Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways You can subtract up to $25,000 of the tips you earned from your 2025 taxable income, which lowers your tax burden.However, you’ll have to calculate the deduction yourself. Workers who received gratuities in 2025 should begin collecting the records now to ensure they can take full advantage of a new tax break. The new tax deduction on tips is part of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” Act. Workers can subtract up to $25,000 of the tips they earned in 2025 from their taxable income with this break. This means they will pay less in taxes when they file…

Key Takeaways Your 401(k) passes to the person you name on a beneficiary form—not through your will.Spouses and non-spouses face different rules and tax implications when inheriting a 401(k).Forgetting to update your beneficiary or leaving it blank can lead to probate and unintended recipients. Your 401(k) could be one of your biggest assets. But what happens to it after you die? Unlike other parts of your estate, a 401(k) doesn’t get handled through your will. It follows a different path—and if you haven’t paid attention, that path might lead somewhere you didn’t intend. Below, we break down what happens to…

History offers few better examples of someone preparing for a major life transition than Marcus Aurelius.Chosen at a young age to one day “assume the purple,” he spent his youth not chasing power but studying philosophy — reading, writing and thinking about what it meant to live well and rule wisely.When he finally took the throne, Marcus faced nonstop crises: war along the northern front, a devastating plague, political betrayals and financial strain. Yet through it all, he remained disciplined, steady and unusually unpretentious for a man with absolute authority. His private writings reveal why. He relied on an ancient…

entered December with sharp swings, slipped in the early days as investors moved away from risk, then bounced from the $85,000, and is now trying to settle in the $91,000 to $95,000 range. Even though risk appetite improved after the Fed’s December 10 meeting, Bitcoin shows steady and cautious moves instead of a fast rally. This brings up two key questions. Is the macro and liquidity backdrop truly supportive, or has the market already priced it in? And from a technical view, is this bounce turning into a real trend change, or is it only a pause in the broader…

While rate decreases have persisted within catastrophe exposed property reinsurance, analysts at Amwins believe they are beginning to trend toward moderation, anticipating that any continued downward movement will likely shift to between 10% to 15% as 1/1 approaches, but also noting that underwriting standards have loosened modestly.In its latest State of the Market report, Amwins, the insurance origination and distribution specialist, explained that the reinsurance market is currently navigating through a period of adjustment following several years of volatility “While competition has intensified amid abundant capacity, the market appears to be finding its footing, with signs that recent rate decreases…

The robot swerved through the cafeteria of Rivian’s Palo Alto office, shelves adorned with chilled canned coffees — until it didn’t. Five minutes later, a man carefully pushed it out of everyone’s way, the words “I’m stuck” flashing yellow on the poor droid’s screen. It was an inauspicious start to Rivian’s “Autonomy & AI Day,” a showcase for the company’s plans to make its vehicles capable of driving themselves. Rivian doesn’t make the cafeteria robot and isn’t responsible for its abilities, but there was a familiar message in its foibles: this stuff is hard. Hours later, as I rode in…

Key Takeaways Asia often dominates global affordability rankings, and lesser-known spots like Penang, Hoi An, Dumaguete, and Chiang Rai offer retirees lower costs without the inflated prices of major expat hubs. Monthly living costs in these destinations can run as low as $600, but retirees should research visa requirements, health care access, and climate considerations before making the leap. With only about six in 10 Americans saying that they have a retirement savings account such as a 401(k) or IRA, the dream of living a comfortable life after leaving the workforce may feel increasingly unlikely for many. For those looking…

Key Takeaways Libya has the highest official retirement age at 70 years old.Other countries with high retirement ages include Australia, Greece, Iceland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United States.Countries with low official retirement ages often have high effective retirement ages, meaning people tend to work until their mid-60s regardless of where they live.While the United States will avoid a rise in the retirement age in 2025, from 67 years old, the Republican Party has continually proposed this during budget talks. Denmark will soon be tied with Libya to have the highest official retirement age—meaning the age when a…

Key Takeaways Even though they’re still children, Generation Alpha is already shaping what families buy and spend on, especially online.Growing up fully immersed in technology, Gen Alpha will expect flexible, creative work, and homes that blend smart tech with sustainability.Gen Alpha is learning about money at an earlier age than past generations, which is setting them up to make smart financial decisions when they’re adults.Investing in certain sectors now, like AI and clean energym could be a smart way to take advantage of the economic impact that Gen Alpha will have in the future. Generation Alpha, which includes those born…

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) linked to BuyWrite℠indices have grown significantly in the U.S. in recent years. Income-focused ETFs — where BuyWrite strategies represent a significant share — reaching approximately $81 billion in assets under management (AUM) by 2024, according to Global X. The growing interest in the U.S. has begun to spill over to other regions as global investors see opportunities to implement similar strategies.Two new indices developed by Cboe Global Indices target Japanese exposure to the BuyWrite strategy – the Cboe® TLT 2% OTM BuyWrite Index JPY (BXTBJPY) and the Cboe® S&P 500® Enhanced 1% OTM BuyWrite NTR Index…