Author: Money Mechanics

KEY TAKEAWAYS College graduates with a theology and religion major generally have the lowest return on their investment when comparing their student debt versus their wages after 10 years.Computer science graduates typically have the highest ROI and profit post-graduation.While investing in college is a risk, most college graduates will earn more than their high school graduate counterparts. A bachelor’s degree is a risk. College students must pay thousands in tuition and, in many cases, take on student debt to cover the rest. However, some majors are better suited to ensure your degree will give you a good return on your…

Key Takeaways Compared to other generations, baby boomers are the least prepared for retirement (just 40% are), followed closely by Gen X (41%) and millennials (42%). Gen Z (47%) is a little better prepared, but not by much.For boomers, this lack of retirement readiness is due to limited early access to defined contribution retirement plans (like 401(k)s) and less time to recover from under-saving.  Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise. Less than half (42%) of Americans are on track for retirement, according to Vanguard research. Of all the generations, baby boomers are among the least…

Key Takeaways Advanced Micro Devices shares surged Tuesday after the AI chipmaker said it struck a big AI chip deal with Meta Platforms.The deal could see Meta owning up to 10% of the chipmaker’s stock. Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise. Advanced Micro Devices just scored another big AI chip deal, this time with Meta Platforms. Shares of AMD (AMD) were up over 10% in premarket trading Tuesday after the chipmaker said it inked an agreement with Meta (META) to provide the Facebook and Instagram parent with 6 gigawatts of AMD Instinct GPUs to power…

Key Takeaways A mega backdoor Roth uses after‑tax 401(k) contributions plus conversions to move much more into Roth each year than standard Roth IRA rules allow.This strategy works only if your 401(k) plan permits after-tax contributions and in-service conversions. Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise. You’ve done everything well: you’re maxing out your 401(k) contributions and funding your IRA. But now you have a significant sum of money—say, tens of thousands of dollars—sitting in a taxable brokerage account. The money’s growing, but bleeding taxes on dividends and capital gains every year. Your income is too…

Key Takeaways Salesforce is scheduled to post earnings after the closing bell Wednesday, with traders expecting a big move from the software stock following the results.Analysts warned Salesforce’s growth could be muted in the short term, with checks suggesting customers are watching their spending. Salesforce is slated to report earnings after the market closes on Wednesday, with traders anticipating a big move from the software giant’s stock in the days that follow. Based on current options pricing, traders expect Salesforce (CRM) stock could swing up to 9% in either direction by the end of the week. A move of that…

(Image credit: Getty Images)When several contract medical professionals at a major West Coast health care center were informed they would be required — and not paid — to attend a six-hour OSHA safety course, plus a one-hour in-house course on email phishing, I heard about it from multiple people. Needless to say, they were not happy, so they complained to management.But it gets worse. One of the people who reached out to me wrote that after the complaints, “The CFO announced, ‘We figured a way around that. We’ll just have our intermediary log on and take the test(s).’ That’s not…

(Image credit: Getty Images)If you’re nearing retirement and feeling rattled by the market’s recent ups and downs, here’s some advice: When you get up tomorrow morning, take a few deep breaths. Then take a good look at your portfolio and see if your mix of investments matches your current tolerance for risk.My guess is, if you’re like most investors, you’re heavier on stocks than you think. And that churning you feel when the market drops is a reminder you may need to make changes.If your hoped-for retirement age is only about five to 10 years away, it’s likely time to…

(Image credit: Getty Images)A friend of mine in the insurance industry once told me, “We don’t deal in probability. We deal in consequences.”That quote comes to mind when I think of the need so many people have for long-term care — and the financial consequences they face when they are unprepared to pay for it. They may need to drain their assets, take on debt or even call on the financial assistance of their children. None of these are a preferred option.Unfortunately, many myths persist around long-term care. And when those myths lead people to misunderstand what long-term care is,…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Imagine looking into your 401(k) and seeing something new to invest in — a target-date fund promising “alternative exposure” and higher long-term returns. The fine print says part of your savings will be invested in private capital.Private what?It sounds sophisticated, exclusive — the kind of strategy used by Yale’s endowment or a Wall Street billionaire. And if the regulators get their way, you might soon have the chance to own a slice of it, too. That’s because federal officials are preparing to make it easier for private capital — a catch-all term for loans and investments in…

To help you understand the trends surrounding AI and other new technologies and what we expect to happen in the future, our highly experienced Kiplinger Letter team will keep you abreast of the latest developments and forecasts. (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Letter or subscribe.) You’ll get all the latest news first by subscribing, but we will publish many (but not all) of the forecasts a few days afterward online. Here’s the latest…Artificial intelligence assistants are powerful tools for research. Whether it’s choosing what payroll software suits your company or what’s causing a sore knee, AI chatbots have…