Author: Money Mechanics

Carlos owns two parcels on the south side of McAllen, Texas.The first parcel is located in a Qualified Opportunity Zone, one of the original tracts the federal government designated in 2018. That designation expires on December 31, 2026. Less than six months from now, the line on the map vanishes.The second parcel, three miles north, is located in a Census tract that didn’t make the cut in 2018. But under the new eligibility rules signed into law last summer, that second tract just became eligible for OZ 2.0, and Carlos’ governor has until late September 2026 to nominate it, or…

Summer vacations are something many families look forward to every year, but the summer of 2026 could hit your wallet hard.Higher gas prices are just one of the issues leading to more expensive plane tickets and road trips.This year, if travel plans require a flight and lodging, you can expect to spend almost $4,000 before even arriving at your destination, according to a report from NerdWallet. And more than a third of the travelers who put their vacations on credit cards last year are still paying them off. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better…

If you switched from cable to live TV streaming hoping to save money, you probably noticed those monthly bills gradually climb over the past several years. Now, some subscribers may be able to recover a small portion of those costs through a proposed $50 million settlement involving Disney.The settlement stems from a class-action lawsuit alleging Disney’s business practices contributed to higher prices for live TV streaming services like YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream. While Disney denies any wrongdoing, the company agreed to settle the claims, meaning current and former subscribers could qualify for a payment if the settlement receives final…

Asset location and asset allocation are two of the biggest levers investors can pull to improve long-term investment outcomes. While they sound similar, they refer to two very different concepts.Asset location refers to where you hold your investments. This matters because different account types receive different tax treatment. Simply placing the right investments in the right accounts can meaningfully improve after-tax returns over time.For example, a traditional 401(k) allows investments to grow tax deferred until withdrawal, a Roth IRA offers tax-free qualified withdrawals in retirement, and a taxable brokerage account provides complete flexibility but may generate annual tax liabilities from…

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 four tax questions from readers who are still awaiting their tax refunds and problems with calling the IRS. (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Tax Letter or subscribe.)1. Delayed refundsQuestion: I electronically filed my 2025 Form 1040 in early April and still haven’t received my refund. I received an IRS letter saying my return is under review and that it can take up to 60 days for the agency to process. I…

Kia America is recalling nearly 463,000 Telluride SUVs because the front power seat motor could overheat and catch fire while the vehicle is parked or being driven.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is advising owners of affected vehicles to park outside and away from buildings and other vehicles until the recall repair is complete.The recall affects Tellurides from the 2020 through 2024 model years. Kia is aware of seven seat fires and 11 incidents involving melted seat motors, according to the NHTSA. Taking care of the free recall repair can help protect your family, your vehicle and one of…

A growing number of Americans are worried that higher taxes in the future will erode their income in retirement. Yet few people who express this concern are adjusting their financial plans to help meet the challenge.That’s the conclusion of two recent surveys by financial services companies.According to an Allianz Life study earlier this year, 70% of Americans are now concerned about the impact of taxes on their income once they stop working, up from 66% in 2025. Gen Xers, on the cusp of retirement at ages ranging from 46 to 61, are the most fearful, with nearly 80% of them…

With capacity constraints likely to limit the insurance industry’s ability to fully insure hyperscale data centre projects, given their scale and complexity, a new report from S&P notes that this will drive greater use of self-insurance through captive insurers, and potentially, alternative capital such as insurance-linked securities (ILS).The rating agency’s latest report suggests that rising demand for data centre insurance coverage could generate $10 billion in new premiums in 2026, highlighting how significant the data center market could become and the scale of the opportunity for the global re/insurance industry. At the same time, S&P also indicated that annual investment…

A container ship is berthed at the container terminal in Qingdao, China’s eastern Shandong province on June 25, 2026.- | Afp | Getty ImagesChina’s consumer prices grew slower than expected in June, while wholesale inflation accelerated, as elevated energy costs continued to sap domestic demand.Consumer prices rose 1% in June from a year ago, missing economists’ estimates of 1.1% growth in a Reuters poll, and slowing from 1.2% in May, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday. Core CPI, excluding volatile food and energy prices, also rose 1% in June from a year earlier, edging…

Jack Wallen/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysAndroid is very close to being a full-blown Linux desktop.With the ability to run Linux apps, the OS takes a major step forward.But there is one glaring problem with the feature.I’ve been waiting for this moment — and it makes perfect sense. After all, the Android kernel is based on the Linux kernel, and Google already gave us Linux terminal support for the mobile OS. With that terminal support, I can run Linux commands and have all sorts of fun.But I want more. I want to run full-blown…