Author: Money Mechanics

KEY TAKEAWAYS Enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans, which are offered by private insurers, has increased over the years as many plans provide lower premiums and more benefits.However, the tools that make the Advantage health insurance plans cheaper also restrict the number of physicians available to enrollees. Medicare Advantage health insurance plans can offer more benefits and monthly premiums as low as $0—but they come with some caveats and restrictions. Enrollment in Medicare Advantage, an alternative to traditional Medicare distributed by private insurers, has increased over time, from 8 million in 2007 to 33 million in 2024, according to a report…

Key Takeaways The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has issued a new interpretive rule that says that a federal law should take precedence over state laws that ban medical debt from credit reports.The 15 states that ban medical debt from appearing on credit reports are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.While interpretive rules are not legally binding, one expert notes that these state laws will likely face court challenges that may decide their fate. A new move from the Trump administration is attempting to include medical debt on…

Key Takeaways Lagging consumer confidence is unlikely to hurt the holiday shopping season. Economists project that sales will climb for the end of the year.While confidence is dropping for moderate incomes, it’s rising for high earners who are seeing big gains in the stock market, which is likely to boost sales this holiday season. Rising inflation, a weak job market, the government shutdown and trade tensions have consumers on edge. Despite that pessimism, economists said consumers are prepared to keep spending ahead of the upcoming holiday season.  “These challenges may cause consumers to slow their roll but will ultimately not…

The dollar index (DXY00) rallied to a 2-week high on Wednesday and finished up by +0.62%.  The dollar found support on Wednesday amid easing global trade tensions, which are supportive of economic growth prospects.  The US and South Korea finalized a trade deal on Wednesday that will see South Korea make $150 billion in shipbuilding investments and cap US tariffs on South Korean goods at 15%.  Also, President Trump said he expects to lower tariffs on Chinese goods over the fentanyl crisis. Gains in the dollar accelerated on Wednesday despite the FOMC cutting interest rates by 25 bp later today…

Brian Costanzo, Chief Financial Officer at Markel, indicated that the business that is fronted for Nephila Capital through Markel Bermuda Ltd (MBL) is performing very well this year, given the low level of catastrophe losses experienced.Nephila Capital is the specialist reinsurance and insurance-linked securities (ILS) manager owned by Markel. In its Q3 2025 results Markel reported that Nephila Capital generated fund management revenues of $30.3 million for the quarter, a solid increase from $25.1 million in the prior year. While in the first nine months of 2025, total fund management revenues attributed to unconsolidated entities managed by Nephila reached $85…

The typical U.S. luxury home sold for $1,262,000 in September, up 4.8% from a year earlier to a record high for the month. Luxury home sales were essentially unchanged (+0.3%) from a year earlier, showing signs of stabilization after last year’s sharp slowdown. Non-luxury home sales fell 0.3% year over year, remaining near their lowest level since at least 2013. The typical luxury home took 52 days to go under contract, six days slower than last year. In comparison, non-luxury homes sold in a median of 43 days, seven days slower than  a year ago. Luxury home prices rose most…

Key Takeaways University retirement communities (URCs) give retirees the chance to live on or close to college campuses, offering opportunities for learning, social engagement, and intergenerational interaction.Most URCs are informally connected to nearby colleges, though a few are purposefully designed to fully integrate campus life into retirement living.The cost of living in a URC can be steep—some charge entrance fees exceeding $1 million—making them inaccessible for many. Leaving the workforce and retiring doesn’t have to mean the end of learning. Some retirees are going back to college by living in university retirement communities, or URCs, which are retirement communities located…

Key Takeaways Morningstar found that over the past decade, investors could have earned an 8.2% annual return compared with 7.2% if they had left their investments alone. The analysis suggests that often the best move is no move—unless you automate trading decisions entirely, removing emotion and timing risk from the equation. Warren Buffett has long endorsed such a hands-off approach for everyday investors—favoring simple index funds that have historically yielded better returns on average. Want to earn a greater return on your investments? It might literally pay to do nothing. When investing, you may be accustomed to making regular contributions,…

Key Takeaways Building up an emergency fund and utilizing a high-yield account to reach short-term savings goals were the two most common financial goals for 2026 cited in a new survey from Vanguard. The investment manager surveyed Americans about their financial New Year’s resolutions as investors enter the last two months of the year. More than 80% of Americans said they have a financial resolution, and most said they were somewhat or very confident they could achieve that goal. As we enter the last two months of the year, it’s a good time to start thinking about how you progressed…

Key Takeaways The shutdown means hardship for federal workers and recipients of food benefits, hurting overall economic growth.The lack of reports from statistical agencies complicates the job of anyone who relies on analyzing economic data. The government shutdown entered its 30th day on Thursday, amplifying its effects on household finances, the economy, and decision-makers who rely on economic data.The federal government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1, continued as Democratic and Republican lawmakers remained deadlocked over health care policy. Gamblers on betting website Polymarket were pricing in a 30% chance the shutdown would end by Nov. 7, and a 64%…