Author: Money Mechanics

(Image credit: Getty Images)Whether it’s being aware of your full retirement age, understanding spousal or survivorship benefits or just being aware of the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), Social Security is complex. The social insurance program is also facing a few changes in 2026.Starting in January, about 71 million beneficiaries will see a 2.8% COLA increase on benefits. This is expected to increase monthly benefits by an average of $56.For the nearly 7.5 million Americans receiving Supplemental Security Income, increased payments will begin on December 31. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Stepping into full retirement — and your first year without a regular paycheck — can feel liberating and a bit unnerving.If you’re entering retirement with a mid to high six-figure portfolio, you may feel prepared. However, just one misstep in tax planning can quietly shave thousands off your nest egg.As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) with more than 15 years of retirement and tax planning experience, I’ve seen smart, successful clients stumble simply because they treated the transition like a continuation of “business as usual.” From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better…

There’s a growing number of people rethinking retirement, not because of Social Security changes or longer lifespans, but because of something far more personal: they don’t have children, and increasingly, they don’t plan to.In a way, they’re following a path not unlike Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre, the 20th-century literary power couple that famously chose a child-free life and built a partnership around freedom, intellectual work and self-directed purpose. Their arrangement was considered unconventional at the time. Today, it reflects a broader reality: more adults are child-free by choice, often due to financial constraints or simply because they want…

Key Takeaways Travel is exciting, but it can be expensive. Choosing a destination dupe can save you money on your next trip.A destination dupe is a lower-cost alternative to a popular and expensive travel spot like New York City or Rome.Besides helping you save money, a destination dupe can offer a reprieve from crowds and the hustle and bustle of tourists. Looking for a way to save money on your next vacation? A destination dupe may be just what you and your family are looking for. Destination dupes are lesser-known, more affordable destinations for travel. They have all the charm…

News over the weekend added a fresh dose of geopolitical uncertainty for investors to digest as the first full week of trading in 2026 gets underway. In the early-morning hours Saturday, the U.S. launched a military strike on Venezuela and extracted President Nicolás Maduro in order for him to face criminal charges in the U.S. President Donald Trump later said that the U.S. would “run” Venezuela until an orderly transition is possible, and that U.S. oil companies would rebuild the oil infrastructure of the South American country. It’s unclear what shape U.S involvement in the oil-rich nation will take. Investors will…

Key Takeaways Mortgage rates are expected to dip slightly in 2026, which may improve affordability, but borrowing costs will remain relatively high.Housing costs will vary widely by location, with better deals more likely in parts of the Midwest and South than in high-cost coastal and Northeast markets.Buyers may find value by considering adjustable-rate mortgages or new construction, since ARMs offer lower initial rates and homebuilders are offering buyers incentives. Home sales remained near historic lows in 2025, as high housing costs and elevated mortgage rates continued to keep buyers on the sidelines. But housing affordability is expected to improve in…

KEY TAKEAWAYS The “One Big, Beautiful Bill” introduced several changes to student loans that will take effect in 2026, including the creation of a new income-driven repayment plan and a reduction in the amount that some students and their families can borrow.Loan forgiveness next year will be taxable again, and some public-loan workers could be blocked from forgiveness by the Trump administration. From a new income-driven repayment plan to adjusted borrowing limits, changes are coming to your student loans in 2026. The “One Big, Beautiful Bill” makes several significant changes to student loans and repayment plans. Many of these changes…

The Trade Desk, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTD) is one of the Best AI Stocks to Buy under $50. After peaking in late 2024, the stock has fallen more than 60% over the past year. While part of this plunge reflects a broader reset for some growth stocks, some weakness reflects company-specific disappointment, including management admitting that it fell short of its own expectations in Q4 2024. Even so, the company’s underlying business seems to grow. The company reported third-quarter revenue of $739 million, an increase of 18% year over year. On November 7, Benchmark upgraded the stock to “Buy” from Hold with…

Changes apply to all FHA-insured single-family forward mortgages and reverse mortgages. At its core, HUD is tightening the connection between an appraiser’s state license and their ability to perform FHA work, while spelling out clearer consequences for missed renewals, education lapses or compliance problems. Key takeaways for appraisers FHA’s systems automatically check appraiser license data against the Appraisal Subcommittee’s National Registry. If a state license expires and is not renewed on time, the appraiser’s FHA eligibility in that state can be suspended — even if the appraiser believes the renewal is in process. If a license expiration shows up in…

ZDNET’s key takeaways Motorola’s 2026 Moto G is available for $200.It has a better camera, and keeps standout features like loud Dolby Atmos speakers and a long-lasting battery.It also keeps the same hardware as before, so the phone still struggles with heavier workloads. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.”If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” — that simple phrase seems to have been Motorola’s mantra with the 2026 Moto G, a midrange smartphone that closely mirrors last year’s model. On one hand, that’s a good thing. I liked the 2025 Moto G a lot — it’s a great…