Author: Money Mechanics

To help you understand what’s going on in the economy, business and politics 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…The economy will pick up the pace a little bit in 2026, with some help from Washington. However, it will have to overcome some mounting…

President Donald Trump nominated Kevin Warsh, a former Fed governor, to be the next head of the Federal Reserve. Warsh would still need to be confirmed by the US Senate before he takes over for Jerome Powell in May.Warsh previously served on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors from 2006 to 2011, after being nominated by President George Bush. On the Fed chair selection, President Donald Trump said in a social media post, “I have known Kevin for a long period of time, and have no doubt that he will go down as one of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, maybe…

Each week, in our Ask the Editor series, Joy Taylor, The Kiplinger Tax Letter editor, answers questions on topics submitted by readers. This week she’s looking at six questions on the taxation of Social Security benefits. (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Tax Letter or subscribe.)1. Are all Social Security benefits fully tax-free?Question: I am retired and receive monthly Social Security benefits. I heard they are now fully tax-free for federal income tax purposes. Is that correct? Joy Taylor: Unfortunately, no. President Trump promised to make the benefits fully tax-free. But the complex process that Republican lawmakers in Congress…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.The writer, an FT contributing editor, is a former chief economist at the Bank of EnglandIt has been a big week for Andys — or at least for two of them, Andy Burnham and Andy Street. The first, controversially, was blocked from standing as a member of parliament by the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee. The second, also controversially, announced the formation of a new centre-right political movement, Prosper UK. (Less controversially, this Andy has largely been inert this week.)Although drawn from…

(Image credit: Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images)After months of speculation — and years of criticizing his last pick — President Donald Trump announced his selection for the next chair of the Federal Reserve.The president announced on Friday, January 30, that Kevin Warsh will be the next Fed chair. If approved by the Senate, he will take over when Jerome Powell’s term ends in May 2026. Trump had been reviewing several candidates for some time now.”I am pleased to announce that I am nominating Kevin Warsh to be the CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM,”…

Key Takeaways The Fidelity Contrafund has posted an annualized 14% gain through January 26, beating major benchmark stock indexes.Danoff’s Contrafund, an early investor in Google and Facebook, is invested in private companies including SpaceX and Anthropic, according to recent holdings reports. It’s hard for stock pickers to beat the market—and even harder to do it consistently for years. Will Danoff has done both. The Fidelity Contrafund (FCNTX), which Danoff has helmed since 1990, has posted an average annualized gain of more than 14%, outpacing both the S&P 500 and the Russell 1000 Growth Index, which tracks companies comparable to the…

Turning 65 is a major milestone, but it often comes with a mountain of paperwork and confusing jargon. Among the most stressful aspects of Medicare are the hidden ‘late enrollment penalties’ that can catch retirees off guard. Fortunately, these costs are entirely avoidable if you know the rules. In this article, we’ll break down exactly what these penalties are and how you can protect your retirement budget from unnecessary lifelong fees.Whether you are still working or planning to retire this year, understanding the 2026 penalty structures for Parts A, B and D is essential for your financial health.Here’s what you…

Truist analyst Youssef Squali raised the firm’s price target on Meta Platforms (META) to $900 from $875 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. The firm is citing the company’s stronger Q4 results and impressive Q1 guide reflecting robust ad demand fueled by AI improvements across ad recommendations, monetization and user engagement, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Claim 50% Off TipRanks Premium Unlock hedge fund-level data and powerful investing tools for smarter, sharper decisions Stay ahead of the market with the latest news and analysis and maximize your portfolio’s potential Published first on TheFly – the…

Bitcoin selloff accelerated by Fed uncertainty and forced liquidations in leveraged futures positions. Break below 85,150 shifted market psychology, turning former support into near term resistance. Oversold conditions allow rebounds, but reclaiming 90,000 remains key for confidence recovery. In the latter half of the week, saw a sharp drop as market sentiment turned more cautious. The selloff was driven mainly by uncertainty around the Federal Reserve and concerns that financial conditions could tighten again. The decline accelerated because many leveraged traders were forced to close their positions in the derivatives market. As prices fell, liquidations in futures trading triggered further…

An apartment for rent sign hangs outside of an apartment building on Dec. 4, 2025 in San Francisco, California. Justin Sullivan | Getty ImagesApartment rents continued their slide into the new year, as fresh supply still makes its way through the market, and landlords strive to gain pricing power over a struggling consumer. The national median rent in January was $1,353, a drop of 1.4% compared with one year ago, according to Apartment List. This is now the fourth consecutive winter with a “pronounced” offseason dip, and is the largest annual drop since September 2023 and the lowest January rent…