Author: Money Mechanics

Home prices rose 0.1% month over month on a seasonally adjusted basis—the slowest growth in seven months. Prices fell in 16 major metros, with the biggest declines in Jacksonville, FL, Providence, RI and Columbus, OH. Prices rose most in Charlotte, NC, Portland, OR and West Palm Beach, FL. U.S. home prices were little changed from a month earlier in February, rising 0.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis—the slowest growth in seven months. They increased 1.9% year over year.   This is according to the Redfin Home Price Index (RHPI), which uses the repeat-sales pricing method to calculate seasonally adjusted changes…

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on GoogleSpring is on its way, and so is Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, which is officially live right now. We’re seeing up to 40% off across dozens of categories, including outdoor, home, beauty, tech, and more, and competing discounts from other retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and Costco. ZDNET reviews the best gear year-round, and we’re here to help you cut through the noise and quickly find the best deals during the early spring period. Also: Amazon’s Big Spring Sale starts today: Dates, details, and deals to knowAs ZDNET’s deals and shopping editor, I am always…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of articles on the planning considerations and decisions that business owners face over the lifecycle of creating and running a company. When starting a business, one of the most important things to consider is how it will end. Whether you’ll sell the business, step back and let your children or employees run it (or buy it from you), or just shut it down when you are tired of running it, thinking about the possibilities now will help you decide how to structure your business from the beginning.And while…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Environmental issues can significantly complicate estate planning, particularly when real property carries a risk of contamination.Contaminated properties — such as former industrial, agricultural or commercial sites, like gas stations or dry cleaners — may come with hidden liabilities for beneficiaries or fiduciaries administering trusts or estates.Unresolved environmental issues can lead to decreased property value, substantial regulatory fines or penalties, costly remediation obligations, and difficulties transferring or selling the property.Article continues below 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…

(Image credit: Getty Images)If you’ve looked at your 401(k) lately, you may have been pleasantly surprised. After several years of market volatility, many retirement accounts are sitting at or near their highest levels.In the fourth quarter of 2025, the average 401(k) balance jumped to $146,400, up 11.2% from the same quarter in 2024, an all-time high. The average IRA also rose, to $137,095.This is great news for savers, especially younger generations struggling to pay for the now while trying to prioritize their future selves. This could be the perfect time to take a closer look at what’s in your plan…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Gold hasn’t been this hot since prospectors rushed to California with picks and shovels to seek a fortune. Convinced that the runup will continue, investors have flocked to buy gold, which has never been easier.You can buy gold bars at Costco or add exchange-traded funds that invest in physical gold to your retirement portfolio. And if you have gold jewelry or coins you no longer want, a “We Buy Cash for Gold” retailer will pay you a healthy sum for your shiny objects.But whether you’re buying or selling gold, it’s important to understand how you’ll be taxed…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Question: We’re 70-year-old retirees. Our children want to ship our three grandkids to our lake house for the summer. I consult two days a week and need quiet; my wife finds the idea of hosting all summer exhausting. How do we respond?Answer: As a retiree, one of the most rewarding things to do with your time may be to bond with your grandchildren. After all, they give you the best of both worlds — adoration and love without having to be in charge of the tough decisions or deal with the daily struggles of meal negotiations and…

Taxes aren’t exactly romantic, but your relationship status can have a big effect on your taxes. Whether you just got married, recently combined finances, or are navigating a more complex partnership, the IRS uses your status as of Dec. 31 to determine how you file for the entire year. That means one life change can ripple through your withholding, credits, and overall tax bill — sometimes in ways couples don’t see coming, for better or for worse. So, whether you’ve been married for years or just tied the knot, here’s what you need to know — from how to file…

Thank you for inviting me here today. Let me also thank those at all 12 of the Reserve Banks, the Board of Governors, and the staff at FedCommunities for their efforts to bring this year’s National Community Investment Conference (NCIC) to life, and a special thanks to the San Francisco Fed for hosting the conference here in Phoenix.1 Thirty years ago, I visited neighborhoods in the South Bronx alongside then-Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin. Instead of the blighted neighborhoods that for years had attracted such negative attention, we saw new homes, safer streets, small businesses thriving, and a strong sense of…

Most mortgage companies have gotten very good at recruiting.  You can measure recruiting. You can count heads. You can show momentum on a spreadsheet and call it growth. Development is harder to quantify. It takes time, structure, and discipline, especially when the market is moving and everyone is tempted to chase short-term volume.  But if we’re honest, the industry’s obsession with recruiting has created a familiar pattern: loan officers join excited, get logins and a rate sheet and then discover the real gap: what to do when the file gets complicated, the borrower’s story doesn’t fit a neat box and…