Author: Money Mechanics

Ascot Group, the specialist global re/insurance underwriter, has appointed Ashleigh Edwards as Group Head of Ceded Reinsurance, where she will oversee the firm’s global ceded reinsurance strategy and harmonize it with Leadline Capital Partners, the company’s third-party capital management platform.Edwards joins the organisation from global reinsurer and third-party capital manager RenaissanceRe, where she spent more than six years, most recently as SVP, Global Head of Casualty Reinsurance. Overall, she brings around 30 years of extensive industry experience towards her new role at Ascot, having previously held actuarial, underwriting and leadership roles at Tokio Millennium Re, Allied World Re, Aspen Re…

Amazon’s AI-powered overhaul of its digital assistant, now known as Alexa+, is coming to the web. On Monday, at the start of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the company announced the official launch of a new website, Alexa.com, which is now rolling out to all Alexa+ Early Access customers. The site will allow customers to use Alexa+ online, much as you can do today with other AI chatbots such as ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini. While Alexa-powered devices, including Amazon’s own Echo smart speakers and screens, have a well-established footprint with over 600 million devices sold worldwide, Amazon believes…

Key Takeaways Oil stocks rose sharply in early trading Monday, two days after the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.President Donald Trump said U.S. oil firms would rebuild Venezuela’s rundown energy infrastructure.Venezuela has the world’s largest known oil reserves—an estimated 300 billion barrels, or nearly 20% of global supply—but currently accounts for just 1% of global production. Investors are digesting the news from over the weekend that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro no longer is in charge of the South American nation. Early returns are promising for energy firms. Shares of oil producers, refiners, and oilfield-services firms rose sharply in early…

Key Takeaways One-third of individuals who have Vanguard-administered 401(k) plans and left a job in 2023 withdrew their balance in a lump sum rather than rolling it over to their new job or another account.Cashing out before age 59 1/2 incurs a 10% early withdrawal penalty for most people, and income taxes must be paid for the withdrawal. Retirement savers are generally putting more into their 401(k) accounts these days, but much of the money Americans are saving for their future doesn’t end up lasting them until then. That’s because a large portion of employees choose to withdraw their 401(k)…

KEY TAKEAWAYS The 2026 tax brackets increased by about 2.3% compared with the year prior, so if your wages don’t increase by more than that percentage next year, you should be taxed at the same rate.The increased tax breaks from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act lower taxes for many Americans and could allow you to lower your withholding amount for your paycheck in 2026. Tax rules are changing for 2026, potentially affecting how much of your paycheck you keep. The IRS has raised next year’s tax brackets by about 2.3% and expanded several deductions and credits under this year’s…

City State Juneau AK Pomeroy WA Spokane WA Pasco WA Omak WA Vancouver WA Evanston WY Casper WY Cheyenne WY How We Determined the Best 100 Cities for Retirees in 2026 To determine the winners listed above, Investopedia’s team of researchers conducted competitor analysis and comprehensive internet research to identify 565 cities in the United States worth adding to the rubric. This list of cities was separated into six regions: Florida, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and West. Florida is considered its own region due to the high volume of cities that are generally seen as good places for retirees. Every…

(Image credit: Getty Images)The net worth of retirees over the past three decades has tilted steadily toward housing wealth.A study by the Federal Reserve shows that the share of net worth in primary residences among households headed by people ages 60 to 69 rose from roughly 40% in 1989 to just over 50% by 2022.For those aged 70 to 79, the share climbed from about 38% to 50% over the same period. 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 FOR…

Key Takeaways Child-free retirees often enjoy more flexibility but must proactively plan for long-term care and estate decisions. Without heirs, the focus shifts from legacy building to safe spending, optimal risk taking, and tax-smart asset drawdowns. Naming trustworthy proxies and setting up proper beneficiary structures is particularly important when kids aren’t in the picture. Not having kids might mean fewer financial obligations, but it doesn’t automatically make retirement planning easier. In fact, flying solo as you age comes with its own set of complexities, from health care costs to estate decisions. Here’s what child-free adults should know when planning for…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Coming off the longest government shutdown in history, tens of thousands of layoffs and continuing inflation, many Americans have run their emergency funds dangerously low.Unfortunately, others may have never had an emergency savings fund to begin with.According to a recent report from Empower, 42% of Americans say their current savings wouldn’t help if they suddenly lost their job. Meanwhile, 1 in 3 say they have no emergency savings fund at all. 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…

Stock futures rose Monday, with shares of several energy companies jumping, after the U.S. military seized Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro over the weekend.  Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 0.8%, 0.3%, and 0.1%, respectively. Early Saturday morning, U.S. armed forces entered Venezuela and captured Maduro, who had been indicted during the first Trump administration on drug trafficking charges and is set to appear in federal court in New York today. President Donald Trump said Sunday night that the U.S. was “in charge” of Venezuela, which has the world’s largest oil reserves. West Texas Intermediate…