Author: Money Mechanics

By David Enna, Tipswatch.com The Treasury on Thursday will offer $21 billion in a new 10-year Treasury Inflation-Protected Security, CUSIP 91282CRE3. There’s a good chance this auction will generate the highest real yield to maturity for this term in nearly 18 years. The real yield and coupon rate will be determined by the auction results. But U.S. Treasury estimates placed the likely real yield at 2.31% at Friday’s market close. The most recent TIPS of this term, issued in January, closed Friday at 2.29%. Things will change by Thursday, but it’s clear that CUSIP 91282CRE3 will get an attractive result,…

(Investing) – European wholesale  prices surged on Friday, touching their highest levels in nearly four months as intensifying military exchanges between Washington and Iran stoked fears over a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, threatening a critical chokepoint for global liquefied natural gas (LNG) flows. The front-month , the European benchmark, climbed to 55.65 euros per megawatt-hour in afternoon trade. Concurrently, the  jumped to 134.26 pence per therm. The primary catalyst for the market rally remains the six-day military standoff between U.S. forces and Iran. Following recent U.S. air strikes on coastal defense targets and missile sites, Tehran warned of catastrophic…

One of my clients, a 79-year-old retiree, stopped at her bank’s ATM to take out some cash. She had no reason to think twice about it. A few hours later, she was staring at $1,400 in unauthorized withdrawals from her account.Criminals had installed a card skimmer on the machine. What made the situation worse: The bank didn’t own the ATM. The actual owner was a third party, so recovering her money meant weeks of paperwork, phone calls and escalating frustration.She eventually got every dollar back, but the experience shook her in a way that no market downturn ever had. From…

After years of strong market performance, many investors nearing retirement have seen their portfolios grow significantly.For much of your working life, growth is the goal. But what if retirement is right around the corner? How much risk should you still be taking on?I have more than 20 years of experience guiding clients through the complexities of retirement planning, and the answer to this requires a shift in mindset. As retirement approaches, the focus should gradually move away from chasing market gains and toward building income you can rely on. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter,…

Retirement planning leans heavily on the assumption that you’ll need 70% to 80% of your preretirement income to maintain your lifestyle.While that general rule works for broad planning, it overlooks a reality many retirees discover only after leaving the workforce: Numerous expenses simply vanish the day you retire.Bureau of Labor Statistics data show average household spending peaks in the 45-to-54 age bracket and declines by about 20% by age 75, with the steepest drops in the first few years after retirement. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99,…

Wealth Wise is Kiplinger’s advice column on navigating retirement-related dilemmas. Got a question? See below for how to send it to us.Dear Wealth Wise: If I have a fully funded Roth account, is there any advantage to adding a college 529 plan for my grandkids’ college? I believe paying for college from a Roth account is just as good or better than paying for college from a 529 plan. A 529 plan is essentially the same as a Roth, but with different rules for how the tax-free money can be used. Is this correct? — Confused GrandparentDear Confused: The average…

Iconic vacation spots become iconic for a reason. But many of these spots have surged so far in popularity that it’s not always a fun experience to visit there anymore when you have to mingle with intense crowds.That’s true even within the U.S., where certain parks, beaches, trails and cities are getting uncomfortably overrun. That’s a growing concern in 2026 as Americans are continuing to spend more on domestic travel amid both inflation and U.S.-centric events like the World Cup and America 250.The solution for travelers? Look into “second-city tourism,” a travel trend where you pick a spot that offers…

Funds that invest in foreign stocks have had a banner year, but how good a year depends on investing style.Overseas, value-priced shares did twice as well as their growth counterparts over the past 12 months. That goes some way to explain why Fidelity International Growth (FIGFX) — a member of the Kiplinger 25, our favorite no-load mutual funds — with a 12-month gain of 15%, kept pace with its peers (large foreign growth stock funds) and its benchmark, the MSCI EAFE Growth Index, but lagged the broad MSCI EAFE bogey, which increased 23% over the same period.Theme-driven investments helped buoy…

Managing healthcare costs is one of the biggest financial hurdles in retirement. According to AARP, the average Medicare beneficiary spends roughly $7,295 annually on out-of-pocket medical care. But there may be ways to save.One way is through your federal tax return. By utilizing the medical expense deduction, you can deduct qualifying, unreimbursed medical expenses that exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). While this strategy requires electing to itemize rather than claiming the standard deduction, heavy medical bills might justify the extra paperwork.Plus, more than just standard doctor visits or hospital stays may qualify for the deduction. For instance,…

Following the recent closure of the $75 million Arthur Re Ltd. – Tranquil Re 2026-1 catastrophe bond from ILS manager Leadenhall Capital Partners LLP for rated reinsurance platform Nectaris Re,  executives from Gallagher Securities, who acted as Sole Structuring Agent and Bookrunner for the transaction, highlighted how the issuance received strong investor demand across the market, driving a solid upsizing.As we’ve been reporting, Nectaris Re Ltd. priced its first catastrophe bond sponsorship earlier this month, with the Arthur Re Ltd. – Tranquil Re 2026-1 issuance successfully upsizing from its initial $60 million target to $75 million. The cat bond will…