Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways A bachelor’s degree can still lead to a six-figure job. An aerospace engineering degree, for example, can lead to a high-paying career. What’s more, graduates with this degree are rarely unemployed. If you’re looking to get a high-paying job with security, you may need to look to the sky when considering what to major in. Aerospace engineering graduates earn a median of $125,000 mid-career and face only a 1.4% unemployment rate. A degree in aerospace engineering has a starting salary of around $76,000, which is in line with the median pay for all workers with a bachelor’s degree…

California policymakers are flirting with an idea that’s sparking debate: a one‑time 5% tax on the net worth of its billionaires. The so-called “wealth tax” is intended to raise tens of billions for health care and other public services in the Golden State.The proposal, backed by the Service Employees International Union–United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU‑UHW) and Congressman Ro Khanna (D-Ca.-17), but opposed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, would apply to individual residents with more than $1 billion in wealth as of January 1, 2026.The measure is currently in the signature-gathering phase and is structured as a single levy rather than…

(Image credit: Getty Images)One of President Donald Trump’s key issues during the last election was about bringing prices down. In a December speech, he recommitted to that goal, saying, “I have no higher priority than making America affordable again.”In that same speech, the president also said prices are already coming down rapidly while wages are getting higher. As we come to the end of his first year back in office, let’s take a look at what the data says about prices and wages across the United States.Overall, in President Trump’s first year in office, inflation fell from 3% year-over-year in…

A Roth conversion can be a game-changer for your retirement, but it comes with a catch: the upfront tax hit. This brief quiz is designed to help you navigate that trade-off. By answering five key questions, you’ll gain clarity on whether locking in today’s tax rates is a beneficial move for your specific financial situation.Follow the links below to learn more about Roth conversions and how they impact your retirement income.More on Roth IRAs and Conversions: 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…

Key Takeaways President Trump’s renewed calls for the U.S. to take control of Greenland have fired up a fresh round of investor concern about the effect trade and geopolitical affairs could have on their portfolios.One measure: The VIX, Wall Street’s “Fear Gauge,” climbed this morning above 20 for the first time since November, a move into a territory suggesting concern but shy of outright panic. A period of relative calm in markets looks to have ended. What did it? It’s an oversimplification, but Greenland is at its core. President Donald Trump has stepped up his language—and actions—in pursuit of ownership…

In-brief analysis January 20, 2026 In our latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, we forecast retail U.S. gasoline prices will be lower the next two years than in 2025, falling 6% in 2026 and then increasing 1% in 2027. Our gasoline price forecast generally follows a similar path as global crude oil prices, but decreasing U.S. refinery capacity this year may offset some of the effects of lower crude oil prices on gasoline, especially in the West Coast region. On a regional basis, we expect gasoline prices to decrease in every region in 2026 and increase in…

Insured catastrophe losses in Canada reached CAD $2.4 billion for full-year 2025, marking the ninth-largest loss year on record for the country, placing it at the lower end of the past five years of annual loss totals, according to an estimate from CatIQ, Canada’s insured loss and exposure indices provider.At the same time, estimates from the Institute for Catastrophe Loss Reduction (ICLR), show that uninsured losses amounted to a further $1.0 billion, bringing total societal losses for the year to $3.4 billion. As mentioned, the $2.4 billion in insured losses, makes 2025 the ninth-largest loss year on record for Canada.…

There were a record 47% more home sellers than buyers in December, giving the buyers who were in the market negotiating power. The Sun Belt was home to the strongest buyer’s markets last month, while the Northeast and Midwest housed all five seller’s markets. Mortgage rates have ticked down in recent days, which may boost the number of buyers entering the market  in January. There were an estimated 47.1% more home sellers than buyers in the U.S. housing market in December (or 631,535 more, in numerical terms)—the largest gap in records dating back to 2013. That’s up 7.1 percentage points…

porcorex/ iStock / Getty Images PlusFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysSometimes, in Linux, you just need the terminal.You can even manage files within the terminal.These five apps are free and easy to use.Sometimes, a GUI just won’t do. For example, I might be logged into a remote Linux server, and I need an easier way to manage files than the usual commands. Or, I might already be in a terminal window on a local machine and figure I might as well stay there.Or, maybe I just prefer the command line.There are plenty of reasons why you might…

Key Takeaways Buffett’s $50 racetrack loss showed him that gambling is a losing game in which you’re trying to beat other bettors, while investing in businesses offers a “positive expectancy” that grows over time.That mistake pushed him toward bets with positive odds and a margin of safety—the same logic he uses in investing.​​ Warren Buffett lost $50 at the racetrack as a teenager, and it permanently changed how he thinks about risk. In a recent CNBC special on his life, Buffett focused on the number like it still stings: “When I went home, I was $50 poorer, which was all I’d…