Author: Money Mechanics

(BOE Report) – Congestion on the U.S. electricity grid is becoming an increasingly costly bottleneck, driving up power prices, delaying new generation projects and undermining reliability. Yet the electricity industry’s attention remains focused largely on generation, with politicians debating solar panels, natural gas turbines and nuclear reactors while utilities tout billions of dollars of planned investments. PJM Interconnection, the largest U.S. power market that spans 13 states, offers a stark illustration. Transmission congestion cost market participants $777.8 million in June, according to a new report from grid software firm Gridraven. That was down from May’s record $1 billion congestion tab…

Investor fervor for artificial intelligence (AI) keeps making dividend stocks look downright dumpy. Over the past 12 months, the S&P 500 has returned an eye-popping 29.8%, while the Kiplinger Dividend 15, the list of our favorite dividend-paying stocks, returned an average of 13.4%. Just three — Broadcom (AVGO), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and recent addition U.S. Bancorp (USB) — beat the market.What a world we live in, when a 13% annual return is a middling performance. Of course, much of the story remains the mega-cap Magnificent Seven technology stocks that continue to drive the returns of the S&P 500 and…

There’s no denying that artificial intelligence has stormed into our lives like a tsunami. Now that wave is heading straight for our finances.In fact, it’s already here. Nearly half of consumers say they have already used AI tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude to help manage their personal finances or they are considering doing so, according to a recent Experian survey.And while younger people are more likely to embrace the technology, older generations lately have been hopping on the bandwagon too, with 41% of Gen Xers and 28% of baby boomers saying they are open to…

To help you understand what’s going on in business and the economy 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…Amid a series of punishing heat waves, demand for air-conditioning will increase to better meet the needs of people, industry and more. But such growth comes…

For years, off-site meetings and corporate events have been viewed as reliable investments in culture, opportunities to strengthen teams, reinforce company values and give employees a chance to recharge away from the daily grind.But the economics surrounding those gatherings are shifting. Rising costs and tighter budgets are forcing companies to rethink how they deliver memorable experiences without the lavish spending that once defined corporate retreats.That creates a mandate for meeting planners and executives alike: Do more with less, without making the experience feel diminished or cheap. Pulling that off requires far more than trimming menus or shortening agendas. It demands…

I’m lucky to be close with my mom and dad and lucky they’re both healthy and active in their 70s.They’ve always taken great care of me (their only child), and I want to do the same for them as they get older. But I can only do that if I know, in advance, how they run their household and pay their bills, as well as what their concerns and wishes are.If you’re a “oneling” like me, you stand to inherit your parents’ homes and any wealth they’ve amassed. And your parents will want to ensure those things make it into…

As a longtime financial adviser, I’ve learned that people often look forward to retirement with a mix of eagerness and angst.While they’re usually excited about the freedom they’ll have to travel, enjoy new and old hobbies and spend time with family and friends, they also wonder if they’ll have enough saved to afford a long and fulfilling retirement.That’s a valid concern. According to the CDC’s National Vital Statistics Reports, based on data from 2023, the average American who makes it to age 65 can now expect to live about 20 more years. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance…

For some people, the appeal of retiring abroad lies in the ability to live well for less than it would cost in the U.S. Others seek more affordable healthcare or a less divisive political climate. Still others, such as Karen Fifer Ferry, 68, and her husband, John, 74, are lured by love — not for each other (though the couple has that in abundance), but rather for the place they now call home.For the Ferrys, that means Green Turtle Cay, a tiny island in the Bahamas boasting pristine beaches, crystal blue waters, picturesque clapboard houses and lush coral gardens.The couple…

Bermuda again saw strong registration numbers of new catastrophe bond, insurance-linked security (ILS) and alternative or third-party reinsurance capital related entities in the first-half of 2026 and while the total dropped slightly compared to the prior year, first-time cat bond market entrants bolstered the total.The latest data from the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) shows that in total 15 new company registrations in the first-half of 2026 can be clearly identified as having insurance-linked securities or other alternative reinsurance capital use-cases. There are other types of companies that were registered which may play a role as life insurance-related capital vehicles, but…

Morgantown, WV, Syracuse, NY and Tuscaloosa, AL, lead U.S. college towns in home-price growth, all posting double-digit year-over-year climbs. The most expensive college towns—Santa Barbara, CA, Boca Raton, FL and Flagstaff, AZ—are seeing home prices fall. The least expensive college towns—Dayton, OH, Syracuse, NY and Mount Pleasant, MI— all have a median home sale price of under $185,000, less than the national median of $398,771.  The college towns where homes sell the fastest are State College, PA, where the typical home goes under contract in 5 days, followed by Manhattan, KS and Columbia, MO, which both typically see homes find…