Author: Money Mechanics

You can save more for retirement this year thanks to an increase in the 401(k) contribution limit for 2026. The IRS adjusts contribution limits and other tax provisions for inflation each year.High inflation as of late means this is the fourth year in a row that the adjustments have resulted in a higher 401(k) contribution limit. But what about your IRA?Here’s how much you can contribute to retirement accounts in 2026. 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…

Meeting with friends for lunch this week, I had the pleasure of hearing them reflect on their lives, their marriage, their children (and grandchildren), their work (nearing retirement), and their financial situation (which is likely better than they’d ever imagined). Theirs was not a superficial, passing gratitude that was expressed, but a deeper, hard-earned sense of contentment and enduring ease that they’re carrying into the Thanksgiving weekend.What’s on your list?gettyHaving spent the entirety of my career in wealth management, predominantly serving those whose financial circumstances range from very good to very very good, I can assure you that this isn’t…

After a strong, short Thanksgiving week for U.S. stocks, a busy schedule of economic indicators and corporate earnings awaits. Private sector payrolls for November could prove a highlight, though market watchers will have to wait until later in December to get the government’s latest monthly jobs report, which was delayed by the government shutdown. Reports on consumer credit and sentiment, along with fresh data on the manufacturing and services sectors, are also expected. Several large tech companies, including customer relationship management software leader Salesforce, cybersecurity provider CrowdStrike, and Marvell Technology, are set to report earnings this week. Reports from dollar…

Every year, Americans run through the cycle of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, all dedicated to finding deals for gifts, necessities and everything in between.Once that routine is done, though, comes Giving Tuesday, a day dedicated to giving back. This year, Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine spoke to Asha Curran in New York City, the CEO of GivingTuesday, an independent nonprofit organization that connects nonprofits around the globe.Hear from Curran about the meaning of Giving Tuesday, its impact and what you can do. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK…

New year, new you. To start 2026 off on the right foot financially, you may have to put some legwork in right now. That might mean finding your 401(k) login and changing your retirement contributions, reading up on new changes to federal tax law, and taking a look at some of your accounts for the first time in a year. Here are four tips that will help you enter 2026 in a stronger financial position. 1. Contribute More To Your Workplace Retirement Plan If you’re approaching the end of the year with some additional cash, consider boosting your workplace retirement…

(Image credit: Getty Images)With stock markets hitting highs and a flood of new companies selling their shares to investors, it’s easy to get FOMOIPO — fear of missing out on initial public offerings. But the fortunes of many of the debuts in this year’s surge are tied to artificial intelligence (AI) or cryptocurrency, making the batch of new issues perhaps even riskier than the typical crop.Through September 30, there were 161 U.S. IPOs, according to IPO research firm Renaissance Capital, compared with 150 for the entirety of 2024. Renaissance counted 64 IPOs in the third quarter, raising a combined $15.3…

Key Takeaways With a health savings account (HSA) can be used as a long-term savings account.HSAs come with triple-tax benefits that can be used to increase retirement savings.After age 65, maximizing the tax benefits of HSAs can supersede the retirement savings benefits of both IRAs and 401(k)s with tax-free withdrawals for qualifying medical expenses.For 2025, you can contribute up to $8,550 for family coverage and up to $4,300 for self coverage. For 2026, those numbers are $8,750 and $4,400, respectively.If you’re 55 or older, you can contribute an additional $1,000 to an HSA. An account for medical expenses probably isn’t…

Key Takeaways Brokerage commissions, bid-ask spreads, and taxes steadily erode your returns, even when your stock picks look smart on paper. Buffett’s decade‑long $1 million bet proved the point. A low‑cost S&P 500 index fund beat a hand-picked basket of hedge funds by almost four‑to‑one between 2008 and 2017. Skill is rare, costs are certain. While some research suggests frequent trading can be rational, Buffett counters that “the great majority of managers who attempt to over‑perform will fail.” You may have heard that most day traders lose money over time, and that passive index investing is the way to go.…

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for freeYour guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the worldRemember Doge, aka the Department of Government Efficiency? You know, the pseudo federal agency dreamt up by Elon Musk and named after a memecoin that was going to cut trillions of dollars from America’s budget and drastically shrink the administrative state? It emerged this week that the head of the US government’s human resources office had given an interesting answer to reporters asking about the current status of Doge: “That doesn’t exist.”Alas, it seems Doge has had its day. The…

As momentum continues to build within the reinsurance sidecar market, these structures are increasingly viewed as an attractive capital sourcing opportunity for managing general agents (MGAs), and investment for ILS managers, hedge or pension funds, and family-office investors, according to Willis Re.In a recent article, Willis Re said: “Sidecars both historical and new provide capacity for everything from catastrophe risk to E&S lines. They share, for example, in energy exposures and long-tail casualty, whether live or retrospective. They have been set up by companies including big-name reinsurers, larger primary carriers and run-off companies.” However, the firm indicates that a developing…