Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways If you had an active Facebook account between May 24, 2007, and Dec. 22, 2022, you may be the recipient of a cash payment from the social media platform due to a class action settlement. In order to get the cash payment, you must have filed a claim by Aug. 25, 2023.The payment amounts are based on a point system tied to the number of months in which your Facebook account was active during that time, and the number of claims received.The $725 million settlement is the result of Facebook allowing third parties access to users’ personal information without…

Key Takeaways Springfield ranks among the top U.S. retirement destinations, offering a mix of affordability, culture, and healthcare access.Retirees can enjoy diverse activities—from museums and live events to outdoor recreation.Massachusetts sate tax breaks for seniors and Springfield’s relatively low housing costs can help make retirement more budget-friendly. Springfield, Massachusetts, nestled in the western part of the state, is one of the largest cities in Massachusetts and New England. If you’re looking for a big city feel without a big city price tag in retirement, look no further. Springfield claims the number six spot on the 50 best places to retire.…

Key Takeaways Thanks to low housing, food, and overall living costs, Natchez earned a spot on Investopedia’s list of the 50 best cities to retire. Retirees receive tax-free Social Security benefits and retirement account withdrawals, as well as access to nearly 200 local health care providers. The town offers rich cultural attractions, historic sites, and easy access to nearby cities, making it a lively yet affordable retirement spot. Deep in the heart of Southwest Mississippi lies Natchez, a town of fewer than 14,000 people. Its affordable cost of living propelled it to a spot on Investopedia’s list of the top…

Key Takeaways The FBI has seen a 300% increase in victim complaints about pump-and-dump stock fraud in 2025 compared to 2024, with fraudsters increasingly using social media and messaging apps to target retail investors. Investors lost about $3.7 billion in July 2025 when seven obscure Chinese penny stocks listed on Nasdaq crashed by over 80% following aggressive social media promotion. Nasdaq has proposed stricter listing requirements for Chinese companies, including a $25 million minimum for public offering proceeds, in response to the rising prevalence of market manipulation schemes. The Nasdaq proposed sweeping new rules this month requiring Chinese companies to…

Key Takeaways 401(k) plan providers must release 404(a)(5) Participant Fee Disclosures to plan administrators and participating employees at least once a year. This paperwork must detail all fees charged to their 401(k) plans and the amounts. Likely charges include investment fees, administration fees, and individual service fees. The 404(a)(5) disclosure offers a comparison tool to help you identify the least costly options for your 401(k). It takes money to make money, as they say, and 401(k) retirement plans are an example of this. In addition to the contributions to the plan, you also must pay the provider maintenance and management…

A key to maximizing a family’s after-tax investment income is to navigate the Kiddie Tax. Don’t make gifts of investment property to children or grandchildren without knowing the rules.The Kiddie Tax applies to unearned (investment) income of dependents under age 19 (or dependent full-time students under age 24).The Kiddie Tax was enacted to limit a strategy called income splitting that reduced a family’s taxes on investment income. Investments were held in children’s names where the income would be taxed at much lower tax rates than when held in the parents’ names.A common strategy was for a parent to buy stocks…

Key Takeaways The Federal Reserve cut its federal funds rate in September 2025—the first time since late 2024. Rates for certain financial products may change fairly quickly in response to this adjustment, but credit card APRs aren’t guaranteed to follow suit. Credit card rates are indirectly influenced by the federal funds rate, but there are several factors that determine your final credit card APR. Set by the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the federal funds rate is what one bank can charge another for an overnight loan. This rate has rightfully come to be known as a guiding…

Key Takeaways Stronger-than-expected quarterly results from memory chip maker Micron Technology led Citi analysts to boost their price target for Sandisk Wednesday, saying it should benefit from the same AI-driven tailwinds.Data storage stocks like Sandisk have already seen strong gains in recent months as demand continues to outpace supply. Demand for more memory capacity at artificial intelligence data centers and positive signals from Micron Technology’s quarterly results are fueling growing expectations for Sandisk’s stock. Citi analysts boosted their price target for drive maker Sandisk (SNDK) by over 50% to $125 from $80 on Wednesday, citing “further-improving industry fundamentals” after memory…

Key Takeaways Nearly 40% of U.S. workers said heightened ICE activity has affected their sense of safety at work, according to a recent survey.That lack of safety can lead to employees missing work and businesses losing revenue or projects, a multicultural marketing expert said. The threat of immigration enforcement actions has made employees feel less safe at work, a recent survey found.  Nearly two in five U.S. workers said their sense of safety at work has been affected by an increase in activity by U.S. Immigrant and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to data from EMCI Wireless. The survey only included…

Key Takeaways Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell this week commented on elevated stock prices, remarks that reminded some market watchers of events leading up to the bursting of the Dotcom Bubble in 2000, including former Fed Chair Alan Greenspan’s reference to “irrational exuberance.”The current rally has repeatedly been compared to the Dotcom Bubble, when speculative fervor drove up tech stocks despite their shaky finances.Some experts note that the AI infrastructure buildout driving the stock market higher today is fundamentally different than telecommunications spending in the late 90s. The present AI frenzy is often compared with the Dotcom Bubble of the…