Author: Money Mechanics

(Image credit: Getty Images)With stock markets hitting highs and a flood of new companies selling their shares to investors, it’s easy to get FOMOIPO — fear of missing out on initial public offerings. But the fortunes of many of the debuts in this year’s surge are tied to artificial intelligence (AI) or cryptocurrency, making the batch of new issues perhaps even riskier than the typical crop.Through September 30, there were 161 U.S. IPOs, according to IPO research firm Renaissance Capital, compared with 150 for the entirety of 2024. Renaissance counted 64 IPOs in the third quarter, raising a combined $15.3…

Key Takeaways With a health savings account (HSA) can be used as a long-term savings account.HSAs come with triple-tax benefits that can be used to increase retirement savings.After age 65, maximizing the tax benefits of HSAs can supersede the retirement savings benefits of both IRAs and 401(k)s with tax-free withdrawals for qualifying medical expenses.For 2025, you can contribute up to $8,550 for family coverage and up to $4,300 for self coverage. For 2026, those numbers are $8,750 and $4,400, respectively.If you’re 55 or older, you can contribute an additional $1,000 to an HSA. An account for medical expenses probably isn’t…

Key Takeaways Brokerage commissions, bid-ask spreads, and taxes steadily erode your returns, even when your stock picks look smart on paper. Buffett’s decade‑long $1 million bet proved the point. A low‑cost S&P 500 index fund beat a hand-picked basket of hedge funds by almost four‑to‑one between 2008 and 2017. Skill is rare, costs are certain. While some research suggests frequent trading can be rational, Buffett counters that “the great majority of managers who attempt to over‑perform will fail.” You may have heard that most day traders lose money over time, and that passive index investing is the way to go.…

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for freeYour guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the worldRemember Doge, aka the Department of Government Efficiency? You know, the pseudo federal agency dreamt up by Elon Musk and named after a memecoin that was going to cut trillions of dollars from America’s budget and drastically shrink the administrative state? It emerged this week that the head of the US government’s human resources office had given an interesting answer to reporters asking about the current status of Doge: “That doesn’t exist.”Alas, it seems Doge has had its day. The…

As momentum continues to build within the reinsurance sidecar market, these structures are increasingly viewed as an attractive capital sourcing opportunity for managing general agents (MGAs), and investment for ILS managers, hedge or pension funds, and family-office investors, according to Willis Re.In a recent article, Willis Re said: “Sidecars both historical and new provide capacity for everything from catastrophe risk to E&S lines. They share, for example, in energy exposures and long-tail casualty, whether live or retrospective. They have been set up by companies including big-name reinsurers, larger primary carriers and run-off companies.” However, the firm indicates that a developing…

The number of home listings that were pulled off the market rose to a historically high level in September.  Sellers are delisting because so many listings are going stale; many homeowners would rather stay put than accept a low offer. The increase in delistings is propping up home prices.  Nationwide, 5.5% of total listings were delisted in September, the highest September rate in a decade.  1 in 5 homes that are delisted are re-listed. Sellers who had owned their home for under 5 years are most likely to pull them off the market after listing. Delistings–and stale listings–are most common…

Key Takeaways ChatGPT offered solid guidance about considering your time horizon when deciding where to put $10,000 in savings. But when we asked ChatGPT for the highest rates it could find, its top pick trailed in almost every major savings category. Our savings and CD rates are fresher and higher than what ChatGPT was quickly surfacing in its response. What ChatGPT Got Right About Saving $10K When we asked ChatGPT where to park $10,000 in savings, it didn’t give reckless or inaccurate advice. In fact, it started by asking a very smart question—how long the money could be left untouched—so…

Key Takeaways Living comfortably in retirement often requires making cutbacks, and one way to do that is by moving somewhere cheaper.Several cities across the U.S. stand out for affordability while offering excellent amenities and livability, including Fort Wayne, Indiana; Lexington, Kentucky; Augusta, Georgia; Midland, Michigan; and Des Moines, Iowa. If you’re looking to make your retirement dollars go further, a good option could be moving to a place that is more affordable. Several areas across the U.S. offer plenty of desirable qualities while costing significantly less to live than the national average. Here are five cities that are considered both…

Key Takeaways Between 2025 and 2028, Americans aged 65 and older will receive an additional $6,000 deduction if they itemize or take the standard deduction. Higher-income seniors, or singles with an income of above $75,000 or $150,000 for joint filers, will not qualify for the full deduction. The senior tax break could reduce the amount of taxes you pay on your Social Security benefits, depending on your combined income as calculated by the Social Security Administration. The OBBB may be an impetus for some seniors to reevaluate their tax planning. For seniors aged 65 or older, you might owe less…

With strong three-month performance and significant upside potential, Shattuck Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ:STTK) secures a spot on our list of the 12 hot penny stocks to invest in right now. Analyst Confidence Upbeat on Shattuck Labs (STTK) Amid SL-325 Progress and Earlier Q3 2025 Result Pixabay/Public Domain Highlighting the SL-325’s Phase 1 readout, expected in Q2 2026, H.C. Wainwright’s Joseph Pantginis reiterated a “Hold” rating on Shattuck Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ:STTK) on November 7, 2025. The analyst believes the drug holds significant clinical potential, boosting the analyst’s confidence. The drug remains a key growth catalyst, with DR3-based bispecific antibodies expected to provide…