Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways Side hustle earnings are taxable and must be reported, even without a 1099 form.Self-employment tax covers Social Security and Medicare contributions.Organized recordkeeping helps maximize deductions and accuracy.You may qualify for valuable tax breaks like the QBI deduction.Planning ahead can help prevent penalties and simplify next year’s filing. Side hustles have become a regular part of the modern economy, whether through rideshare driving, online freelancing, or selling goods online. However, earning extra income also means handling new tax responsibilities, something many may underestimate until tax season arrives. Understanding how to track, report, and maximize deductions for your side income…

Key Takeaways Small end-of-year 2025 tax moves can lower your bill and prevent April surprises. Check your 2025 withholdings to align tax payments with actual income. Max out 401(k), IRA, and HSA contributions before December 31, 2025. Review investments for tax-loss harvesting and capital-gain opportunities. Consult a tax professional for complex or multi-source 2025 income. The final weeks of the year are more than a countdown to the holidays. They’re your last chance to shape your refund or reduce what you’ll owe next April. A few proactive steps before December 31 can shrink your 2025 tax bill, boost retirement savings,…

Key Takeaways One of Oneida County’s most popular leisure activities is riding the Adirondack Railroad, with numerous other excursions tailored to personal interests. The county’s Office for Aging & Continuing Care provides several helpful services to seniors. The state of New York imposes a high tax rate, but the cost of living in Oneida County is below the national average. Tucked between Albany and Syracuse in central New York State, Oneida County enjoys a rich and storied history. The county was established by the New York State Legislature back in 1798, and it captured international attention in the 18th and…

Key Takeaways The activist investment group Elliott thinks the former Ralph Lauren CFO Jane Nielsen would be a strong candidate for CEO at Lululemon Athletica.The retailer hasn’t commented on the idea, but investors appear to have embraced the suggestion. Lululemon needs a new CEO. One investor’s preferred candidate might not be a a stretch. Less than a week has passed since Lululemon announced it was seeking a CEO, and one of its biggest stakeholders is already floating a candidate who—based on the market’s reaction—seems to appeal to fellow investors: Jane Nielsen, who contributed to turnarounds at Ralph Lauren (RL) and…

Key Takeaways Most retirees’ biggest regrets are not saving enough and not starting to save early; both can impact your finances and overall happiness later in life. Starting to save even small amounts early on pays off massively over time, thanks to compounding interest. With people living longer and traditional pensions fading from use, saving more than feels comfortable today can make the difference between just getting by and truly enjoying retirement. Retirement has changed due to longer life spans, shrinking pensions, and rising healthcare costs. What was once a quiet chapter in one’s life now demands a more complex…

Retirement should mean finally having time for morning hikes, afternoon bike rides, and the kind of active lifestyle you couldn’t have tied to a desk or factory floor. Almost 40% of retirees move at some point around the time they leave the workforce, and many are often looking to do the things they couldn’t do while working. Fortunately, there are towns across the U.S. that are great for retirees wanting a sense of community, natural beauty, and a fitness-friendly environment without relocating being a financial burden. 1. Lexington, Kentucky Jacobson Park offers scenic green spaces and recreational opportunities beyond Lexington’s…

What This Means For The Economy Price increases cooled unexpectedly in November, which could ease inflation fears for Fed officials and justify cutting interest rates to preserve the job market.Fed officials have been torn between keeping its key interest rate higher for longer to fight inflation, or lowering it to boost the job market.The government shutdown distorted the data, leading some economists, and possibly the Fed, to take it with a grain of salt. The sudden drop of inflation in November could clear the decks for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates to help boost the faltering job market.…

The long-standing gap between supply and demand for became clear in the second half of the year, especially in the current quarter. The price of the metal has stayed confidently above $60 an ounce and looks set to reach the next key level later this year. A major factor pushing buyers is the possibility of another interest rate cut by the Fed due to a weakening labor market. Falling yields on US bonds and a relatively weaker US dollar are also creating conditions that could keep silver prices moving higher. Today, we will see new data on , which suggests…

What better way to end this crazy year than with an economic data point that we don’t know how to really interpret? Happy New Year! Recall that, thanks to the government shutdown, the BLS released September CPI (by recalling workers to calculate the number based on data already collected) but didn’t do any of the normal price-collection procedures for the prices that are normally collected by hand. That’s far less than 100% of the index, but it’s a lot and so the October CPI was not released at all. Which brings us to today, and the November CPI – where…

A version of this article first appeared in the CNBC Property Play newsletter with Diana Olick. Property Play covers new and evolving opportunities for the real estate investor, from individuals to venture capitalists, private equity funds, family offices, institutional investors and large public companies. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox.Fernando de Leon, founder of Leon Capital Group, started a small lot development company in 2004 with $100,000 and turned it into a $10 billion business, focused mainly on commercial real estate. He did that, he says, by predicting distress, watching the source of capital and leaning on his…