Author: Money Mechanics

Apple’s new MacBook Neo isn’t just the most affordable MacBook by far — it’s also the most repairable MacBook in “about fourteen years,” according to an in-depth teardown by how-to website iFixit. The “big story,” in iFixit’s view, is the battery. While older MacBook batteries are supposedly glued into place, the Neo’s battery is held by a tray secured with 18 screws. That’s a lot of screws, but iFixit declared that “screws still beat adhesive every time.” In fact, this new arrangement — which should make it much easier to replace your MacBook battery —  “sent cheers across the iFixit…

Key Takeaways Researchers have found that the quality and timing of a graduate’s first job explain most of the earnings gap between low- and high-income students five years after college.Lower-income graduates are more likely to land in lower-paying firms and earn about 12% less five years out, even after accounting for grades, major, and college.Graduates who secure a reliable job before or soon after graduation and stay at least two years earn thousands more later on. Research from Columbia University and the National Bureau of Economic Research reveals a troubling pattern: your first job after college can lock in an…

(Oil & Gas 360) – Getting Oil In The Forms It Is Needed Where And When Needed, Having Prices Profitable, For A While, Supports Our Bullish Oil & Natural Gas Outlook.    Retail gasoline prices jumping up toward the highs of year 2024 is a cost of taking out those who kill, maim and destroy to rule.  Operation Epic Fury had the average retail price of gasoline for the U.S. jump 63.8 cents per gallon, from $2.995 at the end of January to $3.633 last week (Figure 1, blue line).  And the average West Coast price jump 86.3 cents, from…

Key Takeaways About 10.5% of Americans ages 18–39 have a net worth of $500,000 or more.The median net worth for Americans around age 40 is about $178,000. Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise. Scroll through personal finance TikTok or Reddit long enough and you might think $500,000 in net worth by 40 is what many adults have. But only about 10.5% of Americans ages 18–39 have hit that mark, according to an Investopedia analysis of the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF). The median net worth for that age group is closer to $178,000.…

Key Takeaways The current ratio measures a company’s ability to pay short-term obligations using current assets.It is calculated by dividing current assets by current liabilities.A ratio above 1.0 generally indicates a company can cover its short-term debts.Comparing a company’s current ratio with industry peers and historical trends provides better insight into liquidity.Extremely high current ratios may indicate inefficient asset use or excess working capital. Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise. What Is the Current Ratio? The current ratio is a common liquidity ratio used to judge whether or not a company can pay current obligations.…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Much has been written about the so-called sandwich generation, which refers to American adults in their 40s who are caring for both their kids and one or more aging parents.A recent Pew Research Center study found that 54% of adults in this generation have a living parent age 65 or older and a child younger than 18, for whom they’ve recently provided financial support.The percentage is substantially lower among adults in their 50s or 30s, indicating that those in their 40s are more heavily affected by this demographic trend.Article continues below From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger…

(Image credit: Getty Images)When people think about estate planning, they often focus on wills and trusts. But one of the most important decisions about where your money goes after you die might not appear in those documents.Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, life insurance policies and annuities often override the instructions in your will or living trust.Buried within those designations are two little-known terms that can dramatically change the outcome for your family: per stirpes and per capita.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…

(Image credit: Getty Images)I’m convinced that most people love the idea of retirement but hate the uncertainty that comes with it.We often hear that Americans are redefining retirement. They want to work longer because they enjoy it, or step out of the workforce temporarily before jumping back in.There’s some truth to that. Work has changed. People are living longer, and many want to stay engaged. A late-2025 New York Life Wealth Watch survey found that 35% of U.S. adults have either delayed or plan to delay retirement.Article continues below From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter,…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Going back to live on a college campus, taking classes, and mixing and mingling with students young enough to be their grandchildren wasn’t originally on Anna and Jeffry Young’s retirement bingo card. Yet that’s their life these days.The Youngs’ grand plan when they stopped working several years ago had been to eventually move to a life-plan retirement community near their home in Monte Sereno, California; the couple had even put money down to hold spots on waiting lists at two places. Then, while on a 2024 vacation in Arizona, Jeffry, 78, a retired hospital chief of nephrology,…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Question: We’re 71, retired, and have an $8,000 monthly income. My wife believes tithing (or donating 10% to our church) is her religious duty. I think she shouldn’t feel so pressured to give. We’re comfortable but not wealthy. What’s a tax-efficient and relationship-saving solution to this issue?Answer: Religion is a very personal matter. And it’s not uncommon for people who share the same faith to practice it very differently. But no matter which religion you identify with, the obligation to tithe in some shape or form may be a core part of your beliefs.In 2023, Lifeway Research…