a raise you’ve never counted on—the savings you accumulate can add up. This includes less time wasted on commuting to work, as well as more opportunities to live and work the way you want. The Direct Financial Savings The most obvious “raise” remote…

Key Takeaways Grand Prairie, Texas, is one of the 100 best places to retire in America.Housing costs in Grand Prairie are lower than in many other Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs.Overall costs of living in Grand Prairie are lower than national averages, and Texas has no state income tax.Retirees can enjoy seasonal festivals, local parks, walking trails, day trips, and the EpicCentral entertainment district. Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise. Grand Prairie, Texas, one of the best places to retire in America, is an appealing destination for retirees in search of warm weather and an affordable cost…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Famed investor Michael Burry is once again raising the alarm about an AI bubble, as return on invested capital slows and OpenAI declares a “code red” amid increased competition.But the market bubble is only one side of the story. A bubble of equal size — and perhaps greater concern — is forming around AI “adoption,” as board-facing messaging becomes increasingly detached from the realities of corporate AI implementation.The growing market bubble around tech companies has long been a concern for investors and analysts, who see striking parallels between the valuations of today’s AI companies and those of…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Oil and gas investing has never been just about geology, engineering or commodity prices. It’s about people.Today’s environment makes that even more clear. Oil prices are reacting to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, including uncertainty around Iran and regional stability.At the same time, renewed discussion around AI-driven power demand and grid reliability has brought energy back into the spotlight. 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 ISSUE Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters Profit…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Editor’s note: This is the first article in a five-part series about all-asset retirement planning that will cover such topics as using annuities and housing wealth, making the most of tax benefits and establishing an investment strategy. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could hit retirement and let all the money we saved over the years, plus the Social Security benefits we earned, do the job to keep us comfortable and without worry or stress — for the rest of our retirement?Yes, it would. But that’s not how retirement works. Today, we don’t know whether our Social…

(Image credit: Getty Images)A slowdown in the labor market last summer prompted the Federal Reserve to resume its rate-cutting campaign. And while the central bank is now on pause as it waits to see the impact of three consecutive rate cuts on the economy, Wall Street is watching the February jobs report for hints on when the central bank could start lowering interest rates again.Job growth sizzled to start the year, with the U.S. adding 130,000 new jobs in January — more than double what economists expected — while the unemployment rate edged down to 4.3%.The Bureau of Labor Statistics…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Question: We’re 65 with $3.9 million saved and plan to retire in two years. Our 30-something children are struggling with daycare costs while trying to save for a home. Should we give them an advance on their inheritance?Answer: In the next 20 years or so, roughly $124 trillion in assets is expected to change hands as part of the aptly dubbed “Great Wealth Transfer.”If you’re gearing up to retire and have accumulated a sizable nest egg, it’s natural to hope and assume that there will be money left over for an inheritance for your children. But that…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Car insurance rates have been soaring since the pandemic. But now, some drivers insured by State Farm could soon receive dividend checks, a share of the company’s profits, tied to those higher premiums. The news comes as loyalty in the insurance industry declines in response to those surging rates.In 2025, the number of customers who re-shopped car insurance hit a record high of 57%, according to a J.D. Power analysis. More concerning for insurance providers is that rates of switching rose even among customers thought to be the most likely to stay put: those who bundle multiple…

Stocks were poised for a higher open Wednesday, a day after major indexes fell but finished well above early lows, as Middle East fighting entered its fifth day. Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed up 0.7%, 0.4%, and 0.4%, respectively, about an hour before the opening bell. In a wild session yesterday, the tech-heavy Nasdaq, benchmark S&P 500, and blue-chip Dow finished down 1.0%, 0.9%, and 0.8%, respectively, with the Dow shedding 400 points but recouping a decline of about 1,250 points in early trading. Markets have been volatile since the U.S. and Israel attacked…

This article is an on-site version of our Unhedged newsletter. Premium subscribers can sign up here to get the newsletter delivered every weekday. Standard subscribers can upgrade to Premium here, or explore all FT newslettersGood morning. Our FT colleagues report that 12 Polymarket users netted $330,000 betting on a US attack on Iran by Saturday, with about half of the bets coming in the six hours immediately before the strike. Insider trading is bad. Risking national security to make a few bucks is extremely bad. Email us your thoughts: unhedged@ft.com Oil and the economyWe don’t have any insight into how the…