Author: Money Mechanics

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.A, BRK.B) is the single largest private holder of U.S. Treasury bills, surpassing even the Federal Reserve’s own holdings. As of the end of the third quarter of 2025, Berkshire controlled about $360 billion in Treasury bills, while the Fed’s holdings had dropped to around $195 billion. This shift reveals much about Buffett’s take on today’s investment climate. What Are Treasury Bills and Why Do They Matter? Treasury bills (T-bills) are short-term debt securities issued by the U.S. government, with maturities ranging from four weeks to one year. They pay no periodic interest but are sold at…

Key Takeaways On November 13, 2025, the IRS announced increases to the contribution limits for 401(k) and IRA accounts. Only 14% of participants contributed the annual maximum in Vanguard-run defined contribution retirement plans such as 401(k)s in 2024. High-income earners are more likely to max out their 401(k)s, but even if you have a modest income you can reach this goal. The power of compounding returns means you have a strong incentive to save as much as possible, as soon as possible. The reality of the U.S. retirement system, which is that you are largely responsible for your own retirement…

As a longtime financial adviser, I’ve met many people who have at least a basic plan for managing their portfolios in retirement.Most have a good idea of the amount of money they have stashed in savings and investments, and they’ve estimated how long they can expect those funds to last if they stick to their retirement budget and withdrawal strategy.This is great. I’m a big believer that getting and keeping your finances on track goes a long way toward helping things go right in retirement. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK…

The oldest Gen Xers — those born in 1965 — are turning 60 this year. Raised on mixtapes, MTV and a hefty dose of skepticism, this generation has long flown under the radar in the retirement planning conversation.But now, with retirement on the horizon and economic uncertainty on the rise, it’s time to hit pause on nostalgia and start building a fresh financial “playlist” for the next 30 years.This is about more than just investment accounts. 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…

Welcome to Kiplinger’s My First $1 Million series, in which we hear from people who have made $1 million. They’re sharing how they did it and what they’re doing with it. This time, we hear from a 51-year-old product manager in construction equipment manufacturing. He’s a self-professed lifetime bachelor living in the Northeast, though he grew up in the Southwest. See our earlier profiles, including a writer in New England, a literacy interventionist in Colorado, a semiretired entrepreneur in Nashville and an events industry CEO in Northern New Jersey. (See all of the profiles here.)Each profile features one person or…

Catherine Collinson is CEO and president of the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public on saving and planning for retirement.As Social Security celebrates its 90th anniversary, she discusses current and future pressures on the system — and possible ways forward — with Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine.Q: In a recent Transamerica survey, “Social Security Turns 90,” 71% of workers were concerned that Social Security won’t be there when they are ready to retire. Does that concern you? From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK FOR FREE…

The Hamptons. Few places in the country — or for that matter, the world — carry the cachet of those two indelible words. To be in the Hamptons during the “season” (i.e., the summer) is to inhabit the same Long Island strip of coastal land as the boldest of the boldfaced names: celebrities, famed athletes, CEOs and billionaires of all stripes. (Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Alec Baldwin, Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost, Jennifer Lopez and Anderson Cooper all own prime properties.)Off-season, most of them return to Manhattan, California or Palm Beach. But there has long been a thriving year-round community of…

If you need to make a last-minute trip to the grocery store or want to get a jump on Black Friday shopping on Thanksgiving, you might arrive to find the store closed.Though Thanksgiving launches Black Friday and holiday shopping, an increasing number of stores are closing for the holiday and opening up on Friday, instead.Whether you need a key ingredient for Thanksgiving dinner or want to start holiday shopping early, be sure to verify which stores are open on Thanksgiving before heading out. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK FOR FREE…

Key Takeaways In contrast to most financial advisors, Munger called wide diversification “protection against ignorance,” useful only when you don’t have conviction.  Holding too many positions, he argued, can raise costs, blunt big winners, and still leave you exposed to market shocks. Munger advocated a balanced approach—owning a few great companies plus low-cost index funds—that can capture upside without unnecessary clutter. But he said “know-nothing” investors—which is most people—should rely on broad market index funds. Diversification is almost a sacred word when it comes to investing, but the late Charlie Munger—Warren Buffett’s longtime partner at Berkshire Hathaway—argued that some investors…

(Image credit: Getty Images)A year-end bonus can add a welcome lift to your holiday season, offering a financial boost in return for all your hard work throughout the year. For many employees, these bonuses aren’t just symbolic pats on the back. They can be meaningful additions to your income.According to data from Northwestern Mutual, the average bonus came in at about 2.8% of total compensation. That means an employee earning $80,000 might receive roughly $2,240, while someone making $120,000 could see closer to $3,360. Whether your bonus is modest or substantial, that extra cash can make it easier to cover…