Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) measures expected S&P 500 price fluctuations over 30 days.Known as the “fear index,” the VIX is calculated in real-time.High VIX values indicate higher volatility, while low values suggest stability. Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is a measure of expected price fluctuations in the S&P 500 Index options over the next 30 days. The VIX is often referred to as the “fear index.” It’s calculated in real time by the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE). The predictive nature of the VIX makes it a measure of…

Link to Report: Macro Volatility DigestWHAT STANDS OUT:While oil prices have whipsawed on fast changing headlines, positioning in the oil options market has remained consistently bullish, with demand for calls far outpacing demand for puts. This is true even for longer-dated options, indicating fear of a sustained disruption to oil supply. Oil volatility continued to climb higher, with the OVX Index gaining another 15 pts last week to 120% – highest on record outside of the 2020 covid pandemic (when oil prices went negative).In contrast, equity volatility declined last week even as the SPX® Index fell, in an unusual “spot…

Key Takeaways Refusing to pay federal taxes is illegal and can result in severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment.The IRS may impose harsher penalties on people who willfully refuse to pay taxes.Experts suggest legal protest options, such as filing taxes along with a protest letter, rather than withholding payment entirely. Some Americans are protesting the Trump administration by deliberately not paying their taxes. On March 2, Rachel Cohen, an attorney based in Chicago, announced on social media that she would not be paying the estimated $8,800 she owed to the federal government. “My federal income tax is going overwhelmingly to…

Key Takeaways Naming a transfer on death (TOD) beneficiary simplifies inheritance by bypassing the probate process.TOD beneficiaries can include individuals, charities, or trusts.TOD designations can be added to accounts like retirement accounts, CDs, and brokerage accounts.Spousal rights might override TOD designations depending on state laws.Consult with your account provider to designate or update TOD beneficiaries. Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise. Individuals can specify an individual as a transfer on death (TOD) beneficiary for retirement or other financial accounts, such as savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and even brokerage accounts. Beneficiaries receive the assets held…

Key Takeaways Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang announced the company’s latest chips, software and more during the company’s GPU Technology Conference keynote Monday.The CEO said demand for Nvidia’s latest offerings is “off the charts,” and that every major player in the space is building on its technology. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang wants you to know the chipmaker at the heart of the AI boom is far more than just a semiconductor company, and that its growth story is only getting started. “We’re going to accelerate everybody,” Huang said at the company’s GPU Technology Conference keynote Monday, where he unveiled the company’s latest…

If you’re looking to save money that you can grow now and use for later, you could do a lot worse than a Health Savings Account (HSA). As the name implies, an HSA is a tax-advantaged savings account you can use to set aside pre-tax money for medical expenses.  By using funds from an HSA to pay for deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and other qualified medical expenses (not including insurance premiums), you can save money on out-of-pocket health care costs. Some people also use them as a means to save for retirement. Here’s a look at how HSAs work and how…

A noncompete agreement is a legal clause, addendum, or separate contract that bars employees from working for, doing business with, or starting a competing business for a specified period of time. In April 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a final rule banning new noncompete agreements and making virtually all existing noncompetes unenforceable. The exceptions are existing noncompetes for senior executives “earning more than $151,164 annually and who are in policy-making positions.” The rule became effective in August 2024 and has been challenged in court by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which sued the FTC to block the ban,…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Adding 1% more to your retirement savings every year sounds minor, but the math tells a different story. This almost invisible hack uses behavioral science to build wealth on autopilot, without the sting of a smaller paycheck. For pre-retirees, it isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a rule that can redefine your 2026 planning outlook.”For a lot of people, 1% is a throwaway number,” says Steve Parrish, professor of Practice, Retirement Planning at The American College of Financial Services. “But if you put away 1% extra per year each year with compound interest, it can have a nice…

What Is Asset Protection? Asset protection is the adoption of strategies to guard one’s wealth. Asset protection is a component of financial planning intended to protect one’s assets from creditor claims. Individuals and business entities use asset protection techniques to limit creditors’ access to certain valuable assets while operating within the bounds of debtor-creditor law. Key Takeaways Asset protection refers to strategies used to guard one’s wealth from taxation, seizure, or other losses.Asset protection helps insulate assets in a legal manner without engaging in the illegal practices of concealment (hiding of the assets), contempt, fraudulent transfer (as defined in the…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Stocks opened the week much higher as bargain hunters swooped in following three straight weekly losses. Oil prices were also on the move, only the price action was to the downside, as President Donald Trump called on U.S. allies to help escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz.Taking to Truth Social on Sunday, President Trump wrote that “the Countries of the World that receive Oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage.” He added that the U.S. will help – “A LOT!” – and “coordinate with those Countries so that everything goes quickly, smoothly,…