Author: troyashbacher

Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council (L), and Kevin Warsh, former governor of the U.S. Federal Reserve.ReutersKevin Warsh has surged ahead of Kevin Hassett in prediction markets betting on who President Donald Trump will nominate as the next chair of the Federal Reserve, as doubts grow inside Trump’s orbit about Hassett’s candidacy.On Kalshi, traders on Monday marked Warsh as the narrow favorite to replace Jerome Powell, assigning him roughly a 46% chance of nomination, compared with about 39% for Hassett. Just last week, Hassett’s odds were as high as 77%, and Warsh’s chance was as low as 10%.Zoom…

This short, six-question quiz tests your basic understanding of why a comprehensive estate plan is crucial. We’ll focus specifically on the key differences between asset transfers through court-supervised probate and through private estate planning tools like a revocable living trust.Get started to see how well you understand the benefits of planning for the future and ensuring your final wishes are carried out efficiently and privately. And don’t worry if you miss an answer; you can follow the links below the quiz to brush up on your knowledge.More on Estate Planning, from the Kiplinger team: From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger…

Mortgage rates were essentially stable today, but significant federal data started coming through this morning that could provide a stronger direction.The average interest rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage ticked down to 6.17% APR, according to rates provided to NerdWallet by Zillow. This is two basis points lower than yesterday but six basis points higher than a week ago. (See our chart below for more specifics.) A basis point is one one-hundredth of a percentage point.You may have been expecting rates to drop, since last week the Federal Reserve cut short-term borrowing rates 25 basis points. But the Fed doesn’t…

(Image credit: Getty Images)The November jobs report, delayed from its initial December 5 release date due to the record-long government shutdown, came in higher than expected but showed the labor market continuing to exhibit signs of weakness.According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nonfarm payrolls rose by 64,000 in November, beating economists’ estimate for 45,000 new jobs. The report also showed 105,000 job losses for October, while figures for August were revised down by 22,000, from -4,000 to -26,000, and September’s additions were revised lower by 11,000, from +119,000 to +108,000.These revisions result in 33,000 fewer jobs combined in…

Having a flexible plan is a wise way to handle an uncertain future for savers, especially with decreasing returns on some accounts. The Federal Reserve has cut rates at each of its last three meetings due to weak job growth.Will that continue into 2026? It’s hard to say. Inflation remains stubborn, and with a new Fed chair taking over in May, it’s anyone’s guess how things will unfold.Despite the uncertainty, there are plenty of viable options to help you achieve strong returns. Whether you’re working to reach your retirement or savings goals, here are smart solutions to consider. From just…

Published: Dec. 16, 2025 at 8:20 a.m. ETU.S. transportation stocks have been strong performers — but investors shouldn’t get too excited. The recent strength exhibited by the Dow Jones Transportation Average is not the bullish omen that many analysts believe.Yet the DJTA DJT has been leading the broad U.S. stock market higher recently. Its trailing three-month return, for example, is 6.3 percentage points higher than that of the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA. It would be bullish indeed if DJTA’s relative strength were a leading indicator of a higher market.

(Image credit: Getty Images)If your family’s phones are overdue for an upgrade, Verizon’s newest four-line deal delivers serious savings. You can outfit the whole household with premium smartphones at one of the lowest monthly rates available.Verizon is running a four-line promo, offering four free flagship smartphones when you sign up for four new lines under the Unlimited Welcome plan with Auto Pay. With this deal, you choose four of the same device, whether it’s the Apple iPhone 17 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S25 or Google Pixel 10 Pro XL. Saving money on some of the most popular smartphones.It’s easy to take…

Dave:The end of 2025 is here, which means it’s time to look back and reflect a little bit on what worked this year and what tactics that we enjoy that we’re going to carry into our strategies for 2026, and today we’re going to do something a little different. We are sharing our favorite things of 2025. It might be a trend that you’re obsessed with, a headline that changed how you invest, a portfolio pivot that really paid off or just a big lesson that we think every listener should carry with them into next year. To do this,…

Slope, a lending startup that uses artificial intelligence to vet businesses, is partnering with Amazon starting Tuesday to provide a reusable line of credit to Amazon sellers, backed by a JPMorgan Chase credit facility, the company told CNBC exclusively. The new relationship means eligible U.S. Amazon vendors can apply for and access capital directly through their Amazon Seller accounts with real-time approvals. Slope was co-founded by CEO Lawrence Lin Murata, who said said he saw the ups and downs of running a small business while he was growing up in São Paulo.Lin Murata helped his parents at their family’s toy…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Buying a house is a goal for many Americans, but achieving that goal is becoming increasingly difficult. As housing costs climb faster than paychecks, many buyers are left wondering how far their money will really go.As home prices and interest rates rise, the income needed for a house has also increased. The median sales price of houses sold in the United States during the second quarter of 2025 was $410,800, according to Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis data.Buying more house than you can afford is an expensive and stressful mistake, so it’s essential to do some…