Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways Healthcare stocks have substantially outperformed the broader market this month as AI bubble concerns have weighed on tech stocks.Professional fund managers are more bullish on healthcare than they’ve been since December 2022, according to a recent Bank of America survey. November’s Wall Street obsession hasn’t been AI. It’s been healthcare. The S&P 500’s Health Care Index has risen 5% so far this month, handily outpacing the broader market, which is down more than 4%. Tech, meanwhile, has fallen more than 8% since the start of the month, making it the S&P 500’s worst-performing sector over that time.  Pharmaceutical…

Key Takeaways Enroll in a 401(k) to capture employer matching. Use an employee stock purchase plan (ESPP) for discounted company stock.Check for valuable workplace perks like tuition assistance, commuter benefits, and wellness reimbursements.Take advantage of tax credits, which reduce what you owe at tax time.Earn rewards on everyday spending with a credit card, but always pay your balance in full. The odds of winning the lottery are 1 in hundreds of millions. So what’s a smarter bet for getting “free money?” You can leverage your employer benefits, make the most of credit card rewards, and claim available tax credits. Here…

When you have questions or need assistance regarding anything insurance-related, who do you think to reach out to? Chances are, you will think of a licensed insurance agent or broker.Sure, you may reach out directly to an insurance company or ask a friend, but at the end of all those roadways, you are left with one constant — if you want to get accurate insurance information, you look for a well-educated, licensed insurance professional.Unfortunately, a new law in California is removing from the equation some of the required education for insurance professionals. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance…

About 20% of Americans have a pension, while 10% have $1 million or more saved. Combine those two percentages and only 2% of the population has both, leaving them in a unique situation when it comes to retirement planning.If you are in the 2% Club, congratulations! You’ve done the hard work and saved diligently. And because you’ve done so, you need a tailored strategy to protect and enjoy the wealth you’ve earned.If you are looking for more information beyond this article, then you can request a free copy of my book The 2% Club. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger…

Warren Buffett, 95, the so-called Oracle of Omaha, is set to step down by year-end as CEO of investment company Berkshire Hathaway. Over 60 years, he and his deputy, Charlie Munger, who died in 2023 at the age of 99, produced outstanding investment returns that made other investors’ returns pale in comparison.Look at the numbers: From 1965, the year Buffett took over a struggling textile company, through the end of 2024, Berkshire’s shares rose 5,502,284%. That’s an annual compounded return of 19.9%. Over the same six decades, the S&P 500 index rose just 39,054% or 10.4% annually.“Buffett is the most…

Key Takeaways More than a third of car buyers said tariffs prompted them to change their buying plans, with the vast majority stating that they bought sooner than they had planned, according to a survey.Tariffs have had a limited impact on vehicle prices so far because automakers have eaten the costs.The survey highlighted the far-reaching effects of tariffs on the economy. Tariffs influenced the buying decisions of more than a third of car buyers this year, showing the far-reaching effects of President Donald Trump’s sweeping import taxes.That’s according to market research firm J.D. Power, which found 36% of buyers factored…

Work until you die — quite literally — was the American approach to retirement until the passage of the Social Security Act of 1935. That law established an official retirement age, providing a clear marker for when the next chapter of your life could begin.But that didn’t mean the end of bad advice; in fact, it has been flourishing ever since, costing Americans untold sums in get-rich-quick schemes and fly-by-night stocks.Just how much? A lack of financial literacy cost the nation $243 billion in 2024 (National Financial Educators Council). On a personal level, this susceptibility to bad advice has resulted…

If you’re not careful, the fees that come with using a checking account can add up quickly.Getting cash from an out-of-network ATM costs more than ever. Average total ATM fees, including both the charge from your own bank as well as from the ATM’s operator, are at a record high of $4.86, according to a recent Bankrate survey.The average minimum balance required to avoid a monthly maintenance fee on an interest-bearing checking account has reached an all-time high, too. Customers have to keep $10,705 in their accounts to sidestep a fee of $15.65, on average. From just $107.88 $24.99 for…

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 five questions on the gain exclusion tax break when you sell your home. (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Tax Letter or subscribe.)1. Will my home sale be taxed?Question: My husband and I are thinking of selling our home next year that we have owned for many years. Will the gain be taxed?Joy Taylor: It depends. Generally, if you have owned and lived in your main home for at least two out…

Key Takeaways Gold’s rise has been fueled by global instability, record central bank buying, and a weaker U.S. dollar. However, one expert warns that a sharp rebound in the dollar or a Fed policy shift could send gold prices lower. Even with these risks, gold remains a cornerstone safe haven—just don’t forget that diversification matters. Gold has been on a remarkable run this year, consistently hitting new highs and nabbing a new record in September. Meanwhile, investors and central banks alike have piled in, treating the precious metal as a hedge against geopolitical and economic risks. But as strong as…