Author: Money Mechanics

Jada Jones/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysAdaptive Sound Control is one of Sony’s best personal audio features.You can create listening profiles based on activity and location.The more you work with this feature, the more it works for you.Your everyday headphones and earbuds are more than vessels for playing music; they are your workout buddy, your Do Not Disturb sign at the office, and your travel companion. Intelligent features, such as heart rate monitoring, AI-powered noise cancellation, and live translation, are in high demand as consumers expect more from their personal audio devices.However, these features can become…

Circle Internet Group (NYSE:CRCL) reported first-quarter 2026 results that showed higher revenue, adjusted EBITDA growth and continued expansion in USDC transaction activity, while management emphasized new product launches tied to stablecoins, blockchain infrastructure and AI agents. Co-founder, CEO and Chairman Jeremy Allaire framed the quarter around what he called “the largest platform shift in the history of the internet,” describing a convergence between artificial intelligence systems and blockchain-based “economic operating systems.” He said Circle is positioning its stablecoin network, Arc blockchain network and payments products for that shift. Circle ended the quarter with $77 billion of USDC in circulation, up…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Orlando is regularly ranked among the best retirement destinations in the United States, and for good reason.Central Florida is practically custom-built for the retiree community, offering numerous financial, environmental and long-term healthcare benefits. It’s become a growing hub, offering entire communities and developments with unique retirement experiences.Is Florida right for your retirement goals? 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 Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters Profit and prosper with the best of expert…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Apple iPhone owners could receive a payout from a proposed $250 million class-action settlement tied to allegations that Apple overstated the availability of certain AI-powered Siri features while marketing the iPhone 16 lineup.The lawsuit alleged that Apple promoted advanced Apple Intelligence features before some of the tools were fully available, potentially leading consumers to purchase or upgrade devices based on capabilities that had not yet launched. The claims centered largely on promised Siri upgrades that Apple previewed during its 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference.Apple denied the allegations and did not admit wrongdoing, but agreed to settle the lawsuit…

(Image credit: Getty Images)If you were to pull into a parking garage today, you wouldn’t worry that the garage would collapse from the added weight of your car. You assume the garage was engineered to hold the weight of your vehicle and that of many others across several floors.Your retirement plan should give you the same comfort at each level, if it is weighted properly. Yet many people don’t have a well-engineered retirement plan in place. Instead, their plan was structured in a way that creates top-heaviness in stocks, uncertainty, worry and the threat of collapse.Income plan first, growth secondThere…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Question: Our new health plan is HSA-compatible. I know these accounts are great to have in retirement, but it seems like such a hassle. We are not the most organized couple and I worry we won’t use it all. Is it worth it?Answer: High-deductible health insurance plans can be wonderful for people who are generally healthy and don’t tend to see the doctor often. For people who tend to have frequent medical needs, they can be expensive.But there’s a silver lining. If you’re enrolled in a high-deductible health insurance plan, you may be eligible to contribute to…

(Image credit: Getty Images)The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) opens up several planning opportunities that could make a real difference in what you keep in your pocket — not just this year, but for years to come.If you’re like our clients, whom we call Midwestern Millionaires — hardworking, frugal and diligent savers with $1 million or more saved (I wrote a book on this that you can request here) — these are five of the most important provisions to understand for how they may affect your long-term tax strategy.1. Lower tax rates aren’t going away (for now)One of the…

BofA Global Research is the latest brokerage to revise its ​Federal Reserve rate-cut forecast to much later dates, citing elevated inflation due to high energy prices and growing strength in the labor market. BofA Global Research now expects the Fed to remain on hold for the rest of this year, ​with two quarter-point cuts in July and September 2027. A host of global brokerages have recast their projections for Fed rate cuts in 2026, split ​between some easing and no cuts at all, Reuters reported. This comes as the 11-week Iran war pushed energy prices higher and left policymakers cautious…

The mid-year 2026 reinsurance renewal for American Coastal Insurance Company (AmCoastal) is “effectively complete” its CEO Brad Martz has explained, with the top of the tower lifting to over $1.6bn, while the company has added more aggregate protection as well.A year ago, American Coastal Insurance (AmCoastal) renewed its core catastrophe reinsurance program with first event limit of $1.33 billion at the June 2025 renewal. Then, at the January 2026 renewals, AmCoastal grew its all other perils cover slightly and also refreshed its catastrophe aggregate coverage at the same size as the prior year. In addition, in February 2026 AmCoastal ventured…

Here we are again, on the monthly CPI roller-coaster. Consensus coming into the day was +0.60% m/m headline, +0.33% core, pushing the y/y numbers to 3.7% and 2.7% respectively. The headline print will obviously be flattered by energy prices again, but the core number may seem surprising since we have been running between 0.196% (last month) and 0.313% (last July) for the last year. Why so high? To be honest, the core forecast seems lowish to me: this is the month where the shelter rebound is to take place. As a reminder, the BLS methods from the missed month of…