Author: Money Mechanics

In the world of personal finance and retirement planning, few topics stir as much debate and misunderstanding as annuities.Often shrouded in mystery and misconceptions, annuities can actually play a pivotal role in a sound retirement strategy. As a financial adviser with a pragmatic, conservative outlook, I’ve encountered numerous myths about annuities.Let’s debunk five common misconceptions and shed some light on the truth behind annuities and the benefits they offer. 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 best of…

KEY TAKEAWAYS Inflation is pressuring American household budgets, so many people are looking to add a second job.Wages have not kept up with inflation, making it even harder to make ends meet.Many workers are looking for flexible side gigs, like driving for Uber or DoorDash. Household budgets are strained, and many Americans are considering second jobs to keep up. Prices have been rising for years, pushed higher by inflation. More recently, tariffs are lifting prices even further. To cope, almost two-thirds of currently employed Americans are looking to get a second job in the next year, according to a survey…

Key Takeaways Credit cards can offer surprising perks, like free museum trips, 5% back on gaming, or even crypto rewards.Targeted cash-back categories and perks can help you save more on the things you already buy. When shopping for credit card rewards programs, finding cash-back categories and perks that align with your spending habits can stretch your money further. But there’s more out there than bonus airline miles and 2% cash back on every purchase. Here are some credit card benefits you might not know are out there: Your Bank of America Card Is a Museum Pass Bank of America cardholders…

Key Takeaways Crypto markets are wearing autumnal red after a Sunday sell-off kicked off a slide.Polymarket bettors have placed a 60% probability on the price of bitcoin dipping below $100,000 before 2026. A chill in the market has taken bitcoin down a notch. Has the “crypto summer” come to an end? The price of bitcoin, the world’s largest and best-known cryptocurrency (BTCUSD), fell below $110,000 Thursday evening, down more than 5% for the week and more than 10% off its August all-time high over $124,000. Altcoins like ether (ETHUSD) and solana (SOLUSD) also slid, dragging the estimated total value of…

Automatic Data Processing (NASDAQ: ADP) has outperformed the market over the past 20 years by 1.17% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 10.03%. Currently, Automatic Data Processing has a market capitalization of $118.09 billion. Buying $100 In ADP: If an investor had bought $100 of ADP stock 20 years ago, it would be worth $677.84 today based on a price of $291.54 for ADP at the time of writing.Automatic Data Processing’s Performance Over Last 20 YearsFinally — what’s the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much…

Personal income increased $95.7 billion (0.4 percent at a monthly rate) in August, according to estimates released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Disposable personal income (DPI)—personal income less personal current taxes—increased $86.1 billion (0.4 percent) and personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $129.2 billion (0.6 percent).Personal outlays—the sum of PCE, personal interest payments, and personal current transfer payments—increased $132.9 billion in August. Personal saving was $1.06 trillion in August and the personal saving rate—personal saving as a percentage of disposable personal income—was 4.6 percent.The increase in current-dollar personal income in August primarily reflected increases in compensation and personal…

With gold leading “inflation expectations” and silver leading gold, it’s the best of both worlds, but may not be sustainable, long-term First some definitions, per my usual work: is less economically cyclical and less inflation sensitive than silver Contrary to popular believe, gold miners do not benefit from cyclical inflation A rising Silver/Gold ratio indicates future potential for a resumption of an inflationary macro A rising Gold/RINF ratio indicates either the inflation will not work as well for cyclical markets as it has in the past (Stagflation), or that the Silver/Gold ratio will have a shelf life. As of today, the Silver/Gold…

Chen ZhaoChen Zhao is the head of economics research, where she produces research on the housing market for public and internal audiences. Previously, she was an executive director leading housing finance and financial markets research at the JPMorgan Chase Institute. Prior to joining JPMCI, Chen was an economics consultant at Analysis Group, Inc., where she worked on financial litigation cases and led teams conducting health economics and outcomes research on behalf of pharmaceutical companies. While in graduate school, Chen was with the Center for Economic Studies and the Social Economic and Housing Statistics Division at the US Census Bureau, where…

KEY TAKEAWAYS Federal regulators are easing restrictions on some of Boeing’s jets, the FAA confirmed Friday, allowing the plane maker to produce and deliver its aircraft faster.Boeing will be allowed to issue some airworthiness certificates on some of its 737 Max jets and the 787, also known as the Dreamliner, the FAA said.  Federal regulators are easing restrictions on some Boeing jets, including 737s and 787s, the FAA confirmed Friday, potentially allowing the plane maker to produce and deliver them faster. Boeing will be allowed to do the final safety check on some of its 737 Max and 787, or Dreamliner,…

It’s a good problem to have: having too much money saved for retirement and having additional money to leave to your heirs. Here’s a look at the types of people who are saving a lot in their lifetimes and how you can be one of them. Who Saves the Most? A National Bureau of Economic Research study reveals what types of people work and save the most. According to the study, married men work in the labor force and save “substantially” throughout their lifetimes. Married women’s time in the labor market peaks in middle age. Single men show a decline…