Author: Money Mechanics

A little-known IRA rule may help families preserve lifetime stretch treatment for a loved one who needs substantial supervision, even without SSI or SSDI status.gettyIn my last Forbes.com article, How to Provide for Children Who Fall Between Disabled and Independent, I introduced the basic premise of a little-known pathway that allows families to preserve a lifetime “stretch” on an inherited IRA. This applies to a child, grandchild, or other loved one with a disability or serious medical condition, even when that person does not qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). The key is qualifying…

Investors, traders and speculators faced fresh headwinds from Asia on Wednesday. President Donald Trump said the U.S. is “probably” going to launch additional attacks on Iran to retaliate for Islamic Revolutionary Guard strikes on three commercial tankers as they transited the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.”I’ll give them a little warning,” Trump said from the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. “We’re going to hit them hard tonight, but we’ll see how it all works out.”The front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures contract was up 5.2% to $74.09 per barrel after the president also threatened to reimpose…

Living in a homeowners association has its perks—but it also comes with rules, fees, and, as we’ve seen time and again, disputes.It’s become commonplace for residents to take to the internet to vent their frustrations, with trends like #HOAproblems, #HOAstories, and #HOAKarens gaining in volume on platforms like TikTok.But while it might be tempting to share your frustrations on social platforms like Facebook, Nextdoor, or Reddit, doing so can cost you.“Social media posts are out there for anyone to find. Since they’re usually monitored, what may feel like privately venting your frustrations can quickly turn into a public record that…

Early bitcoin miners could mine 50 bitcoins per block using low-powered computers. Back then, the payout for mining just one block would be worth millions of dollars today. But at the time, bitcoin didn’t have a tested market value. Famously, one early transaction involved buying two pizzas for 10,000 bitcoins.  The market and the mining landscape have changed since then. Bitcoin now trades in the high five figures, and mining difficulty has increased exponentially. So, is it profitable to mine crypto in 2026, or has the window closed for everyday investors? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. An…

Please enable JavaScript if it is disabled in your browser or access the information through the links provided below. July 08, 2026 Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee, June 16-17, 2026 For release at 2:00 p.m. EDT The Federal Reserve on Wednesday released the minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee meeting that was held on June 16–17, 2026. The minutes for each regularly scheduled meeting of the Committee are generally published three weeks after the day of the policy decision. The descriptions of economic and financial conditions contained in these…

In-brief analysis June 30, 2026 Over the 250-year history of our nation, energy consumption has evolved from wood use in the 18th and 19th centuries to today’s use of modern renewable, hydrocarbon, and nuclear technology. In 2025, total energy used in the United States was 96 quadrillion British thermal units (quads), up 2% from 2024, but below 2007’s record 99 quads. Petroleum was the most-used energy source last year, followed closely by natural gas. Use of renewable, coal, and nuclear energy each made up about 9% of total energy use. As a share of total…

In-brief analysis July 8, 2026 U.S. petroleum exports reached a record in April as disruptions to international crude oil and refined product flows through the Strait of Hormuz increased global demand for U.S. exports. Exports increased to 13.6 million barrels per day (b/d) in April, 15% more than the previous record set in March. Crude oil exports made up the largest share of total petroleum exports, averaging 5.6 million b/d in April, 21% more than the previous record set in December 2023. Propane made up the second-largest share, with exports exceeding the 2.0 million b/d…

TV journalist Katie Couric has opened up about the frightening health scare she suffered while staying at her in-laws’ Aspen retreat—revealing that doctors initially thought her symptoms were a sign of a stroke.Couric, 69, recounted the frightening June 27 ordeal in a Substack post, explaining that she was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia—a condition that left her unable to remember who the president was or even what year it was. At one point she was even completely unaware that she’d recently welcomed a newborn granddaughter. In the essay, titled “A Day I’ll Never Remember,” Couric explained that she and…

Crypto VC firm Paradigm has raised $1.2 billion — its third venture fund and fourth overall — with the aim of investing in the “technical frontier,” the firm’s founder Matt Huang announced Wednesday. For Paradigm, the technical frontier will stretch beyond its cryptocurrency investment roots. This fund is expected to expand its investment focus to include robotics and AI. That’s not a surprising move given how hot the AI market has become over the past few years, while crypto has faced challenges. Paradigm isn’t abandoning crypto altogether, according to a blog post written by Huang, and the firm’s managing partner…

Published at 9:50 a.m. CTJJ Kinahan is Senior Vice President, Head of Retail Expansion and Alternative Investment Products at Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe).Key Takeaways:Unexpected shift in U.S./Iran peace talks sparks reactionMicron’s officially in bear territoryFed to release FOMC market minutesBrace yourself for a possibly rough day of trading. The three major market indices were drenched in red in the early going as investors reacted to escalating geopolitical issues between the U.S. and Iran.But they lightened up some of the losses as market participants checked in, which could lead to a rocky session as the day wears on. We saw…