Author: Money Mechanics

(Image credit: Getty Images)Many Americans say they aren’t feeling optimistic about their financial progress this year. According to a recent report from Omnicalculator, eight in 10 adults say they have at least one financial regret from 2025.Missteps are tied to spending, debt or a lack of long-term planning, with almost three in 10 Americans reporting their biggest mistake was making decisions too quickly.But feeling financially behind can be misleading. In many cases, the issue isn’t a lack of progress — it’s how that progress is being measured. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Question: I am 62 with $4 million saved for retirement. My wife and I have worked hard to pay off our mortgage, and we have no debt. Our kids are successful and have independent lives.I love my tech job, earning $250,000 a year, and didn’t plan to retire until at least 67, when I reach full retirement age. Unfortunately, my company is going through a round of downsizing, and I was just offered a buyout that includes six months of severance and six months of health insurance.I’m not sure whether to accept the offer and retire or…

(Image credit: Getty Images)For more than six decades, the 60/40 portfolio, comprised of 60% equities and 40% fixed income, served as the baseline for retirement planning.Its success was built on the inverse correlation between stocks and bonds: When equities faced volatility, bonds typically provided a stabilizing cushion.However, recent market shifts have exposed structural vulnerabilities in this traditional model. Persistent inflation, rising interest rates and the increasing concentration of public equity markets have diminished the protective qualities of bonds and the diversification benefits of index funds. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe…

(Image credit: Getty Images)For decades, obtaining a second passport was largely associated with lifestyle aspirations — retiring in Europe, reconnecting with family heritage or spending extended time abroad.Today, however, a growing number of owners of U.S.-based small and midsize businesses are pursuing second citizenship or long-term residency for a very different reason: To strengthen their companies.What was once a personal decision is increasingly becoming a strategic one. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues CLICK FOR FREE ISSUE Sign up for…

Artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure giant Cisco Systems (CSCO) is in focus ahead of its fiscal Q3 earnings set to be released on May 13, after market close. Consensus is for the company to earn $0.86 a share on at least $15.4 billion in revenue. This would represent a roughly 10% year-over-year increase on both the top- and bottom-line. More News from Barchart Heading into the quarterly print, Cisco stock is up about 30% versus the start of this year. www.barchart.com Where Options Data Suggests Cisco Stock Is Headed Despite their year-to-date outperformance, the derivatives market remains convinced that CSCO stock isn’t…

Key Takeaways WTI trades inside a structured rotational framework centered around the 100.00 area Hotter-than-expected PPI data reinforce inflation transmission across the energy complex Shipping conditions and freight sensitivity continue supporting the physical side of the market Retail Sales now become the key validation layer for fuel demand expectations and USD positioning Macro Context: Inflation Persistence Moves Into the Demand Validation Phase enters the May 14 session after one of the strongest inflation repricing sequences of recent weeks. The combination of hotter-than-expected and sharply elevated readings has reinforced the perception that inflationary pressures continue propagating through transport, logistics, industrial inputs…

Aon, the global insurance and reinsurance broking group, has announced that it has appointed both Jimmy Mitchell and Adam Rimmer as brokers within the firm’s Global ReSpecialty team, effective immediately.Aon’s Global ReSpecialty division provides specialty reinsurance and retrocession solutions, often engaging with insurance-linked securities (ILS) and collateralized markets on behalf of their client base. Mitchell has been appointed Vice President of Global ReSpecialty, a New York-based role. In this position he will reportedly work with clients to structure global treaty portfolios, leveraging his industry expertise and market relationships in order to broaden access to proportional reinsurance markets. The executive has…

An exceptionally hot read on inflation early Wednesday, the government’s Producer Price Index, or PPI, sent bond yields higher, and mortgage rates followed. Rates had already been surging higher earlier this week on news of more trouble in negotiations over the Iran war.The average rate on the popular 30-year fixed mortgage rose Wednesday to 6.57%, according to Mortgage News Daily. It is now 15 basis points higher than it was last Friday, and it is sitting at the highest level since March, when falling rates reversed course due to the start of the war.Wednesday’s increase was much smaller than the…

Jada Jones/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysHeadphone use at too high a volume for too long can damage your hearing.Once your inner ear is damaged, the damage is permanent.Your headphones and smartphone have features to protect your hearing health.Preserving your hearing is an important aspect of maintaining overall health, including cognitive health. According to a 2020 Lancet commission report, hearing impairment is one of 12 modifiable risks for developing dementia. This concern becomes more prevalent as headphones and earbuds are constantly in and around our ears.Also: Do yourself a favor and clean your earbuds right now…

(By Oil & Gas 360) – Part I – Canada’s oil and gas story has never followed the same path as the United States. It hasn’t been defined by speed, short-cycle production, or the ability to rapidly scale in response to price. Instead, it has been built on something else entirely: size, longevity, and resource depth. That difference shows up most clearly in its basins. The Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, or WCSB, is the backbone of the country’s energy system. Stretching from northeastern British Columbia through Alberta and into Saskatchewan and Manitoba, it is one of the world’s largest hydrocarbon systems. But unlike…