Author: Money Mechanics

Many stocks in the healthcare sector are up strongly in 2026. But not health insurance giant UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH). The stock is down almost 13% this year, far underperforming both the S&P 500 healthcare sector (up 1.7% this year) and the broader S&P 500 (up 0.6%). What’s going on? Well, the company announced fourth-quarter results on Jan. 27, and investors were not impressed. UnitedHealth beat Wall Street’s expectation on earnings by a penny, which is not overly impressive. Worse, revenue of $113.2 billion came in under the consensus analyst forecast of $113.8 billion, never a good sign. Will AI…

Software stocks have been decimated in recent weeks amid fears surrounding AI. The rapid decline in valuations has created opportunities that need to be explored urgently. How to find software stocks that could see an explosive rebound? Software stocks have come under pressure in recent weeks. Many investors worry that new AI models and tools could replace parts of existing software services. AI can change many industries, and some believe software companies face the biggest risk. But this view misses an important point. Most software companies have already added AI features to their products and plan to expand them further.…

Indoor TV antennas give you access to free channels for news, sports, and entertainment, making them a perfect addition to any home theater where you’re looking to cut the cord with cable or satellite or reduce your dependence on streaming services. While they may take a bit of time and effort to set up and get the best reception, it’s worth not having to pay expensive subscription fees or monthly bills just to keep up with headlines or catch the occasional football game.Modern indoor antennas are much more powerful (and better looking) than the rabbit ears you may remember from…

Key Takeaways Baby boomers’ concerns include whether they have enough saved for retirement, taxes, and managing their legacy. Financial advisors claim the best way to ease these anxieties is through planning. That could include testing to see if retirement income will be enough before retiring, ensuring withdrawals don’t put you in a higher tax bracket, and prefunding a health savings account (HSA). For many baby boomers, retirement and growing old is a frightening prospect. Gone are the days of the employer paying a guaranteed lifetime pension income. Now, the onus is on them to build one and try to figure…

Key Takeaways Warren Buffett treats mistakes as a curriculum to learn from, documenting more than 30 major blunders in shareholder letters. Buffett says his biggest mistakes were “errors of omission”—passing on Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) and Google, now part of Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL), and selling winners too early. The goal isn’t a perfect record; it’s letting a few big winners overwhelm the inevitable losers. While many on Wall Street love to hype their wins and are conspicuously shy about their losses, Buffett is as open about his misses as his hits. “I make plenty of mistakes and I’ll make plenty more…

Key Takeaways Many Americans in their mid-60s to early 70s are entering retirement with a mix of savings, Social Security income, and changing spending.Among those with retirement accounts, the median balance was $200,000—the highest of any age group.At this stage of life, financial stability depends on coordinating income, withdrawals, and long-term expenses throughout retirement. Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise. How Many People in Their Mid-60s to Early 70s Have Any Retirement Savings People ages 65 to 74 sit at a financial crossroads: Many have reached their highest net worth even as their incomes begin…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Every stock price ultimately rests on two pillars: Earnings and a story to believe in. For much of the past 15 years, the most compelling story in global markets has been unmistakably American.Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, social media, advanced semiconductors, biotech discoveries, modular nuclear plants and quantum computing — all these growth narratives of the modern era have been led by U.S. companies and financed through U.S. capital markets.As global investors chased that story, capital flowed disproportionately into American stocks, lifting prices and valuations along the way. These capital flows have made the U.S. stock market more…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Selling a business, investment property, appreciated stock or even your primary residence can leave you with a huge tax bill.In 2026, federal long-term capital gains are taxed at 0%, 15% or 20% depending on your income, plus an extra 3.8% net investment income tax (NIIT) for high earners.This means sellers of large assets could owe up to 23.8% federal tax on their gains. On top of that, state taxes apply. 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…

(Image credit: Getty Images)We’re almost two months into 2026, but it’s never too late to set (or reset) your financial goals. And now we are well past the busy holiday season, it may be easier to think clearly about the “need-to-dos” and “nice-to-haves” to create a financial plan.The key is to start whenever you’re ready and to focus on building a realistic plan you can follow over the next 12 months (or any time frame that makes sense for your life).One helpful way to begin is by choosing a single word as your guiding theme, instead of a long list.…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Ask a group of people how they are feeling financially, and the majority will likely groan and share their fears. The truth is that we as a nation are experiencing more financial anxiety now than ever, and we are not sure what to do about it.Most people believe that financial anxiety is about money. They believe that money will solve all their problems. Let’s make no mistake here — money can solve a lot of financial problems, but that doesn’t mean that the anxiety or fear will go away. This is because financial anxiety is usually not…