Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways Parents planning to buy video game gifts for their children this holiday season expect to spend an average of $737, according to a new survey.Video games ranked among the top three most popular gift categories for kids, following money and clothing.A different report found that people plan to spend an average of $1,007 on all of their gifts this holiday season. This holiday season, parents planning to buy video game gifts for their children are expecting to spend big. A new survey of more than 1,900 respondents from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA)—a trade association for the video…

Imagine moving a highly appreciated asset out of your taxable estate, locking in lifetime income for yourself and potentially saving your heirs millions in estate taxes.That’s the power of a private annuity sale — an advanced, yet simple and elegant estate tax-mitigation strategy used by sophisticated families and their advisers.What is a private annuity sale?A private annuity sale is a transaction in which you transfer an asset — such as a closely held business interest, investment real estate or a concentrated securities position — to an irrevocable dynasty trust in exchange for the trust’s unsecured promise to pay you a…

With high inflation, a worsening housing crisis and today’s economic hurdles, it’s no surprise that many people doubt financial independence is even possible.A study by digital personal finance company Achieve found that only 1 in 10 Americans believes they’ve actually achieved it.The funny thing is that, depending on who you ask (or follow online), financial independence is either ridiculously simple or completely out of reach. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK FOR FREE ISSUE Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing,…

(Image credit: Getty Images)To help you understand what is going on in the economy, our highly experienced Kiplinger Letter team will keep you abreast of the latest developments and forecasts (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Letter or subscribe). You’ll get all the latest news first by subscribing, but we publish many (but not all) of our forecasts a few days afterward online. Here’s the latest…Now that the federal tax credit has expired, what is the outlook for electric vehicles in the U.S.? Sales surged as buyers rushed to cash in on the credit before it expired on September…

Key Takeaways There are nearly 90 quantum-focused academic programs across the U.S. from the bachelor’s to the postdoctoral level. They fall in the following disciplines: interdisciplinary (43%), physics (27%), electrical and computer engineering (12%), computer science (4.5%), molecular engineering (2%), optical science (1%), engineering (1%), chemistry (1%), and unknown (8%).About four in 10 programs are at the bachelor’s level, while a third are master’s programs—evidence that universities are rapidly expanding undergraduate options beyond traditional physics PhDs.A 2024 analysis of more than 5,000 job postings found that 55% of quantum jobs didn’t require a graduate degree. Only about 14% asked for…

Stock futures pointed slightly higher to begin the week, which will see AI darling Nvidia and retail giants Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Target report quarterly results.  Futures associated with the Nasdaq rose 0.5% after the tech-heavy index fell 0.5% last week, its second straight weekly decline. Those affiliated with the benchmark S&P 500 and blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average were up 0.3% and 0.1%, respectively, after both indexes posted weekly gains. Bitcoin was trading around $95,600 after dropping below $93,000 overnight, its lowest level since early May. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note declined to 4.12% from Friday’s close of 4.15%.…

A 2025 Northwestern Mutual survey found that Americans think it will take $1.26 million to retire comfortably. But a 2022 Federal Reserve survey revealed Americans aged 65 to 74 have a median of $200,000 saved for retirement (2). So clearly, the typical retiree has a large gap to overcome. If you’re nearing retirement with a $2 million portfolio, you’re clearly ahead of the curve. Not only do you have way more assets than the typical American your age, but you also have more than the $1.26 million per person that’s supposed to make for a comfortable retirement. But you may…

The Hartford, a US primary property and casualty insurer, is back in the catastrophe bond market seeking $270 million or more in multi-peril collateralized catastrophe reinsurance protection from the capital markets through sponsorship of a Foundation Re IV Ltd. (Series 2026-1) cat bond issuance.This new catastrophe bond will become the seventh to be sponsored by The Hartford since it  brought to market the first in its series of Foundation Re cat bond deals back in 2004. Notably though, this is the second cat bond from The Hartford in two years, as the insurer now looks to begin layering reinsurance protection…

RE/MAX is accelerating the integration of AI and cutting-edge technology to transform how agents engage with clients, generate leads, and deliver results. Initiatives like Max AI, MaxRefer, MaxEngage, and HomeView leverage real-time data, personalized marketing, and AI-driven tools to streamline the homeownership experience and empower its agents. Leading this innovation is Travis Saxton, EVP of Strategy at RE/MAX, who has spearheaded the rollout of these technologies, including AI-powered training through Sky AI and SkyStudio, redefining the future of real estate by combining human connection with next-generation tools. HousingWire: Since joining REMAX in early 2025, you’ve increased the pace of innovation…

Flatpay, which facilitates card payments for SMBs, has joined the ranks of European fintech unicorns — or startups valued at more than $1 billion — a milestone that has driven some of the region’s biggest exits. These include competitors like Adyen, a Dutch payment processing giant that remains far ahead in scale. However, Flatpay’s fresh funding could help it narrow the gap. Flatpay’s bet is that it can challenge larger players by charging small merchants a flat transaction rate to use its card terminals and point-of-sales systems. This focus on a segment that accounts for 99% of European businesses has…