The now-defunct low-cost carrier secured bankruptcy court approval by Judge Sean H. Lane at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York to sell 27 Airbus A320ceo aircraft for $668.1 million, according to Bloomberg Law.

While the sale represents the most valuable remaining property that Spirit has available to liquidate after it failed to secure financing in May to continue operating, there’s more — much of which has long been abandoned in airports across the country — to be sold.

Here’s what’s left — and where the money goes.

Spirit’s aircraft are only part of the story

The newly approved aircraft deal doesn’t mean $668 million in cash for Spirit. The larger transaction involves creditors taking ownership of aircraft that served as collateral for Spirit’s debt.

But while the airline’s fleet was once its most obvious asset, Spirit’s bankruptcy filings have identified several other pieces of the company that could be monetized, including its takeoff and landing slots.

Spirit had 22 slots at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. After Spirit stopped operating them, the slots went through a bankruptcy auction, where JetBlue emerged as the successful bidder. The bankruptcy court approved the transfer, although regulatory approvals are also involved.

That’s potentially significant for the airline industry because LaGuardia is a capacity-constrained airport. The slots aren’t simply pieces of real estate that Spirit can hand over like office furniture; their use remains subject to federal aviation rules.

Spirit also put other physical assets on the auction block, including its 8.3-acre corporate campus, which includes an office complex, hangar, training center and multifamily residential building. The ex-headquarters in Dania Beach, Florida, sold for $93.25 million to an affiliate of the Boston-based hedge fund Hill City Capital.

The airline’s remaining operating assets also include things such as flight simulators, spare engines, ground-service equipment and aircraft-maintenance equipment.

Spirit’s corporate data is also coveted.

Google agreed to pay $10 million for a collection of Spirit’s business data that includes approximately 100 million emails and 500 million Microsoft Teams chats, according to Axios. The deal includes business documents, marketing materials, HR information, project-management documents and other corporate records — although the data is supposed to be deidentified before Google receives it and the transaction still requires approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

Where does the money go?

Ultimately, Spirit’s asset sales are part of a court-supervised bankruptcy wind-down — turning whatever remains of Spirit into value for the parties with claims against the company.

The $668.1 million from Spirit’s final 27-aircraft sale will largely satisfy claims held by creditors. Twenty-three of Spirit’s aircraft will be sold to Save 2026-B LLC for $567.4 million, and four of the planes will be sold for $100.7 million cash to FTAI Aircraft Leasing Bermuda (2026) Ltd., Bloomberg Law reported.

Save 2026-B is controlled by holders of Spirit’s equipment notes, meaning those creditors are taking ownership of aircraft that served as collateral for the debt Spirit owes them. In effect, they are recovering value from the collateral rather than receiving an equivalent amount of new cash. The remaining four Airbus A321s being sold to the FTAI Aviation affiliate goes into Spirit’s bankruptcy estate.

That cash, along with proceeds from Spirit’s other asset sales, is then subject to the bankruptcy plan’s payment priorities.

DIP lenders — the lenders that provided Spirit with financing to keep the company functioning during bankruptcy — have superpriority claims and are among the first creditors to be repaid. Spirit’s restructuring agreement specifically provides that distributable proceeds from certain asset sales can be used to satisfy New Money DIP and Roll-Up DIP superpriority claims.

Administrative and professional creditors are the second-highest-priority category. These include expenses incurred during the bankruptcy itself, such as certain professional fees and other costs of administering the estate. They represent the expenses required to preserve and liquidate Spirit’s remaining assets.

The airline’s restructuring-support plan identifies administrative claims including general administrative claims, professional fee claims and priority tax claims, followed by U.S. Trustee fees as a separate priority category.

Other secured and unsecured creditors can receive distributions after higher-priority claims are addressed, depending on the specific class of claim and what remains in the estate. Employees, customers and other parties may also have claims against the bankruptcy estate, but their treatment depends on the nature and priority of those claims under the bankruptcy plan.

And finally, shareholders are at the bottom of the priority structure. Equity holders only receive money if the bankruptcy estate has enough value left after higher-priority creditors and other allowed claims have been satisfied. In a liquidation, that means there is no guarantee that former Spirit shareholders will receive anything from the aircraft sale or the broader wind-down.

But while the latest $668 million aircraft deal may look like the end of Spirit’s story, financially, it’s closer to another chapter in the cleanup that remains ongoing.

If you love someone who is an addict, it can be tough to watch them put their future at risk. It’s even tougher, though, if your parents passed away with substantial assets and you’re now worried about what will happen to the portion of this wealth your sister collects.

Let’s say, for example, that Kara and Leah’s parents passed away with $2.7 million. Kara has struggled with substance abuse her entire life, so Leah is rightfully concerned about whether Kara can manage the money responsibly.

So, the big question becomes: what can be done in this situation?

Leah needs to look at her parents’ estate plan

The first thing Leah must do is review her parents’ estate plan. Ideally, her parents will have left Kara’s money in a trust so it can be protected.

“When determining how to pass assets to beneficiaries, consider how a beneficiary will manage the money and whether that aligns with how you expect it to be used,” advised Shannon Stevens, managing director and head of office at Hightower Signature Wealth. “Tools such as trusts can help guide a beneficiary to manage the money in alignment with your goals and wishes.”

If Leah and Kara’s parents did create a trust, they would have named a trustee and should have provided instructions on when and how the assets could be used.

The trustee will be responsible for acting in the beneficiaries’ best interests and, depending on the guidance the parents left behind, may be able to use the money to support Kara by doing things like doling out small amounts at a time for appropriate expenses or paying for rent or a phone bill instead of providing cash that could be used for drugs or alcohol.

If the parents left the money to Kara directly, though, or if they died intestate and the assets were split between the daughters under the state’s intestacy laws, it’s going to be harder for Leah to step in.

Leah still has some options even if her parents didn’t make a plan to protect Kara

If Kara inherited free and clear, the money is technically hers to do what she wants with it. But Leah has two last-ditch efforts she can try to hopefully protect the assets.

• Propose a voluntary trust: If Kara acknowledges that she struggles with an addiction problem, she may be open to Leah helping protect her from herself. With Leah’s help, Kara may agree to put the money into a voluntary trust that will be managed by a third-party fiduciary. The trustee could receive specific instructions on when and how to distribute the money.
• Explore guardianship or conservatorship: If Kara has been left legally incapacitated and unable to manage her own affairs, it’s possible that Leah might be able to convince the court to declare Kara incompetent. If this happened, then the court could appoint Leah or another trusted party to serve as guardian and manage the money, including making decisions about it, on Kara’s behalf.

While guardianship is an option, it would require very strong documentation that Kara is truly unable to manage her own affairs. And even if the court were convinced, the process is painful. As Luciano Oliveira, LLM, an estate planning and probate lawyer, told Moneywise about conservatorship, “it’s slow and expensive, and it takes away her rights, but it is available as a last-case resort.”

Ultimately, Leah will have to review her parents’ plans and hope they’ve already taken steps to protect the money. If they haven’t, she’ll have to decide how likely Kara is to waste the funds, whether Kara is willing to give up control, or whether Kara’s addiction has incapacitated her enough to get a guardian appointed.

Thinking about these issues will help Leah to identify the best way to help Kara make the most of her newfound wealth.

Citi analysts believe the stock market has proved unusually resilient against significant headwinds, particularly from higher energy prices resulting from the Iran war.

“We are impressed how well the equity market has been trading in the light of higher oil, higher rates, and poor seasonals in Sep, even at a time when volatility in US rates is rising,” Citi said in a research note to clients published Sept. 25.

Citi recommended to “stay the course” and it expected a stock market drop in the run-up to the Nov. 3 midterm election. It added it was waiting for “a pull-back to add more risk because a pullback is typical after a first Fed hike (rather than before) and because the market also tends to pull back into the midterms before the typical year end rally takes over.”

‘The AI trade will continue’

Citi said U.S. equities will remain attractive since the AI buildout is only gathering momentum.

“We prefer the US as we still believe that the AI trade will continue. Emerging Asia is the other candidate, and an attractive candidate when the time comes to add more risk,” Citi analysts said. “The US is also more insulated from renewed oil upside.”

Other financial analysts are also keeping track of emerging economies in Asia. J.P. Morgan recently pointed to the Indian stock market as a “safe haven” for AI-exposed portfolios. Indian companies are undergoing a period of remarkable growth, and the Indian stock market hasn’t been taken over by explosive growth from the AI boom like Wall Street.

Citi analysts observed that U.S. equities have managed to “decouple” economic concerns from the ongoing Iran war, which has set off inflation that’s most visible in diesel and gas prices. It did issue an optimistic forecast on when the Strait of Hormuz, the vital commercial shipping lane, will reopen and predicted oil prices drifting down to $70 per barrel by the fourth quarter.

“Short term stress is still very plausible, even as by the end of the year, the [Strait of Hormuz] is likely to be open for business again,” Citi said.

A stock market dip before November?

Citi is forecasting a stock market dip ahead of the midterms, citing also that the Federal Reserve hiked rates for the first time in three years on Sept. 16. It referred to it as “indigestion” among stock market investors.

“We have noted in the past that there is typically a pullback ahead of the midterms,” Citi said. “This is usually an opportunity to buy as the year-end performance tends to be quite strong. We would add risk on a dip, while keeping an eye on Iran.”

Indeed, investors tend to zero in on political risks when one major political party is at risk of losing one or both chambers of Congress. The S&P 500 has shed 5% or more in the two months leading up to November in 15 of the 24 midterm years stretching back to 1930, according to a Cantor Fitzgerald analysis cited by Reuters.

Stocks across major indexes have taken losses in recent weeks, partly due to volatility in the bond market with multiple yields hitting multi-decade highs.

That man is Don Johnson, a retired resident who went back to work three years ago as an independent contractor delivering lost luggage from Dallas-Fort Worth Airport to people’s homes — requiring 12 to 14 hours a day and 300 to 400 miles of driving — because his wife of 57 years, Josephine, is battling pancreatic cancer.

Insurance helps, but not enough.

“I appreciate what we do get from insurance,” he told NBC News, “but it doesn’t cover it all.”

Erin Howell, whose home security footage captured the moment, went outside to help with the bags — and then launched a GoFundMe titled “Help Don Retire.”

On the page, she wrote: “It completely broke my heart to see a man of his age doing such intense, grueling physical labor, so I opened my door to meet him and to offer my help.”

The campaign has since raised more than $730,000 from more than 13,000 donors.

“This was a total shock. I’m grateful. I’m really grateful,” Johnson told NBC News. “I was so surprised about how loving people can be,” his wife added, visibly tearing up.

He says he may now be able to stop working and focus on caring for Josephine.

Why Medicare isn’t always enough

Johnson’s situation illustrates a coverage gap that affects millions of older Americans. He’s part of what NBC News described as a growing group of Americans 75 and older who remain in the labor force. According to BLS projections, participation of this group has been climbing steadily for decades and is projected to reach nearly 9% for 2026 — up from just 4.5% in 1992.

The financial pressure that keeps many of them working often comes down to precisely what Johnson described: insurance that covers some costs, but not all.

According to a KFF December 2025 analysis, approximately 3.5 million Medicare beneficiaries — 6% overall, and 13% of those in traditional Medicare — have no supplemental health insurance coverage.

Traditional Medicare carries no cap on annual out-of-pocket costs, meaning a serious illness like pancreatic cancer can generate bills that grow without limit. Those without supplemental coverage face a $1,736 hospital stay deductible, daily co-payments for extended stays and 20% coinsurance for outpatient services — on top of the standard Part B monthly premium of $203.

Cancer treatment can raise the burden

Pancreatic cancer is among the deadliest, plus one of the most expensive types to treat, according to an analysis published by Indiana University. It found the average direct medical cost per pancreatic cancer patient was $177,691 in 2025 — with estimated total national spending on pancreatic cancer reaching approximately $12 billion annually.

The Medicare cancer treatment coverage booklet notes Medicare covers many cancer-related services under Parts A, B and D — but patients still bear co-pays, coinsurance, deductibles and costs for services Medicare doesn’t cover, which can quickly accumulate into five or six figures annually for aggressive cancers.

What beneficiaries can do

The most direct protection against uncapped costs in traditional Medicare is a Medigap supplemental policy, which covers some or all of Medicare’s cost-sharing requirements.

According to KFF, more than half of Medicare beneficiaries — 54% or 34.1 million people — are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, which cap annual out-of-pocket costs, unlike traditional Medicare.

For prescription drug costs specifically, Medicare.gov confirms that Part D out-of-pocket spending is now capped at $2,100 in 2026 — a meaningful protection for high-cost drug regimens, though it covers only prescription drugs, not the broader costs of cancer care.

When you’re still in the workforce, your portfolio has a longer recovery window. But when you’re near retirement or already retired, you don’t necessarily have that luxury.

However, translating worry into panicked decision-making — like going all cash during a market correction — could derail your long-term plans.

“The biggest behavioral mistake is turning legitimate economic concerns into an all-or-nothing investment decision,” Steve McKay, Head of U.S. Retirement, Insurance and College Savings at Franklin Templeton headquartered in San Mateo, CA, told MarketWatch.

Here’s what to consider before making an “all-or-nothing” investment decision.

The risks of leaving the market

Today’s retirement investors have legitimate concerns, despite the fact the S&P 500 is nearing all-time highs — thanks, in large part, to the AI investment boom.

But Morningstar points to “weakness under the surface of the stock market, where tariffs, inflation, surging energy prices and higher borrowing costs have taken a toll.”

Nearly 60% of individual stocks in the index were down 20% or more from their all-time highs in August, according to Morningstar, while many “battered S&P 500 stocks have been volatile” — moving up and down over the past few months by 20% or more.

Several veteran investors, market experts and economists are also warning of a potential AI bubble burst.

So, for retirement investors, it can be tempting to look for an exit strategy — like going all cash to protect your nest egg. But leaving the market comes with risks, too.

“For a retirement investor with a 20- or 30-year horizon, purchasing-power risk and opportunity cost are risks, too,” McKay told MarketWatch.

Leaving the market could erode your purchasing power over time, making it harder to sustain your current lifestyle 10, 20 or 30 years down the road.

Moving to cash “solves the wrong problem,” writes Keith Demetriades, an independent fiduciary financial advisor at Kingsview Partners in Pampa, TX, in a post, explaining that volatility itself isn’t the issue.

“The bigger issue is what volatility causes people to do: selling at the wrong time, abandoning a plan, missing the recovery, or becoming so conservative after a decline that the portfolio no longer has enough growth to support a retirement that could last 25, 30 or even 35 years,” he wrote.

As McKay points out in his interview with MarketWatch, today’s attractive cash yields are temporary.

“A money-market fund, Treasury bill or high-yield savings account may offer an appealing rate today, but when short-term rates fall, that income resets quickly,” McKay said.

What you can do instead

McKay says investing in a stable value fund may be a better alternative for capital preservation. This is a low-risk investment option available in retirement plans such as 401(k)s, 403(b)s and 457 plans that combines bond portfolios with insurance contracts — with a goal of protecting your principal while offering steady returns.

“An allocation to high-quality intermediate-term bonds lets you lock in today’s yield for longer and can appreciate if market rates subsequently decline,” McKay explained.

Diversification is another strategy, in which you spread your investments across asset classes, industries, sectors and geographies.

But, “true retirement diversification isn’t just about how many investments you own,” writes Demetriades. “It’s about how those investments behave when markets are under stress.”

He says building a resilient, diversified portfolio for retirement includes “some parts designed for growth, some for stability, some for income and some for flexibility.”

As Demetriades points out, a resilient portfolio should give you enough flexibility to avoid emotional decisions, while supporting your income needs during a difficult market and allowing you to maintain growth potential.

Another option — especially for those who are losing sleep over fears of a dwindling nest egg — is an annuity, which is a financial product offered by insurance companies rather than financial institutions. With a lifetime annuity, you pay a lump sum upfront (or make smaller payments over time) in return for regular, guaranteed payments for life — essentially turning your nest egg into a paycheck or pension.

But this comes with a big upfront cost and there are definite downsides. You lose liquidity and control while locking your money into a fixed payout. There could also be high upfront commission rates and annual management fees, as well as other conditions in the fine print.

Nonetheless, for some retirees, the peace of mind that comes from a predictable stream of income for life may be worth it.

McKay told Marketwatch that he views guaranteed income as “insurance against longevity, not as an investment designed to maximize returns.”

If you’re not sure what to do, it could be worth consulting with a qualified financial advisor — before going all cash — to ensure your portfolio is resilient enough to meet your long-term retirement goals.

Helmsley, a hotel magnate and real estate billionaire known as the “Queen of Mean,” chose to disinherit two of her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren in favor of her dog.

Trouble is long-dead now, but the trend of leaving money to pets is not.

In fact, while Helmsley had more money than most to gift to Trouble, she’s far from the only person taking steps to ensure a beloved animal will be well provided for even when she’s gone. In fact, an estimated 44% of pet owners have made some kind of post-death plan for a pet.

Now, let’s say Nina wants to do the same. Nina is sadly dying of cancer, and she wants to make sure she can provide for her 7-year-old beagle, Rocky. The big question is: Can she just name Rocky a beneficiary in her will, or is there more to the story?

You can leave money to your pet, but you have to do it the right way

Nina and other pet owners like Helmsley will be pleased to know that they absolutely can provide for their animal financially after they’re gone. But the process typically isn’t as straightforward as just writing a will saying Rocky should get rich.

As the law office of Pyle, Dellinger & Naylor, PLLC explained in a blog post, you can’t leave money directly to your pet. And while you can leave money outright to a person who you entrust with your pet’s care, you probably shouldn’t.

The firm explained that while you could gift the money to the friend or loved one taking Rocky in and simply tell them how the gift should be managed, that won’t guarantee they’ll follow your wishes.

“Even if you truly trust the person, what happens if the person dies, becomes incapacitated, or for some other reason can no longer take care of the pet? If you really want to be sure that the pet is taken care of and that the money benefits the pet, consider a pet trust,” the firm wrote.

This solution provides more control over your pet’s future

Fortunately, a pet trust is a proven solution that will allow Nina and other pet owners to make 100% sure the money they leave behind is earmarked for their animal — and to make 100% sure that the new caregivers will follow instructions on what to do with it.

As Pyle, Dellinger & Naylor, PLLC wrote, Nina can move some of her assets to a trust and can appoint a trustee to manage the money on Rocky’s behalf. Nina can also specify who will take ownership of Rocky and provide him with a home. However, Rocky’s new owner won’t just have access to all of the funds.

Instead, the trustee will be in charge of managing the money. The trustee will have a fiduciary duty (the highest duty owed under the law) to follow Nina’s written instructions and ensure the pet is cared for.

Nina can include very specific details on whatever she likes, from pet sitting to vet care to food, toys, and exercise. The trustee will disburse funds as needed and may even be empowered to take steps to remove the pet from a caregiver’s home and find an appropriate substitute carer if Nina’s chosen guardian falls short and fails to follow instructions to the letter.

A pet trust like this one typically will remain in effect until Rocky’s death, unless Nina specifies otherwise, at which time any remaining funds in it can be distributed to remainder beneficiaries who will get what’s left over after Rocky no longer needs the cash.

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More and more, managers are using AI to decide your raise. Instead of basing your raise on their personal relationship with you and their understanding of your work, they’re relying on chatbots and third parties to decide what you deserve.

“We tell you exactly how much to pay your employees,” says Amee Parekh, chief executive of Stello AI, to the Wall Street Journal. Stello AI’s webpage says you can use its AI agent to make job offers, figure out your company’s budget, and “answer comp questions.”

Research from Resume Builder finds that 60% of managers use AI for personnel decisions, including deciding raises and promotions. Over one in five managers allow these AI tools to make final personnel decisions without any human input at all.

Here’s why that’s such a problem — and how you can negotiate a salary bump in this new system.

Managers are using AI to make personnel decisions — even if they aren’t trained on the tools

If your manager is part of the 65% who uses AI tools, they’re almost certainly using it to make personnel decisions. But only a third of those managers have been trained on how to use the same tools that are deciding your salary.

“While AI can support data-driven insights, it lacks context, empathy, and judgment,” said Resume Builder’s chief career adviser, Stacie Haller, in the report. “AI outcomes reflect the data it’s given, which can be flawed, biased, or manipulated. Organizations have a responsibility to implement AI ethically.”

AI has already shown bias in hiring. Stanford researchers found that AI hiring tools showed racial bias against Black and Asian job applicants — a huge problem when 90% of all employers use AI to make hiring decisions.

This bias could have dire results for groups that are already less likely to receive raises.

There is one silver lining, though. An increase in pay transparency laws means that AI models have more data to pull from when they try to figure out how your pay compares to market rates.

If you’re being paid below market standard, this could lead to better pay equity between you and your peers in an attempt to keep you onboard.

Unfortunately, if you’ve worked hard to optimize your salary, you might be hit with a smaller pay raise than you expect.

How to negotiate your raise in the age of AI

If you’re hoping to secure a sizable raise, you aren’t totally out of options.

First, you should understand where your salary falls compared to others in your field so you know what to expect. If you’re using AI to research salary ranges, be careful — a general chatbot like ChatGPT isn’t going to give the same numbers as an AI model designed for salary benchmarking.

If your salary is higher than the market average, be prepared to explain why you deserve the higher rate. Collect specific, quantifiable evidence of how you’ve helped the company thrive, and prepare responses to any counterpoints your boss might have.

If you believe your salary is under market average, be prepared to make your case with data collected from multiple sources. Just keep in mind that your boss might be using AI tools you don’t have access to that might be trained on data not available to the public.

And if you trust your boss, it might be worthwhile to bring up AI bias problems — but probably not when you’re in the middle of negotiating your raise. Wait until you don’t appear to have an ulterior motive to bring the topic up.

Many older adults believe the key to a happy retirement is financial capital. On average, Americans think they need a ‘magic number’ of $1.46 million to retire comfortably, according to a 2026 Northwestern Mutual Planning & Progress Study.

Almost half (46%) don’t expect to be financially prepared for retirement. So it’s no wonder they’re stressed out.

While financial stability is clearly important, some older adults might be focusing too much on their financial portfolio — and not enough on their life portfolio.

“Retirement messaging tends to swing between two extremes: a sober check on whether you’ve saved enough and a seductive promise of retirement as one long vacation with zero responsibilities,” said Dr. Mike Evans, a semi-retired professor of family medicine at the University of Toronto, in his latest whiteboard video on “the science of a healthy, happy retirement.”

Hint: It has nothing to do with how much you’ve saved up in your 401(k).

Making contributions to your ‘life’ portfolio

No matter what your ‘magic number’ is for retirement, one of the most important assets in your “life” portfolio is your health, according to Dr. Evans. And there are no shortcuts here.

Your health is a cumulative effect of “the interest paid on what an average day looks like: moving more, eating less processed food, building better default settings for how you think and respond to stress, protecting sleep, and maybe most importantly, investing in real human connection,” said Dr. Evans.

And, while we can’t necessarily prevent dementia, we can influence our cognitive health.

“The brain does not come with a lifetime guarantee, more like a solid warranty that requires regular care,” said Dr. Evans. “The thing is, retirement can be a threat to that warranty.” By year two of retirement, many people “slip into a passive routine involving a lot of quality time with the remote control.”

In cognitive testing of retirees, he said, they often experience a dip in verbal memory around the 14-month mark.

Dr. Evans points to longer-term data from MIDUS (Midlife in the U.S.), which shows that people who pull back from meaningful challenges see their cognitive ability slide more quickly.

The findings also support what’s referred to as the unengaged lifestyle hypothesis, “whereby people may slip into so-called ‘mental retirement,’ leading to post-retirement cognitive loss,” according to a study based on MIDUS data published in Psychology and Aging.

And that can come with financial costs, too: the monthly median cost of an assisted living facility is $6,200 while a private room in a nursing home is $10,798.

“In plain terms, it’s perfectly fine for you to retire. But your brain doesn’t. It needs a new job description,” said Dr. Evans. That means keeping your brain and body active.

The Framingham Heart Study, which followed more than 4,300 adults for almost 40 years, found that midlife exercise cut dementia risk by 41%. But even moderate-intensity activity makes a difference: housework, climbing stairs, brisk walking.

And a separate Framingham study found that people started seeing cognitive improvements after just 10 to 20 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous activity.

Taking your retirement from good to great

One ‘hack’ for a happier retirement is finding your sense of purpose, which can boost your health and cognitive function.

For example, a meta-analysis published in Psychosomatic Medicine found that having a higher sense of purpose in life is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality.

After the honeymoon phase of retirement is over, many retirees find themselves feeling adrift without a sense of purpose. Not only have they lost the daily structure of work, but they may have also lost their identity and social connections.

“Before retirement, purpose often comes kind of baked into our lives: raising kids, doing meaningful work, being the person others count on,” said Dr. Evans. “And when those structures fall away, purpose doesn’t vanish. But it does stop arriving on autopilot.”

But this is the “gift” of retirement, he said, where you can deliberately choose your life’s purpose.

Another predictor of a great retirement? Social capital. “Friendship, it turns out, might be your best investment,” said Dr. Evans.

“Loneliness rarely bursts through the door,” he said. “It just shows up quietly. And by 65, roughly one in three people report being socially isolated, which is exactly when connection does the most good for your mind and your heart.”

Loneliness has been linked to an increase in heart disease and stroke — on par with smoking cigarettes.

“Being socially isolated raises the risk of depression by about 50% and dementia by about one third,” said Dr. Evans. “One trial found expanding your friend group can delay dementia by about five years.”

That’s why he recommends reframing your third act. “The most interesting question is not when you retire but what you retire into,” he said. “Good health, friendships, purpose and curiosity are the assets that compound most and they require steady deposits.”

Enrollment here is about to increase dramatically, too. As Disney World continues to expand with new lands over the next five years, park officials say they plan to create an additional 5,000 jobs.

Disney University isn’t your typical corporate onboarding program, though. This is where the magic of the parks begins — and where workers (whom the company calls cast members) begin to learn how to offer the customer service that turns so many first-time visitors to Disney parks and resorts into repeat customers.

Day one is spent at a program called Traditions. It’s a five-part experience meant to unify new employees, giving an overview of the Disney heritage and culture. And it’s where those cast members learn that generating the excitement that comes with visiting Disney World is now their responsibility.

“[When] people put on a Disney name tag for the first time, they realize ‘oh my gosh, I am someone that has the power to create happiness for other people’,” says Kylee Withers, a nine-year veteran of Walt Disney World, who currently serves as an Ambassador, a goodwill emissary who represents the resort’s cast members. “You learn, depending on what your role is, where you have those opportunities to make someone’s day better.”

A cast member’s first day

Moneywise was given a chance to go backstage at Disney to learn more about the Traditions program and the onboarding process for cast members as well as how it sets the tone for their tenure at the company.

The day starts with a group picture of the new recruits. The idea, officials say, is to illustrate that the new recruits are joining something bigger than themselves. From there, they walk to a conference room and sit at tables, each with a mysterious red box sitting in the center.

Disney calls Chapter One of their journey, ‘We Create Happiness.’

The cast members learn that their behavior around and toward guests is the most important factor influencing how those guests experience the parks. They’re shown a video showcasing moments, seemingly taken from social media, of children expressing pure joy upon learning they’re going to Disney World or going to meet their favorite Disney character. And they discuss their own connections to the parks.

“Everyone deserves a great Disney experience” is the underlying idea — and to create that, they’re told, you need three things: a great story, an immersive experience and superior customer service.

That’s when the focus turns to that red box. The group sitting at the table open it together to reveal their own set of Mickey ears. For many of the people in the room, it’s their first set ever.

Creating happiness

Chapter Two looks at the company’s roots and underscores Walt Disney’s values when it came to his parks. Cast members are told it’s their responsibility to carry those forward from this point. That leads into Chapter Three: “You Personally Create Happiness.”

The new workers learn a bit about making the right decision without always having to consult a manager. It’s a period that focuses on decision-making and empowering workers to make their own magic with guests.

It was valuable for Chrissy Daniels when she started with Disney five years ago. A driver on the ferryboats at the Magic Kingdom, she has an especially public facing job that often requires a deft touch.

“Everybody has stressors and you’re coming here to escape from that,” she said. “If I meet someone who’s stressed or having a situation, I like to pride myself on [being able to] resolve that and make it peaceful or happy for them. Disney allows us the ability to do that. I don’t have to constantly find someone for every single problem. … You want to help the guest. We have the answer. We don’t tell them no. We don’t boss them around. We’re here to help their experience be the very best it can.”

That customer service education is continued in the days to come as cast members move on to specialized training for whatever department they will be working in. (Training times for those are task specific—and remain, at first, behind the scenes. They’re followed by additional training on-site at the resort or its properties.)

Chapter Four of the training day is arguably the most important, when new cast members learn about Disney’s Five Keys, the tools it says it uses to “create the magic”: safety, courtesy, inclusion, show, and efficiency. The focus on these pillars intensifies as they go deeper into their training, but this first look gives them a 500-foot view of the concepts their work will revolve around, regardless of their job at the parks.

The magic’s not just for guests

From there, the new employees have another surprise moment. They’re taken underground to the heart of the Magic Kingdom, emerging right outside of Cinderella’s castle. For the next hour, they observe working cast members, taking note of how they make guests’ days better, before returning to Disney University to review what they saw.

The day’s final chapter is called Endless Possibilities — and it’s meant to underscore the support cast members will receive from their supervisors, co-workers and outside workers both professionally and personally. It all ends with another surprise: a visit from Mickey Mouse, who presents the new cast members with their official company name tag. Closing the day as it started, they put the name tags on together to emphasize the team dynamic.

“Regardless of where you work or the role that you have, whether you interact with guests or you interact with fellow cast members, it all comes back to supporting each other and treating each other like people,” said Withers. “I think that’s really the foundation to all of the training that we have here. … I think that’s the beauty of Traditions.”

Customer service might be overshadowed by some of the flashier aspects of a theme park, but it’s a critical component. Disney is regularly praised for its interactions with guests, which can range from a random “Happy birthday” wish to a bit of Disney Magic, whether that’s a second go-round on your favorite ride or a free change of clothes when your little one has one too many Mickey bars.

Those moments help bring guests back. Disney, in its third-quarter earnings, said revenue for its experiences division, which includes theme parks and cruises, was up 10% year over year to $9.97 billion. Attendance at domestic parks grew 3% and per-capita spending was up 4% in the quarter.

In a September 24 post on X, Ackman said the Fed may have “just made a mistake” by raising interest rates by 25 basis points to 4.0% at its September policy meeting. He argued that the central bank’s usual inflation-fighting tools may not work when companies are racing to build AI infrastructure.

Normally, higher rates curb inflation by reducing borrowing, investment and overall demand. But Ackman argues that the potential returns from winning the AI race are so enormous that companies will keep spending heavily on data centers and computing power even as financing becomes more expensive.

“Why won’t higher rates at this unique moment in history therefore lead to more inflation as interest costs are embedded in everything?” Ackman asked.

The result, Ackman argues, could be a vicious cycle where higher rates fuel inflation, prompting the Fed to raise rates again. His warning comes as the hyperscalers, Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), are expected to spend at least $650 billion this year on AI-related investments, according to Bridgewater Associates data.

The spending boom extends well beyond Big Tech. Gartner estimates that worldwide AI spending could reach $2.7 trillion this year alone.[a]

AI boom complicates the Fed’s inflation problem

The Fed’s September rate hike comes as inflation has reignited this year following the Iran war and resulting energy crisis, with higher energy costs pushing up headline measures such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Index.

Inflation had plateaued before the latest energy shock, but it never returned to the Fed’s 2% target. Its renewed rise gave policymakers a major impetus to raise rates.

In fact, inflation has remained above the central bank’s target for 66 consecutive months[b] based on CPI and 65 months based on core PCE, the central bank’s preferred inflation gauge, according to the Mises Institute. Under the conventional monetary policy playbook, that persistence calls for higher interest rates.

However, as Moody’s Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi argued, the usual policy response may be less relevant today. The central bank is confronting an increasingly divided economy, with AI investment driving growth while other parts of the economy are already struggling.

Echoing Ackman’s concerns, Zandi warned before the September meeting that raising rates would be a “mistake.” Bringing inflation back to target, he argued, could require the Fed to either slow AI investment or put even more strain on the rest of the economy. [c]

“The challenge is even more complicated because AI-related investment appears to be powering the economy, while the non-AI economy is already struggling,” Zandi said in a September 13 X post. “To hit its inflation objective, the Fed either needs to rein in the AI boom or put even more pressure on the rest of the economy. Neither is a good outcome.”

More rate hikes are expected

Despite the concerns raised by Ackman and Zandi, Fed officials are signaling that the September rate hike may not be the last.

New York Fed President John Williams said this week it would be “reasonable” to expect another rate hike this year. Philadelphia Fed President Anna Paulson went further, saying “modest further tightening” may be warranted if inflation remains elevated. Other officials focused on the risks keeping inflation high, with Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack warning about continued supply shocks and Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin pointing to price pressures beyond energy.

Williams, Paulson and Barkin’s comments arguably carry the most weight, as they are voting members of this year’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)[d], the body tasked with setting interest rates. All three backed the September rate hike[e].

Markets are already preparing for another increase. Economists at Goldman Sachs expect the Fed to hike again at its Oct. 27-28 meeting, although that prediction hinges on oil prices, while 30-day fed funds futures imply a 64% probability of an increase, according to CME Group’s FedWatch Tool.

[a]From Gartner:

“Worldwide spending on AI is forecast to total $2.7 trillion in 2026, a 49.5% increase year-over-year, according to Gartner, Inc., a business and technology insights company.”

[b]The Fed’s 2% target is widely known. You can count the blue line here. CPI has been above 2% since March 2021. That’s 66 months through August 2026.

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=rocU

Charlie Bilello has also been keeping track:

https://x.com/charliebilello/status/2099156384050815394

[c]The interpretation and quote are from Zandi’s X post below:

https://x.com/Markzandi/status/2099224282303746397

[d]https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/fomc.htm

Barkin is an “alternate member” this year.

[e]The September rate hike was unanimous:

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/16/fed-rate-decision-september-2026.html

“The FOMC approved the move unanimously after three members favored a hike at the July meeting.”

Estrangement can happen for many reasons, with 34% of kids indicating they are disconnected because their parents are manipulative. Abuse, lies, or betrayal are also common justifications.

While these are often valid reasons to end a relationship, parents may be upset when their children won’t speak to them. And, in some cases, they may decide to retaliate for what they perceive as a slight.

For example, let’s say Ryan has recently stopped talking with his father, Phillip, and his stepmother, Hannah. Hannah is mad, and she wants to take action. Specifically, since Ryan has gone no contact, Hannah wants to cancel the first-class airline tickets she and Phillip bought for Ryan and his wife’s honeymoon.

Hannah believes they shouldn’t be funding a trip for someone who is no longer talking to them, but do therapists think she’s in the right?

The cause of the estrangement can make a difference

There are two sides to every story, and understanding why Ryan is estranged could affect whether Hannah should cancel the flights.

“While estrangement from parents has become almost disturbingly ‘in fashion,’ there are absolutely situations that warrant that decision,” Blythe Landry, a therapist and founder of Grief to Purpose, told Moneywise. “Did your child simply cut you off out of entitlement or for being a fallible human, or did you actually commit an offense?”

Landry explained that if Phillip and Hannah did something that justifies Ryan’s actions, they not only shouldn’t cancel the flights, but they should also try to make amends. Examples included rejecting Ryan’s partner or career choice, or demanding more of Ryan than it would be reasonable to expect him to give.

“The key here is being honest with yourself,” Landry said. “What or who caused this situation? And if you are truly being honest with yourself, you should find your answer from there.”

Is the money more important than the relationship?

Regardless of who caused the estrangement, Hannah and Phillip must also look at the big picture before rushing to act and canceling the flights out of anger.

“Legally and financially, it’s your money, but the real question is what you want the relationship to look like a year from now,” Debra Feinberg, founder of Maplewood Counseling, told Moneywise.

Feinberg explained that “canceling the tickets in response to going no contact will almost certainly be read as retaliation,” and warned that Ryan’s anger over the cancellation may turn a temporary estrangement into a permanent one. And other experts agree.

“Money and gifts have meaning, and we use them to communicate,” Carrington Cunnington, a marriage and family therapist and founder of Firm Foundation Family Services, told Moneywise. “Rather than focusing on a specific outcome, like should we gift the tickets or cancel them, I would advise the giver to consider the message they want to send.”

Cunnington said that message would likely be scrutinized even more closely given the rift in the relationship, and that if the couple is acting out of spite, this could have a long-term impact on the parent/child relationship. What’s more, if Hannah makes the choice as the stepparent, this could affect her relationship with Phillip too.

On the other hand, Alexandra Foglia, director of Family Programs at All in Solutions, took a different view, telling Moneywise, “I think that it is completely reasonable to cancel the tickets after your stepson went no contact with you, but it’s important to treat this as a boundary that respects his decision, not as a form of punishment for going no contact.”

Again, though, Foglia stressed that the motive is the key here, warning that “the worst response to this situation would be canceling the tickets as a form of financial manipulation that forces him to reconnect with you.”

Hannah and Phillip should carefully consider what’s driving their choice, with Hannah perhaps giving Phillip more room to weigh in since Ryan is his son.

As they decide, Feinberg recommended that Hannah and Phillip ask themselves a key question: “Was this a gift given freely, or one with an unspoken condition of closeness? If it was a gift, taking it back usually costs more than the tickets are worth.”

This is a rationalization we’ve all likely made before. It’s like an impulse purchase, but it’s easier to justify. Maybe you need that deodorant that’s on sale, or you spot a two-for-one deal on something you know you’ll use. Or maybe you’ll get a ton of use out of that jacket, phone case or travel mug that caught your eye.

But on the other hand, you may just be blowing up your budget on extras that could add up to thousands of dollars a year. Here are three shopping scenarios where a “since I’m already here” purchase may cause you to overspend.

At the grocery store

If you arrive at the grocery store with intentions to stick to your list but can’t resist a deal, your heart might be in the right place.

But with inflation for grocery items at 2.2%, and the all items Consumer Price Index rate at 3.4%, higher prices don’t seem to be going anywhere. It may make sense to want to save on everyday grocery staples when you spot a deal, but straying from your list can still break your budget, even if the deal seems too good to turn down.

If you’re struggling with whether an item counts as a “since I’m already here” overspend or a deal you’d be foolish to pass up, feel free to put it in your cart, but consider whether it’s truly needed as you shop. Ask yourself: is there a reason it wasn’t on my list? Is there another item I can leave behind to make up for it? Do I already have this item at home?

Also, consider whether the size or volume of the item actually makes it a good deal. You can check the tag on the shelf to see if it identifies the cost per unit in order to verify if the deal is actually a lower price than other sizes or volumes.

A doorcrasher price on a staple you know you’ll use makes sense, but watch out for how many deals sneak their way into your cart, and whether those purchases are regularly putting you over budget.

Online ‘deals’

Shopping online is simple, but this purchasing method can easily cause you to overspend. Loading up a digital cart can be effortless, and without a checkout line to wait in or another aisle to turn down at the grocery store, there’s less time to consider whether you actually need everything you’ve put in your cart.

Online shopping can also be a minefield for “since I’m already here” purchases because of one tempting offer: free shipping. This discount can be appealing and often makes online shoppers feel as if they’re saving money by adding a few more items to their cart just to get the shipping discount.

But free shipping can easily lead to overspending, and your credit card bill can provide the proof. The next time you’re waffling over whether to add another item to your cart in order to get free shipping, remember these four words: shipping is never free. Say them out loud, and then step away from your screen.

The costs of shipping still tend to trickle down to consumers, whether that means the delivery cost is baked into the cost of the item or through subscription fees that make it seem like you’re getting a great deal.

And if it feels like free shipping is always annoyingly just out of reach, that’s because it’s engineered to be: retailers often set free shipping rates just above average order amounts to encourage you to buy more.

Let that last point sink it. If it makes you feel a bit angry, remember that feeling the next time you’re $15 away from free shipping.

Your ‘weakness’ stores

You may have that one place that’s a major “since I’m already here” danger zone.

It could be your regular grocery store, a specialty store, a warehouse club or your local hardware store or beauty shop. It’s that place where you often can’t resist adding one more item to your cart, even if you don’t exactly need it.

If you have a particular store that often leads to overspending, you’ve now identified your “since I’m already here” Achilles’ heel. And don’t feel guilty, many of us have one. But now that you know, be ready to make a plan the next time you visit that location. Challenge yourself to walk out only with what you came for and take notice of just how strong the “since I’m already here” pull can be.

Noticing your spending habits is the first step to correcting your overspending. The difference between a smart “since I’m already here” purchase and an overspend can sometimes be hard to spot, but taking a beat can be your savior. Before completing the purchase, whether you’re shopping in the store or online, take a minute to consider the items in your cart.

After the thrill of a potential deal has lessened slightly, you’ll be able to see with clearer eyes whether that spurge item is something you actually need — or even want.

Still, many experts say that you shouldn’t be too excited about the Internal Revenue Service refunding you the money you overpaid it the year prior. The reason is that overpaying your taxes amounts to nothing more than an interest-free loan for Uncle Sam.

“Don’t confuse a bigger refund with paying less tax,” Tram Le, CPA and founder of Le CPA Group in Chicago, told Moneywise. “Often, a bigger refund simply means you paid too much in taxes during the year.”

She said a better strategy is to figure out your exact tax liability and to either withhold enough from your paycheck to cover it, or make estimated quarterly payments if you are self-employed or earn a substantial amount of income from dividends and interest.

Experts argue that you should try to aim for a tax refund of as close to zero as possible. That way, that money you keep in your bank account can be used to make ends meet throughout the year, especially now in a high-inflationary environment. If it’s in a high-yield savings or investment account, it also has a chance to grow.

But some are taking it a step further. Laura Saunders, a longtime tax writer, wrote in The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that she is actually looking to owe the IRS next year. And she’s not alone. Here’s why.

Taxpayers are worried about IRS staffing cuts

Saunders wrote that she plans to owe taxes for the first time next Tax Day on April 15. This recent tax filing season, the IRS issued refunds to more than 90 million people, averaging $3,275.

However, Saunders is worried about a “snafu or delay that takes precious time to resolve.” That’s because, between January 2025 and January 2026, the agency lost 31,000 people — or nearly one-third of its staff — due to budget cuts and staff reductions resulting from Elon Musk’s DOGE initiative, according to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. The IRS also answered a smaller percentage of phone calls received and had longer wait times, the Government Accountability Office found.

In a June report, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins further stated that, while the vast majority of taxpayers successfully filed their returns and received their refunds without significant delay, “taxpayers who required assistance from the IRS often struggled to get it.”

One example of this is Richard Weiss, a retired finance professional, who told WSJ he has yet to receive his five-figure refund for a return he filed in February. Despite the IRS providing him with a phone number to call, he said he hasn’t had any luck getting through.

“I call it day after day after day, and I can’t get through,” he shared. Like Saunders, Weiss is also considering avoiding refunds in the future.

Meanwhile, Eric Korbitz, a CPA in Milwaukee, told WSJ that five of his clients have had delayed refunds for e-filed returns, and four are still in limbo about when they can expect to receive it. He said he’ll be working with clients on the same strategy.

“It’s often a lot easier to owe the IRS than to have them owe you,” he said.

What to know if you plan to owe the IRS

It should come as no surprise that there is some math involved with choosing to purposely owe the IRS. Doing it correctly all but guarantees you will avoid penalties. But be warned that this can be complicated to navigate.

In layman’s terms, taxpayers who expect to owe more than $1,000 to the IRS typically must pay 90% of their bill well in advance of the April 15 deadline via estimated tax payments paid every few months directly to the IRS. Self-employed individuals are accustomed to making estimated tax payments — typically due on April 15, June 15, Sept. 15, and Jan 15 the following year.

W-2 employees, on the other hand, pay their taxes through withholdings on their paychecks, and can even update their W-4 tax forms with their employer to withhold extra income to account for money they’ll receive from outside of the workplace, such as interest from a high-yield savings account.

Owing the IRS on purpose implies tinkering with these numbers just enough that you won’t have to pay any underpayment penalties when you file — around 7%. The IRS has a withholding calculator on its website that can help with this. The tool allows you to input your earnings so far this year to determine what the size of your refund or payment will be next tax season as things stand.

Taxpayers can also use the safe harbor rule, which involves paying the IRS exactly what you owed in taxes last year, or even a little more if you’re a high-income earner, to avoid penalties in the event that your tax liability jumps after making more money than expected in 2026.

This doesn’t mean you’ll owe less in taxes, that comes down to your adjusted gross income after deductions and credits, but the IRS could waive underpayment penalties as a result of the safe harbor regulatory provision.

Herjavec grew up watching his father work multiple jobs to keep his family fed.

“Nobody in my life ever worked harder than my dad,” Herjavec said on Instagram. “The man worked three jobs in a factory, sweeping floors.”

That hard work was invaluable to Herjavec’s family. But it didn’t make them wealthy.

“What I learned out of that was, if you work hard, you’ll never be poor,” Herjavec said. “But just because you work hard, doesn’t mean you’ll be rich. You have to be smart with your money.”

More Americans than ever are stuck working multiple jobs

Herjavec’s father isn’t alone in needing to work three jobs just to outpace poverty. In fact, there are more people working multiple jobs now than there have been in the past 25 years.

“When people start adding jobs, and certainly a second full-time job, that says something about affordability, and about needing money to meet household expenditures,” said Laura Ullrich, director of economic research at Indeed, to the Washington Post.

There are some people who are overemployed, or intentionally working at least two full-time jobs — sometimes without telling either employer. But many people are either adding on gig work like DoorDash to a current full-time job or working multiple part-time jobs instead.

The number of people in part-time work who would rather be full-time has been slowly rising over the past few years. Economically, that’s a bad sign.

“This is a classic barometer of underemployment, and it tends to go up when the labor market is getting worse,” said Guy Berger, director of economic research at the Burning Glass Institute, to the Washington Post.

Part-time work is convenient for employers because they don’t have to pay their workers benefits. Retail and food service industries especially tend to hire multiple part-time workers instead of one full-time worker, leaving multiple workers both without benefits and potentially without enough hours to make ends meet.

As a result, some part-time workers pick up multiple jobs — although the short-term scheduling inherent to a lot of part-time work can make it difficult to balance.

Ways to make your money work smarter, not harder

If you have enough money to put some away every month, you can start building wealth by letting your money work for you.

At minimum, any money you’re saving for short-term goals should be in a high-yield savings account. While most savings accounts offer very low interest rates, many high-yield savings accounts currently offer rates in the 3% to 4% range.

As of August 2026, inflation was at 3.4% year-over-year. In a regular savings account, your money would be losing purchasing power over time, effectively costing you money. In a high-yield savings account, you can outpace inflation, growing your purchasing power instead.

This makes high-yield savings accounts a good place for emergency funds you might need in the near future.

For far-off goals like retirement, it’s generally better to invest. The average stock market return is around 10% annually before inflation. If you’re regularly investing some of the money you earn each paycheck, you can take advantage of compound interest to significantly grow your wealth.

The big question, though, is what happens when someone with no kids amasses a fortune and has no one to leave it to.

Let’s say, for example, that Emmett is 65, has no partner, kids, or close family members. He’s saved $3 million, and he’s wondering where his money will go if he just doesn’t bother making an estate plan.

Let’s look at what some lawyers say the rules are, and why Emmett may find that doing nothing isn’t the best idea after all.

This is what happens to your wealth without an estate plan

The first key thing that Emmett needs to know is that there’s a process in place to determine what happens to his wealth after he passes away. However, the specifics depend on the asset type and state law.

“Assets that are beneficiary-designated, such as retirement accounts or life insurance, would pass to [the designated] beneficiary outside of the probate court process,” Kerri Koen, an estate planning attorney and cofounder of Modern Legacy Law Group, told Moneywise.

But for assets with no designated beneficiary, different rules apply. “If you do nothing, the state decides,” said Lisa McCurdy, founder and managing partner of The Wealth Counselor, LLC, a boutique estate and asset protection law firm. “Every state has intestacy laws that distribute your estate to relatives in a fixed order.”

The specifics of that order vary by state, but the focus is typically on ensuring money goes to the closest possible relatives.

“That plan usually looks first for a spouse and children, then parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, and then more distant relatives,” Tiffany A. O’Connell, CEO and founding partner of O’Connell Law, told Moneywise. “For someone with no close family, that can mean your estate goes to relatives you barely know — or people you may not even know exist.”

In many cases, those relatives end up with a random windfall. “Planners have a name for these distant relatives. We call them ‘laughing heirs,’” McCurdy said.

And, in some cases, you may have no family at all, which intestacy laws address as well. “If there are truly no living heirs, the state will likely take ownership of your property by a process known as escheat. Hence the well-recognized pun to think of it as ‘cheating’ the people you actually wanted to receive your estate,” Morgan Mitchell, an attorney at Coker, Robb & Cannon, Family Lawyers, told Moneywise.

Explore your options to make a meaningful gift

If Emmett doesn’t want his funds to go to a random person or to the state, he should still take the time to make a simple estate plan. And even if he doesn’t care about his millions, he should put a plan in place to protect himself in his later years.

“For someone with little to no legal relatives, estate planning is especially important because it allows that person to decide who receives the assets, who administers the estate, and who steps in during incapacity,” Koen said.

If Emmett doesn’t name someone to manage his affairs and make decisions on his behalf if he becomes incapacitated, he could find his decisions made by a court-appointed stranger.

Of course, Emmett should care about the money too, and just because he has no children doesn’t mean he can’t leave a legacy.

“If you want your $3 million to go to friends, charities, or anyone else of your choosing rather than wherever state law directs it, you need an estate plan that clearly states your wishes,” Sarah Ocampo, founder and CEO of Ocampo Wiseman Law, told Moneywise. By making a plan, Emmett can ensure the money he worked hard for makes a meaningful difference.

“Legacy is not reserved for people with children,” said McCurdy. “I ask every client the same question: ‘What do you want your life’s work to say about you?’ Three million dollars can fund scholarships, support a cause you care about, or change the lives of the people who became your chosen family.”

Emmett just has to decide he wants to make a plan, as a few simple documents are all it should take to make that happen.

Money conflicts aren’t always what you might picture, either. While it’s perfectly understandable for someone to get mad if their friend constantly mooches off them or borrows money and doesn’t repay it, it may seem strange to find out that friendship conflicts can arise over a rich friend being too generous. Yet, this can definitely happen, and experts say it’s not abnormal.

Let’s say, for example, that Jessica and Amanda are in their early 30s and have been friends for years. Jessica has a lot more money than Amanda, though, so she regularly treats Amanda to lavish dinners and expensive outings.

While Amanda appreciates the gesture, she’s also started to become resentful. She’s now wondering if she’s nuts to be mad that Jessica wants to be so giving, and she’s not sure what to do to stop feeling like a charity case without offending Jessica or hurting her feelings.

Fortunately, experts say there are solutions to preserve the friendship.

It’s not unusual to resent a friend who constantly treats you to expensive outings

First things first. Amanda isn’t crazy to resent Jessica’s generosity.

“It’s completely normal to feel aggrieved when a friend consistently covers hefty bills,” Maya Montalto, an associate therapist at Gateway to Solutions, told Moneywise. “It’s uncomfortable to feel like you owe people something financially, or like your friendship is being bought.”

Jessica’s financial success may also make Amanda question her own abilities, which can naturally lead to resentment.

“In my experience as a therapist, most people will feel resentful, and it is not because you don’t like the dinners or think your friend is showing off,” said Silvia M. Dutchevici, president and founder of the Critical Therapy Institute, told Moneywise. “It’s because, as I often say, it’s never just about the money.”

Dutchevici explained that money can be a “stand-in for worth, competence, freedom, power, and control,” so when Jessica pays for an experience Amanda can’t afford, Amanda may feel uncomfortable about her own place in the world.

“All of a sudden, you judge yourself as being less hardworking, less smart than your friend, etc., and that’s because we have been told a myth, namely that becoming rich is within our capabilities rather than shaped by social constructs. We feel shame,” Dutchevici said.

You can maintain a friendship with a money disparity, but it requires effort

While Amanda’s feelings are normal, they could also damage the relationship if Amanda isn’t careful. Fortunately, there are things she can do to manage her feelings. And that starts with some introspection.

“Before assuming the friendship is the problem, I would encourage someone to get curious about what they are actually feeling,” Dr. Lauren Chase, founder of Climbing Hills Counseling, told Moneywise. “Is it jealousy? Embarrassment? Guilt? Feeling indebted? Fear that your lives are becoming too different? Once you can name what is underneath the resentment, it becomes much easier to figure out what you actually need.”

Bisi Gbadamosi, a licensed therapist and founder of Mindful Blooms Counseling, also agrees that Amanda must start by examining her own feelings, and also suggests that Amanda try to reframe her mindset.

“Spend some time getting to the root of the resentment,” Gbadamosi told Moneywise. “Then spend some time thinking about the positive reasons your friend may cover the dinners. Do they value your company and want to be able to enjoy your company? Give yourself a chance to think about why they may be being generous.”

Gbadamosi also recommended that Amanda think about the positive ways she contributes to the friendship. “It can be easy to forget the good things you bring to the friendship. Money isn’t the only way to leave an impact,” Gbadamosi advised.

Once Amanda has done the work of understanding why she’s upset, it may be time to talk with Jessica.

“It can be helpful to talk openly with your friend before those feelings build up,” Chase said. “You can appreciate their generosity while also saying that you would like to do things together that feel more comfortable financially. Maybe that means having dinner at home, choosing less expensive restaurants, or planning activities where money is not the focus.”

By getting to the root of her resentment and guiding Jessica toward cheaper pastimes, Amanda will hopefully feel better about the situation so she doesn’t end up among the one in five Americans who have lost a friend due to finances.

Cade Kirchner, a sixth grader from Oviedo, Florida, was riding 50 miles per hour toward a pond near his home on Labor Day, September 7, when an officer pulled him over.

His father, Chris Kirchner, told local media outlet News 6 that Cade was only about 300 feet from his house and riding along the shoulder of the road with his fishing pole in tow. Cade had worked throughout the summer, saving approximately $900 to purchase the electric dirt bike himself.

A kid’s e-bike or an unregistered motorcycle?

Chris told local media that the family believed the bike their son purchased for himself was simply an e-bike capped at about 20 mph. But according to the City of Oviedo, the 4,500-watt electric motorcycle without pedals did not legally qualify as an electric bicycle under Florida law.

Under Florida Statute 316.03, qualifying electric bicycles must have fully operable pedals and an electric motor rated below 750 watts. Because Cade’s vehicle did not meet that definition, officials said it was considered a motorcycle and therefore subject to requirements including registration and other motorcycle regulations.

The distinction means that Cade was not legally permitted to operate the vehicle on the roadway. Officers could have issued multiple citations, but ultimately cited him only under Florida Statute 320.02 for operating an unregistered vehicle.

Because, at 11 years old, Cade did not have a driver’s license or other identification, officers also fingerprinted him for the citation. Florida Statute 322.15 allows law enforcement to use fingerprints when a person stopped while operating a motor vehicle cannot provide the required identification. They then towed his hard-earned bike.

Body-camera footage released by police shows an officer explaining to Cade that he will have to appear in court. His hearing is scheduled for September 29, which means that he is also expected to miss a day of school.

An ‘absurd’ situation

Chris acknowledged that there are rules governing electric bikes and motorcycles but said he believes his son was treated like an adult motorcyclist rather than a child riding a recreational vehicle, calling the encounter with police “absurd.”

The family plans to ask prosecutors to dismiss the case, which comes as Oviedo officials are grappling with broader questions about how to regulate electric bikes and other small motorized vehicles.

The city has previously warned residents about reckless riding — and, amid an uptick not only in electric “micromobility” devices themselves, but also in underaged children driving them dangerously, the Oviedo Police Department has been cracking down.

“We’ve tried education, now we’re at the enforcement level,” Oviedo Police’s Lieutenant Adam Egert told Fox 35 earlier this year, adding that “kids are playing chicken with cars.”

City leaders are working on clearer local rules for some micromobility devices, with a proposed ordinance expected to be discussed in October. The ordinance would limit bicycles, e-bikes and motorized scooters to 10 miles per hour on some sidewalks and shared-use paths, as well as give pedestrians priority. Electric dirt bikes like the one Cade saved up all summer to buy, however, remain illegal for 11-year-olds to operate.

Andrew Soto owns Butter’s BBQ in Sinton, Texas — one of the best barbecue joints in the state — and when his wholesale brisket cost jumped another $1 a pound in one week, he got on Facebook and told his customers the difficult decision he had to make.

“Not a post I’d ever thought I had to make, guys,” he wrote on Sept. 20. “Unfortunately, moving forward, brisket will no longer be a part of our menu.”

Soto figured brisket would have to sell for $51 a pound at the new cost. His customers were already paying $37. “That was the final straw that broke the camel’s back,” he told The Washington Post.

Butter’s has made Texas Monthly’s Top 50 barbecue list twice, in 2021 and again in 2025, and the magazine’s barbecue editor, Daniel Vaughn, says it’s the first restaurant on the list to stop serving brisket altogether. Soto opened the place in 2017 in his hometown of Mathis after leaving a fuel plant job in Corpus Christi to run it full time, and it moved to a bigger building in Sinton once his business grew.

Brisket took up 70% of the restaurant’s food spending

More than 70% of what the restaurant spent on supplies was going to brisket, Soto said in his Sept. 20 Facebook post, and this year’s sales for the BBQ staple are tracking lower than any he’s had. He apologized to customers and said he’d tried everything to absorb the nonstop cost increases.

Menu photos published in 2025 by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times had Butter’s brisket listed at $34 a pound, while diner photos on Google show it at $24 five years ago.

Brisket may still be available to customers who order it ahead, with smoked beef cheek moving onto the regular menu in its place. Butter’s also smokes pork ribs, turkey and a jalapeño-cheddar sausage Texas Monthly raves about.

Beef prices are squeezing BBQ joints all over Texas

Years of drought and high operating costs have left the U.S. cattle herd at its smallest in 75 years, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation, and retail beef averaged a record $9.64 a pound in April, up about 13% from a year earlier, per USDA Economic Research Service data.

Silverado Smokehouse owner William Paul Sissamis said he’d sooner take beef ribs off the menu than charge customers more, and at Hoegemeyer’s Barbeque Barn, David Page told Corpus Christi TV station KIII that beef has climbed about 40% in two years — referring to it as “a killer,” to his business.

Meanwhile, In Lacy Lakeview, Anthony Walton still sells brisket at his Broken G BBQ even though his wholesale cost has gone from somewhere between $3.50 and $4 a pound to $6. Charging what the meat actually costs him would put a pound near $40, he told Waco TV station KWTX, so he takes the loss and earns his profit on everything else he sells.

“When it comes to BBQ, if you don’t have brisket, you might as well shut down,” he said.

What this means for your grocery cart

Even if you don’t own a restaurant, you’re enduring the effects of cattle shortage every time you buy ground beef or steak at the grocery store. The federal government has turned to more imported beef to try to ease prices, despite ranchers saying the imports squeeze their profit margins even further.

As a consumer, there are ways to soften the blow to your wallet until supply recovers. Plenty of shoppers are swapping beef for chicken, which has remained the cheaper protein as it is available in abundance, and cheaper cuts like chuck roast or flank steak can fill in for pricier ones if you cook them right.

If your household goes through a lot of beef and you’ve got the freezer space, buying beef in bulk from a local farm could make the most sense — some buyers split a whole cow — and can shave down what you pay per pound.

Back in April, Mamdani announced a pied-à-terre tax on second homes worth at least $5 million in the city, naming Griffin personally for his $238 million penthouse. In response, Griffin threatened to move his company’s focus from NYC to Miami.

“We will add far more jobs in Miami over the next decade as an immediate and direct consequence of the Mayor’s poor decision here,” said Griffin to CNBC.

Perhaps because of that, Griffin has announced plans to build a personal heliport near his home in Miami beach. His neighbors aren’t happy.

“He’s saying that his helicopter is the quietest model, that noise won’t be an issue for us,” said John Stimmel, president of a luxury condo group near the proposed helipad site, to Bloomberg. “I asked ChatGPT if landing helicopters that close will be noisy, and guess what? It will be noisy.”

Here’s what’s going on behind the scenes.

Griffin says helicopter trips would have a ‘low impact’ on neighbors, but some worry otherwise

Griffin wants to build the helipad as part of a larger marina for his yachts that’s already been approved. His attorney, Neisen Kasdin, told Bloomberg that the marina would make for a more convenient location than the landing pad he’s currently using, which is around 2.5 miles west of the proposed spot.

According to studies commissioned by Griffin, the helicopter wouldn’t generate noise louder than “normal conversation between two people” for people hanging out on the nearby condo building’s balconies.

“The bottom line is it will have no, or virtually no, effect on any of the units or the residents there,” said Kasdin during the public hearing to decide whether Griffin would be allowed to build the helipad. That didn’t convince some of the neighbors present at the hearing.

“We’re doing all this for one individual?” Brian O’Brien, a representative of local condo residents, reportedly responded. “We are upsetting our quality of life so Mr. Griffin can land a little closer to his house?”

The committee ended up approving the plans, but Griffin still has to get approval from the full Miami Beach City Commission before he can move forward. That meeting won’t take place for another two months.

Commissioner Joseph Magazine recommended Griffin spend that time getting some of the neighbors back on his side.

“Don’t spend the time lobbying the commissioners; lobby the neighbors,” Magazine said. “Put all your resources on threading the needle with residents.”

Would a man with a heliport struggle to pay Mamdani’s pied-à-terre taxes?

Griffin is currently facing problems that only the very richest of us could ever hope to face. His helicopter, an Airbus H160, costs at least $14 million; the site he purchased to build his marina on cost $77 million alone, before any of the costs to build it are added in.

Forbes estimates that Griffin’s net worth is around $58 billion.

So why, then, is Griffin so upset about the pied-à-terre tax?

In fairness, one of the biggest problems Griffin had with Mamdani’s announcement video was that it called him out directly, and that it was filmed directly outside his penthouse — revealing its location to people who might not have otherwise known.

“What really upset me about the video was the fact that it put me in harm’s way,” Griffin told CNBC. “He seems to have forgotten that the CEO of another American company was assassinated just blocks from where I live in New York.”

But he also opposes the tax on financial grounds.

“What New York City needs… is a government who takes on the bloated, wasteful government that puts an incredible burden on the lives of all New Yorkers,” he said to CNBC.

Griffin, at least, will likely be fine even with the additional burden the new tax adds. Business Insider estimated that the pied-à-terre tax would cost Griffin an additional $1.3 million to $1.4 million. That’s a sizable tax, but it’s only 0.000024% of Griffin’s net worth. If you had a net worth of $1 million, that would be like paying $24 in tax.

Griffin did not immediately respond to Moneywise’s request for comment.

Police in Bruceville, Texas, arrived at the scene of the crime on Sept. 21, discovering holes drilled into the two diesel tanks of a county water truck, and its fuel drained.

KFDA News 10 reported that law enforcement was easily able to track down the accused, however, because the alleged culprit “left a trail of spilled diesel fuel leading from the county truck” to “the driveway of a residence.”

When police followed the trail to the residence they reportedly found “a utility task vehicle (UTV) parked in the front yard with its dump bed open and tailgate down” that “reeked” of diesel, as well as “fuel cans, siphon hoses, and a pair of black pants and shoes at the front of the home — all heavily smelling of diesel fuel.”

The home’s resident, Jesse Arthur Davila III, reportedly confessed to the theft and was arrested, while the outlet said his tank drilling caused $5,000 in damage to the county truck.

Meanwhile, gas thefts due to tank drilling are occurring across the country — leaving some victims paying into the thousands of dollars for car repairs and lost fuel.

As gas prices rise, thieves decide to drill baby, drill

Gas prices in the U.S. began skyrocketing as a result of the war in Iran, with the national average hitting $4.49 a gallon as of Sept. 25 — around $1.34 higher than at this time last year, according to AAA. Meanwhile, diesel prices hit a record high of $6.52 on Sept. 22.

It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that gas guzzling thieves around the country are on the lookout for their next haul. The Washington Post notes, though, that modern gas tank design features largely stifle the traditional method of siphoning gas — increasingly leading thieves to turn to drilling.

According to the publication, one Los Angeles repair shop “is fixing a drilled-out gas tank about once a week these days” — a stark contrast to the handful of times a year they used to see such incidents.

Minnesota, meanwhile, saw an uptick in drilled gas tank cases in St. Paul and Minneapolis in May.

In Lincoln, Nebraska, police have investigated 12 cases of fuel theft — including eight involving drilled holes — this year. Erika Thomas, Lincoln’s public information office manager, told Moneywise that her city’s numbers reflect only 0.01% of the 82,500 calls for service they’ve received this year, and that previous years experienced more fuel thefts and that “it is not a prevalent issue in our community.”

Those who suffer the thefts, however, often pay a high price — literally. Data provided by Thomas showed that the gas tank drilling thefts in her community cost between $300 and $1,800 in damage to vehicles, while thieves made off with, at most, $90 in gas.

In Vancouver, WA., one theft victim found his truck emptied of what he described as “maybe $20 worth of gasoline,” leaving him with a $2,000 repair bill for his drilled tank. And an employee at a Colorado auto repair shop told CBS News that repairs costs can get as high as $2,500 depending on the extent of the damage.

Does car insurance cover the damages?

The cost of fixing a drilled gas tank could come out of pocket if you don’t have the proper insurance.

“Comprehensive auto insurance typically covers theft and vandalism, including damage to a vehicle caused during an attempted or completed theft,” the Insurance Information Institute’s Loretta Worters told Moneywise.

However, she warned that “comprehensive coverage is optional and is separate from the liability insurance drivers are generally required to carry” — and that those with only liability insurance “would generally not have coverage for this type of damage.”

She added that the comprehensive coverage would apply to the vehicle damage, while it “could depend on the individual policy and circumstances of the loss” as to whether the cost of the stolen gas is covered.

How to protect your car from fuel theft

Preventing thieves from drilling into your gas tank is tricky, but there are some preventative steps you can take.

Thomas suggests “keeping vehicles in a locked garage when possible, parking in well-lit, high-traffic areas when out and about, having motion-activated security cameras on your property and purchasing a locking gas cap if your budget allows.”

Other law enforcement tips include parking so that your fuel tank door is visible to passersby, carpooling to work to avoid the need to bring your own vehicle and getting rides to places like airports rather than driving your own vehicle and parking it for long periods in a public lot.

Worters, meanwhile, suggested adding an alarm to your car, and ensuring drivers “carry comprehensive coverage and understand their deductible” and, if you suspect a theft, “document the damage, report the incident to the police, and contact their insurer before arranging repairs.”

She also noted to never start or drive your vehicle if you think the gas tank has been punctured, as “leaking gasoline can present a serious fire hazard.”

While it’s not as catchy as Superman’s slogan, Amazon delivery drones are far more common in American skies, buzzing along with the promise of dropping items “5 pounds or less that fit in a large shoebox” right into your yard for roughly $3 to $5 within an hour of ordering.

Though the tech offers speed and convenience, some who live below drone flight paths say that Prime Air delivers more than just packages. In the Texas suburb of Richardson, for example, residents contend that daily drone noise disrupts their lives, with the New York Times describing it as “sometimes so loud that they sound like flying lawn mowers.”

“We hear them zoom, zoom, zoom, back and forth from morning until past dinnertime,” Nikki Anderson, one resident, told the outlet. “We’re thinking, ‘Ugh, is there anything we can do to stop this?’ We can’t live like this.”

The drone noise isn’t just a Richardson problem. Residents in Auburn Hills and Ferndale, Michigan are also speaking out about the alleged racket. And the issue could spread — Amazon plans to expand its drone delivery from areas in seven states today to around 500 locales nationwide, including in New York, Illinois, Georgia and Idaho, by the end of the year.

“What’s happening in Richardson is about to happen all over the country,” another resident, Scott Bratcher, told the Times, “and people are finally going to believe us that having all these drones flying around is actually a big, big problem.”

When convenience comes with a buzz

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) estimates that commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) like Prime Air could total 1.5 million aircraft in U.S. skies by 2030.

That number, in theory, includes delivery drones from other companies as well, such as Alphabet’s Wing, which works with retailers like Walmart and DoorDash, along with any other commercial drones. But it’s Prime Air that’s currently causing noise complaints.

Prime Air drones look like little white rockets with six propellers and, according to the FAA, weigh 78 pounds and can carry a maximum of 5 pounds as they fly up to 73 mph, 400 feet above the ground.

Amazon didn’t respond to Moneywise’s request for comment for this story, but its website notes the drones are 100% electricity-powered, can fly in rain and freezing temperatures, operate within a 7.5-mile radius from delivery centers and boast both obstacle detection and collision avoidance technology — though reports of Amazon drone crashes exist, including one device that hit a Richardson apartment building in February.

It adds that the drones feature a “perceived sound comparable to a residential HVAC unit.” And some residents in various news reports noted that they weren’t bothered by drone noise.

Further, Amazon spokeswoman Lindsay Hamilton told the Times that in 2026, “fewer than 1 percent” of the feedback the company has received was about noise.

But others beg to differ. Some Richardson locals characterized the sound as “like a loud swarm of bees” while, in Auburn Hills, a resident claimed that “there’s always at least 8 to 10 drones going over houses per day,” emitting “a constant buzzing sound.” Some local regulations, like in Richardson, allow for deliveries between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., with one Richardson resident telling the Times that she counted 52 drones passing overhead, describing that as “a slow day.”

And a Richardson homeowners association president said his community might seek reduced property taxes as a result of the noise — actions that may seem extreme until you consider that a 2025 study of U.S. homes near aviation corridors found that “a one-decibel increase in annual day-night average sound level reduces house prices by 0.6% to 1.0%.”

The FAA, meanwhile, told Moneywise that the agency “completed a nationwide environmental review for drone package delivery” in July, concluding that “it would not have a significant environmental impact.” It added that drone operators are responsible “for addressing issues identified through that review, which can include noise, wildlife and historic resources.”

They also said they encourage those operators to address “community concerns, even when the noise does not meet the threshold for a significant impact under federal environmental law.”

Representatives of the cities of Richardson and Auburn Hills didn’t return Moneywise’s request for comment.

The fight for a quieter sky

Residents pushing back against allegedly noisy delivery drones don’t have much recourse on the municipal level. A Richardson city website notes that “The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) controls national airspace. This means cities cannot restrict drones from flying above a certain altitude or create airspace limitations that would conflict with federal rules.”

It suggests that residents direct complaints to Amazon or federal elected officials, “who can request updates on the FAA’s review of constituent concerns.”

And while reports suggest that Amazon did alter its drone operations, or offer to address concerns, in Richardson and Auburn Hills, many residents still aren’t happy.

Some protested at an Amazon distribution facility while a community group reportedly dubbed the “drone warriors” employed apps to track drone flights in their area and stay on top of local lawmakers to try to change drone operations in their city.

Others, meanwhile, are speaking out at city council meetings, asking their local governments to reject approvals for the building of Amazon drone facilities planned for their communities.

At one such September community meeting in the Massachusetts town of Westborough, resident Jennifer Parent delivered her opposition bluntly.

“Just because we can do it doesn’t mean we should do it,” she said, according to Boston.com. “I think people really need to start standing up to the tech industries.”

The comments came after some Ryanair [NASDAQ: RYAAY] investors balked at a new share rewards scheme drafted by the company’s board of directors to keep chief executive Michael O’Leary, who’s been with the company for more than three decades and has delayed his retirement multiple times, at the helm for a few more years.

The contract will award the 65-year-old a whopping €150 million (roughly $171 million) in Ryanair stock options if he’s able to reach certain key objectives; mainly, ensuring the carrier clears €4 billion in net income, and/or sees its shares — presently worth €23.24 — rise to or above the €42 mark for at least 28 days straight.

According to reports, though the majority of those with stock in the company (just over 60%) approved of the plan, the votes fell below the 75% approval threshold needed for the company to sign off on it without further consultations.

O’Leary brashly told the Financial Times that those opposed — who some news outlets describe are in full-on revolt — need to “grow up,” as the bars he’ll need to meet to get the payout are “very ambitious, very aggressive targets.”

“If they’re delivered, all of you shareholders will almost double your money from where the share price is today,” he added — something the carrier itself echoed in a statement.

Stock options for performance are nothing new

Because the options package is for a set number of shares rather than a set dollar amount in shares, the results will depend on how well the company continues to do under O’Leary’s leadership.

This type of executive compensation has been standard practice at Ryanair in recent years (and across the private sector for decades), as O’Leary receives, in his words, only a “modest annual salary” in addition to such performance-based bonuses. He’s even compared his and others’ option values to the sky-high salaries in professional sports, which he’s pointed out “nobody says boo” when those salaries creep into the dozens of millions of GBP per year.

Among the supporters of this latest remuneration package are Holland Advisors founder and shareholder Andrew Hollingworth, who called O’Leary “one of Europe’s very best CEOs” for driving the company to new heights and bringing about “great long-term investment returns to shareholders” in the process.

While some apparently don’t find the proposed goals lofty enough, the targets call for O’Leary to increase the low-cost airline’s full-year after-tax profits by at least a stunning 77% from where they currently are, and/or boosting share value by 81% or more.

How oil prices may affect O’Leary’s payout

While hitting these lofty goals may be possible, given O’Leary’s track record for meeting benchmarks at the brand, it’s no secret that the aviation industry is feeling the pressures of surging oil prices as the Strait of Hormuz remains constrained.

In his interview with the Financial Times, the business titan predicted flight ticket prices will increase by 10% to 20% by summer 2027’s busy travel season and could go far higher if costs remain this high for years. However, O’Leary admits that Europe’s habit of “underpricing” airfares compared to the rest of the world is a factor.

“If [jet] fuel stays at $140 a barrel for the next five years, the average air fare will go from €50 to €80-€90 a ticket,” he said.

Based on his previous contract with Ryanair, O’Leary was due to step down in 2028.

“I don’t want to hang around till 96 like [Warren] Buffett,” he said when talks of another tenure extension started up last year.

For one United Airlines (Nasdaq:UAL) passenger, that’s exactly what she says happened on a flight from Rochester, New York, to Newark Liberty International Airport on Sept. 3.

The 25-year-old woman told NBC News that the man sitting next to her began masturbating while looking at her. She reported him to the flight crew and was allowed to leave her seat for much of the approximately one-hour flight.

But when it was time to land, she says she was told to return to her seat because there weren’t any others available.

She says she ended up back beside the man she had just reported — and, after landing, watched him leave the plane without being stopped.

United later gave her a $100 flight credit for a trip that cost roughly $400. But the credit aside, she was also left dealing with an upsetting experience that happened in a place where she expected to feel safe.

What exactly happened?

The woman, who works as a pediatric crisis therapist, said she noticed the man masturbating beside her while looking at her during the early morning flight.

She described him as being in his mid-30s to early 40s, wearing hiking pants and a T-shirt. At first, she said, he looked ordinary and unassuming.

Once he began to masturbate, she immediately reported him to United staff, according to her account, and was allowed to stand away from her seat for much of the flight.

But as the plane prepared to land, she says she was told to return to her seat because there were no other available seats. She repeatedly told staff she was uncomfortable doing that, but was initially told she’d only have to sit there for three to five minutes.

Because she and the other passenger were seated toward the back of the plane, however, she says she ended up sitting beside him while other passengers got off. The man was then allowed to leave the plane.

The woman said she approached a United agent at the gate and asked why her seatmate hadn’t been stopped. According to her account, the agent responded, “What am I supposed to do about it?” She said he told her it was her responsibility to request a police response.

Another United employee later told her that protocols hadn’t been followed and advised her to file a complaint with the airline. She went on to file complaints with United and the Federal Aviation Administration and later contacted the FBI.

The back-and-forth with United didn’t make things much better.

According to an email exchange reviewed by NBC News, a United representative told her they could imagine how “upsetting and uncomfortable” it must have been to experience “behavior from another passenger that caused you concern.”

The woman pushed back on that wording, saying it contained “a lot of blaming language.” She also objected to the airline describing what happened as behavior that “caused” her concern, arguing that she had already removed herself from the situation and asked for help.

United would not confirm to her whether the incident had been documented by flight staff. In an email to Moneywise, United stated, “The safety of our customers and colleagues is our top priority. We take these matters seriously and are looking into what happened. We have been in contact with the customer and apologized for her experience.”

What recourse do passengers have?

There isn’t a standard $100 payout for reporting inappropriate behavior on a flight. Airlines generally have discretion over compensation for complaints that aren’t covered by a specific passenger-rights rule, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

But passengers who believe an airline mishandled a complaint have options.

The DOT recommends first giving the airline a chance to resolve the issue. If that doesn’t work, passengers can file a complaint with the department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection. Airlines are required to acknowledge written consumer complaints within 30 days and provide a written response within 60 days.

When the complaint involves alleged sexual misconduct, there’s another important step, which is reporting it promptly.

The FBI says it investigates crimes aboard aircraft, including sexual misconduct, indecent exposure and lewd or obscene acts. The agency advises passengers who experience or witness one of these incidents to report it to the flight crew, airport authority police or the FBI.

That timing matters. If law enforcement is alerted before a plane lands, agents can potentially meet the aircraft, interview those involved and take appropriate action while witnesses and other passengers are still there. The FBI says cases can become more difficult to investigate once hours or days have passed.

For this passenger, the $100 credit didn’t erase what happened on the flight. And while United says it is investigating, the incident is a reminder that passengers have more than one place to turn when they believe an airline hasn’t adequately handled a serious complaint.

In a recent Substack post, “Big Short” investor Michael Burry characterized the current state of the NASDAQ as “historically overvalued, and historically top heavy,” which gives him increasing confidence to ramp up his short positions against a few major AI stocks.​

In addition to betting against chips with positions against Micron and the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX), Burry increased his shorts on cloud computing company Nebius Group and the enterprise AI software provider Palantir.

A major part of Burry’s bearish thesis is that there will soon be “a chip glut again” as the semiconductor industry falls back into its traditional boom-to-bust cyclicality.

As Burry wrote, “Over the next two years this shortage will blow off as production catches up, and memory will have a down cycle again.”

To support his case, Burry shared an interview with the Taiwanese electronics maker Acer’s CEO Jason Chen. When asked whether he noticed memory shortages, Chen responded, “No way,” adding, “How could there be a continuous shortage? China’s production capacity has been consistently increasing, and there is absolutely no shortage issue. Contract prices are currently fluctuating at a high level, with some prices going up and others down, causing a bit of confusion.”

Burry looks in the bargain bin

Although Burry gets a lot of press for his bearish views, he’s not betting against the market entirely. In fact, Burry has been buying beaten-down companies outside the AI sector hand over fist.​

In Burry’s Substack, he highlighted five stocks he’s now bought as “full positions” in his portfolio: The roofing distributor QXO, the grocery store Sprouts Farmers Market, the custom stuffed animal store Build-A-Bear, the footwear brand Birkenstock and the eCommerce site Mercado-Libre.

While these stocks are in very different industries, they share one trait Burry really likes: they’re trading at deep discounts. Burry wrote that he believes all of these stocks “have corrected tremendously” and now offer extremely “attractive” share prices.

Year-to-date, all the stocks Burry is buying have fallen double digits, with some like Build-a-Bear down as much as 57%.

Burry isn’t the only AI skeptic​

Looking at recent charts of AI-related stocks like Micron or SanDisk, it’s clear Burry is in the contrarian camp.

However, there are other prominent investors who don’t think this party will last much longer.

For instance, Business Insider reported that GMO’s co-founder Jeremy Grantham said the current valuations for AI stocks are “obviously a bubble” and that “the market will become a whole lot cheaper” once the enthusiasm bursts.

DoubleLine Capital’s founder Jeffrey Gundlach echoed this sentiment more recently in an interview on the Julia La Roche Podcast. As the so-called “bond king” warned, “You’re going to have fallout and losers in the AI race to the holy grail. It’s going to happen. And that’s what’s going to be what leads to the next very significant drawdown in the risk assets.”

Although Gundlach said he doesn’t know when the fall will come, he says it’s close enough that he wants to be completely “out” of AI equities. Instead, Gundlach recommended an equal-weighted ETF tracking Fortune 500 companies to avoid overconcentration in AI, along with exposure to assets like high-quality bonds, emerging market debt, gold and a commercial real estate ETF.

On the “chip glut” theme, the analyst Sujai Shivakumar from the Center for Strategic and International Studies shared Burry’s opinion that “Chinese overcapacity” in the chip sector could become a major risk for companies like Micron. As Shivakumar wrote, “Expanding Chinese DRAM and NAND production may ease some near-term pressure, but it could also produce future surplus, dumping, trade friction, and deeper dependence on Chinese suppliers for commoditized but strategically important memory devices.​

Although these bearish predictions have yet to become a market reality, things could change quickly as Micron gears up for its quarterly earnings at the end of September. Data published on Investor’s Business Daily shows Wall Street’s expectations are extremely high, including 940% year-over-year earnings growth. For good or ill, Micron’s earnings guidance will likely set the tone for the AI narrative.

Last year alone, some of the world’s wealthiest people bolted from California to Florida just to avoid the Golden State’s proposed billionaire tax. That trend seems to indicate a clear cause-and-effect scenario: if states raise taxes on the wealthy, rich people will leave.

But new IRS data shows something different. According to a Fiscal Policy Institute analysis of IRS Statistics of Income data, the states with the most progressive tax systems still have the highest concentration of millionaires.

These states — California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York, as well as Washington, D.C. — have also seen a growth in their number of millionaires since 2020.

“Not every millionaire leaves, or even most millionaires leave, when you raise top marginal rates,” Adam N. Michel, director of tax policy studies at the Cato Institute, told Fortune. “There are some wealthy people that leave. They tend to be the ones that are least connected in the state — after you sell your business and you’re retired, or you’re a superstar scientist or an athlete, someone that has a lot of options.”

New York’s wealth taxes

New York stands as a prime example that millionaires are staying put even if taxes are going up. In 2023, the most recent year of data, New York’s millionaire share rose even after the state raised the tax rate on incomes over $1 million.

According to data from the Fiscal Policy Institute, in 2016 there were 57,126 people in the state who earned $1 million per year. By 2019, that number grew to 68,068. In 2021, the state raised taxes on those earners, but the number of millionaires still jumped 21% to 84,366. Meanwhile, the number of millionaires who left the state fell.

The wealthy in New York aren’t just being hit by higher income taxes. In 2019, the state expanded its “mansion tax,” which applies to home sales in New York City that are over $1 million. That still didn’t turn millionaires away from the city.

And of course, the latest levy targeting the state’s wealthy individuals is the pied-à-terre tax in New York City, which is imposed on non-primary, second homes valued at $1 million or more. The tax sparked uproar from the ultra wealthy, including hedge fund mogul and Citadel CEO Ken Griffin, whose $240 million apartment in Manhattan was called out by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

In response, Griffin threatened to pull Citadel’s plan for a $6 billion office tower in Manhattan and relocate employees to Miami. His partner on the project, Steven Roth, went so far as to say the term “tax the rich” is “just as hateful as some disgusting racial slurs” when used with anger by politicians, The New York Times reported.

But for all the talk, Citadel eventually decided to stay, confirming it would continue with its plans for the Manhattan tower.

“We’re just really not seeing any declines in the millionaire population in New York State,” Emily Eisner, executive director of the Fiscal Policy Institute, shared with Fortune. She said millionaire households aren’t sensitive to the state’s tax rates because the taxes simply aren’t high enough to be a cause of concern.

Alternatives to higher tax systems

Wealthy people threatening to leave when taxes are raised has become a common story. And even if it’s just an empty threat, this development raised a debate about alternatives to a graduated tax system, which means taxes are progressive and rates increase as one’s taxable income increases.

A Cato Institute briefing paper published on Sept. 15 found states that implement flat taxes — a single, identical tax regardless of income — saw faster growth, higher incomes and better fiscal outcomes in the years following the reform.

According to the paper, states converting from graduated to flat tax systems saw “roughly one percentage point faster growth in per capita income and state GDP four years after the reform.” That’s nearly $4,000 more in income per resident.

Colorado was the first state to switch to a flat tax system in 1987 and saw per capita income rise about 5% higher a decade later.

Then the title search turned up a problem dating back four years: two false-alarm fees totaling just $150 had somehow ballooned to more than $23,000 in liens against the property.

The alarms had gone off in error in August and September 2022, according to local news station WFLA. The original charges were $50 and $100. Bashoor has since paid the $150.

Now Hillsborough County says it will dismiss the lien, but it won’t waive all of the fees.

It’s an unusual situation, but it also serves as a stark reminder that some bills can follow a property for a lot longer than expected — especially when no one realizes there’s money owing.

A $150 bill became a $23,100 problem

The false alarms happened after the home’s security system alerted in error, according to Bashoor.

The county says it mailed a notice of violation to the property owner, but the letter came back marked “unclaimed” and “unable to forward.”

The case eventually went before a special magistrate in May 2023. The magistrate ordered the false-alarm penalty to be paid within 30 days. When the deadline passed without payment, the county began adding $20 a day on June 12, 2023.

That daily penalty continued to pile up, turning the original $150 charge into a lien of more than $23,000 by the time Bashoor was trying to sell the home.

“I’m shocked that anybody can charge $20 [a] day for a late fee,” Bashoor told WFLA. “That just seems very excessive and abusive.”

Hillsborough County Government has since said the lien will be dismissed. But a county spokesperson said the government would not waive all of the fees because the property has a history of false alarms dating back to 2020.

For Bashoor, the problem is that the original $150 has already been paid, but she says she can’t afford the rest of the amount — and the issue didn’t surface until the home was being sold, catching the entire family off guard.

The small bills homeowners forget

It’s generally easier to keep track of the big bills directly tied to a home — the mortgage, property taxes, and insurance are hard to miss.

The smaller ones are a different story. Depending on where you live and what the debt is for, an unpaid charge can sometimes lead to a lien being placed against the property, which can become a problem when you eventually try to sell or refinance.

That can include certain unpaid municipal charges, code-enforcement fines, utility bills, homeowners association fees, or condo fees and other debts that local or state law allows to be attached to a property. Not every unpaid bill can become a lien, and the rules can be very different from one place to another.

What makes a lien particularly easy to overlook is that it isn’t necessarily something you see when you’re paying your regular household bills. A homeowner might know about the original charge — or might not — without realizing that it has turned into a claim against the property.

A title search is typically part of the process when a home is being sold, and that’s when an old lien can suddenly become a problem. Depending on the circumstances, the debt may need to be paid or otherwise resolved before the sale can go through.

But the Florida case is a good reminder that a small bill isn’t necessarily something you can forget about forever.

Homeowners who have moved, changed mailing addresses, stopped using a service, or simply assumed an old dispute was resolved may want to check their local property records periodically, particularly before putting a home on the market.

It may also be worth making sure the government offices, HOAs, or other organizations that send property-related notices have your current mailing address. In Bashoor’s case, the county says the notice of violation was returned as “unclaimed” and “unable to forward.”

A $50 or $100 bill may not seem like a big deal at the time. But as Bashoor’s family found out, it can be a very different story if the bill is left sitting there and the fees keep adding up.

“The lesson is that immigration is not the problem,” Schiff, an American stockbroker and financial commentator, wrote in a post on X. “The problem is the welfare state. Shut off that magnet and America will no longer attract people looking for free stuff.”

But the safety net Schiff is talking about reaches well beyond newly arrived immigrants. In 2022, nearly a third of the U.S. population received assistance through at least one means-tested program, according to the Census Bureau. That includes programs such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and SNAP for Women, Infants and Children, among many others.

Many of the people relying most heavily on those programs aren’t working-age adults, as children make up 54% of Americans receiving benefits from three or more means-tested programs, Census data shows.

Why Schiff thinks open borders and welfare can’t coexist

Schiff points specifically to the Gilded Age, a period stretching from the late 1800s into the early 1900s that was known for industrialization and economic growth. As factories, railroads and other industries expanded, wages rose alongside them.

Between 1860 and 1890, wages increased by around 50%, with particularly strong gains for skilled workers including carpenters, engineers and blacksmiths.

Immigration was also on the rise. Nearly 12 million immigrants arrived in the U.S. between 1870 and 1900, according to the Library of Congress. Some were pushed out of their home country by famine, crop failures and rising taxes, while others saw the U.S. as a place to find work and greater economic opportunity.

“They could stay as long as they wanted, work wherever they wanted, buy property, start businesses and basically do anything any American citizen could do,” Schiff wrote, referring to immigration in the late 1800s.

But that era didn’t feature completely open borders. While immigration was less regulated than it is today, particularly for Europeans, restrictions were already emerging, including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

Schiff argues another major difference between then and now is the size of the federal safety net, and research lends limited support to his “welfare magnet” theory. A 1998 National Bureau of Economic Research study by economist George J. Borjas found immigrant welfare recipients were more concentrated in states offering more generous benefits, suggesting welfare generosity may have influenced where some immigrants chose to live.

Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean welfare is what draws immigrants to the U.S. in the first place. A 2024 Pew Research Center survey of Asian immigrants found family, economic opportunity and education were among the most common reasons they gave for coming to the U.S.

Who actually relies on America’s safety net?

Research suggests welfare generosity can influence where some immigrants settle, but that’s different from the belief that benefits are a primary reason people come to the U.S.

Many immigrants also don’t immediately qualify for assistance. Eligibility for programs such as SNAP and Medicaid depends on immigration status, and many lawful immigrants face a five-year waiting period before they can receive benefits.

But benefits are only one side of the fiscal picture. The Congressional Budget Office estimates immigrants who arrived as part of the recent immigration surge will pay about $788 billion in federal income and payroll taxes between 2024 and 2034.

Once the broader economic effects are factored in, the CBO projects the surge will increase federal revenues by about $1.2 trillion and reduce federal deficits by roughly $900 billion over the decade.

However, that doesn’t mean immigration comes without a price tag. State and local governments can feel the costs much sooner. CBO estimates the recent immigration surge resulted in a direct net cost of $9.2 billion to state and local governments in 2023, driven largely by higher spending on schools, shelter and other public services.

Schiff’s argument points to a real tension: A larger population can put more pressure on government services, particularly in communities absorbing large numbers of newcomers. But that’s only one side of the story. Immigrants also work, pay taxes and contribute to the economy, while many face restrictions on the federal benefits they can receive.

The nonprofit KFF News cites the example of Dr. Joshua Durham and his wife Ashley, a pharmacist. They run a medical practice together in Boise, Idaho.

The Durhams cancelled their personal health insurance this year and are drawing down on their $50,000 health savings account (HSA) to cover medical expenses. They often treat their own family, and Joshua has set up a barter system with an optometrist, getting free eye exams in exchange for some primary care.

It’s less expensive than insurance, but also “nervewracking,” Joshua Durham says.

“It just takes, you know, one little accident, and then [you’ve] got a big fat bill,” he said.

Here’s a look at how dire the situation is.

Health providers are not immune to health inflation

To date, it’s a relatively small group who’ve opted out: 7% of all U.S. healthcare workers overall and just 2% of doctors. Healthcare support workers — like nursing assistants, physiotherapists and dental assistants — are leading the trend.

In 2024, 10.5% of healthcare support workers were uninsured, according to the U.S. census. That compares to 11% of the general population under 65.

Still, the numbers are significant enough to demonstrate the dilemma healthcare workers face.

To get by, many have to forego the very insurance that sustains their livelihoods and those of their patients.

Healthcare workers are grappling with the same sticker shock as fellow Americans. Rising healthcare costs are to blame, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in September.

The study found that between 2011 and 2024, mean health insurance premiums in the U.S. soared 78.4% — from $4,008 to $7,151 a year. That’s double the overall rate of inflation (39%).

Yale economist Zack Cooper, lead author on the paper, noted that health spending (including for the cost of medications and treatments) rose 84.2% over that same time period.

“We found that health insurance premiums increased nearly dollar-for-dollar with health spending,” he said, noting that insurer markups actually fell.

Things have only gotten worse, particularly for people who signed up for private health insurance through the U.S. Affordable Care Act marketplace. Congress ended a number of subsidies for the program in December 2025, leaving enrolees to pay more out of pocket.

In 2026, their average annual premiums ballooned 58% to $780, while average deductibles mushroomed $1,000 to $3,786. As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports, nearly three million people dropped out of the plan between February 2025 and February 2026.

And that includes many healthcare workers. The cost of employer-sponsored health insurance has become a burden for small businesses and employees alike — including health clinics.

According to KFF, the average family premium in a group plan hit $26,993 in 2025, with employees picking up $6,580 each and bosses (including physicians) picking up the rest.

Jack Dillon, executive director of the Association for Independent Medicine, spoke to KFF News about the challenge. His organization represents 4,000 physician-run clinics. He noted many may have to limit health insurance benefits for staff or cut the plans altogether.

“The cost has become so astronomical,” he said. “You’re looking at it and saying, ‘What’s the value?’”

There’s little relief ahead. According to the Washington Post, insurance premiums for employer-sponsored plans are expected to rise another 8.2% next year.

How to cope with the high cost of health coverage

You may be wondering what to do about rising health insurance costs if even healthcare workers are struggling. Here are some ideas.

If you are relatively young and feel you are in stable, good health, you could consider buying a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) insurance plan in combination with a Health Savings Account (HSA). If you end up needing insurance, you may have to fork out a minimum individual deductible of $1,700 or $3,400 for a family, but you’ll pay less for your plan overall.

Ask your physician about generic options of medications to reduce out-of-pocket costs.

And it’s always a good idea to have an emergency savings account to help cover unexpected medical bills.

Finally, do everything you can to maintain your health, from healthy eating and exercise to checkups at the doctor and dentist. Good preventative health includes things that are easy to let slide, like self-exams, wearing sunscreen, keeping an eye on your blood pressure, getting all the routine screenings, like mammograms and colonoscopies, that you are due for, and wearing your seatbelt.

Your body, and pocketbook, will thank you.

Chinese August gold imports hit a record, as the country added 44 tonnes of gold to bring the year-to-date total to 1,100 tonnes, according to China’s General Administration of Customs. Those figures represent more gold through August than in all of 2025 and are China’s highest imported gold levels since 2017.

Wall Street has taken full notice of China’s aggressive gold-import strategy, with Goldman Sachs estimating prices will reach $4,900 per ounce by the end of the year.

“Our fair-value forecast of $4,900/ounce by end-2026 assumes continued strong central bank demand — with average purchases of 50 tonnes/month in 2026 and 40 tonnes/month in 2027 — alongside a recovery in private investor ETF demand as the Fed remains on hold in 2026,” wrote Lina Thomas and Daan Struyven in a recent market study.

Goldman analysts also issue a few caveats on gold right now, noting Federal Reserve interest rate hikes could curb growth, even though gold should finish the year in plus territory.

“If the Fed were to hike, demand for gold as a macro policy hedge might (partially) unwind as market concerns about DM central bank independence ease,” the report stated. “Combined with rate-sensitive ETF holders net selling into higher rates, gold prices could then reach $4,440/oz by end-2026 — materially below our base-case of $4,900, but slightly above today’s levels, as continued central bank buying eventually more than offsets.”

Should Main Street investors be buying gold?

Economic factors and gold’s rising value should attract investors’ attention, although large portfolio shifts into gold haven’t happened yet — at least not on a large scale.

“Gold’s share in private portfolios remains low, and recent geopolitical developments — including Iran and broader tensions — may accelerate diversification beyond central banks to private investors, including by weighing on perceptions of Western fiscal sustainability,” the Goldman research note stated.

Precious metals experts agree, noting that ordinary American investors should take their cue from China and boost gold in their portfolios.

“Americans should consider increasing their gold holdings,” Brett Elliott, director of marketing at American Precious Metals Exchange, told Moneywise. “There’s a greater understanding now that currency debasement is unavoidable, and one reaction to that is a higher gold price.”

Other gold mavens say central banks and individual gold buyers act for different reasons, but the message is similar.

“A central bank buys gold to strengthen reserve diversification, reduce exposure to a single sovereign currency, and to prepare for uncertainty in the global financial system,” Joshua D. Glawson, content manager and analyst at Money Metals Exchange, told Moneywise.

An individual investor usually takes on gold to diversify savings and reduce dependence on assets tied to government debt, financial institutions, and the purchasing power of fiat currency.

“In both cases, gold acts as a deliberate insurance policy for planned devaluation of the US dollar, or more specifically the Federal Reserve Note,” Glawson added.

While Americans shouldn’t treat China’s buying as an order to chase gold, it’s a good idea to pay attention when one of the world’s largest gold markets is steadily accumulating an asset that cannot be printed or created out of nothing.

“Gold, like silver or platinum, can be part of a broader strategy to preserve purchasing power and reduce counterparty risk,” Glawson stated.

Here’s how much gold you should own

For Americans who decide gold belongs in their portfolio, how much is enough?

Experts say that, for a typical American retirement or investment portfolio, a modest allocation of around 5% may be enough to add diversification without making gold the entire strategy.

“The appropriate amount depends on an investor’s exposure to stocks, bonds, government debt, dollars, and other financial assets,” Glawson said. “Some investors may even take a more aggressive approach and encourage a 60/20/10 approach, with 10% dedicated to gold and silver, with gold being the main focus.”

Glawson believes physical bullion is the clearest choice for investors who want to hold gold directly and reduce counterparty risk.

“Gold ETFs are convenient for investors who want exposure to the gold market, but owning ETF shares is not the same as holding physical gold,” he said. “A combination of physical bullion and gold ETFs can offer both direct ownership and convenience, while mining stocks should be treated as a higher-risk investment.”

Even as gold ascends, look for warning signs

Investors may wonder what happens if China’s gold-buying thesis breaks down, and should watch for red flags.

“If American politicians come together in an act of unprecedented fiscal responsibility, set aside their differences, balance the budget, bring the deficit to zero and begin paying down the national debt, then gold’s rally may face some suddenly stiff headwinds,” Elliot said.

China’s gold-buying thesis could also show cracks if higher U.S. interest rates and surging bond yields make government bonds more attractive, the dollar strengthens, geopolitical tensions ease, and investors regain confidence in property, stocks, and government debt.

“Those developments would raise the opportunity cost of holding bullion and could send gold sharply lower,” Glawson said.

Private investors should keep a close eye on interest-rate expectations, government bond yields, dollar strength, central-bank diversification, gold ETF flows, Chinese import demand, and signs of easing geopolitical and fiscal concerns.

“Strong official buying can support the gold market, but it does not prevent greater two-sided volatility,” Glawson added.

Last year, 26% of U.S. adults skipped medical treatment due to cost while 18% carried medical debt. But for those with medical insurance, it’s a different story — or so you would think.

A new survey from the Commonwealth Fund — which advocates for a fair health care system — found that 32% of working age adults with health insurance are paying off medical debt.

Furthermore, they found that 46% of that group owe at least $2,000, with some respondents reporting debts in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The survey also noted that the debt caused 68% of respondents anxiety and stress — while some were forced to “cut back on basic living necessities, including food, heat, or rent” or skip future medical care as a result and suffer negative impacts on their credit ratings. Some tried paying off the debt using credit cards but the “resulting finance charges increased their debt.”

“[The bill] came out to almost $5,000. I was like, ‘Do they want to give me another heart attack?’” Harold, a respondent in his 40s who required emergency care for a cardiac event, said in the survey. “Of course I have insurance from my employer and everything. I said to myself, ‘What did they even cover here?’”

Why having health insurance doesn’t mean you can afford care

The Commonwealth Fund’s Sara R. Collins, one of the co-authors of the report, told Time that “People are just dealing with routine care and bills that build up” and that medical debts for the insured “often stem from routine care, including doctor’s office visits and treatment for chronic conditions.” along with high deductibles.

Collins didn’t immediately respond to Moneywise’s request for comment.

The Kaiser Family Foundation’s (KFF) Health System Tracker, meanwhile, also pointed to high deductibles as one reason that insured Americans still get trapped in a cycle of medical debt.

“A serious injury or illness can cost thousands of dollars out-of-pocket to meet these deductibles and other cost-sharing requirements,” the KFF noted. “For people with a chronic illness, even smaller copays and other cost-sharing expenses can accumulate to unaffordable amounts.”

They added that Americans with health insurance “can also incur medical debt from care that is not covered by insurance, including for denied claims and for out-of-network care.”

Deductibles, meanwhile, keep rising. This year, with the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits, average Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace deductibles jumped 37% to $3,786. And while 2026 figures for employee-sponsored plans aren’t available, last year the average general deductible for single coverage rose to $1,886 from $1,787 in 2024.

And the outlook is more bleak for next year, with deductibles and premiums on both employer and marketplace plans expected to rise — in some cases by up to 15%.

That’s especially bad news for the one-third of Americans overall who told the Commonwealth Fund that they couldn’t afford an unexpected $1,000 medical bill — a group that largely includes “women, people with moderate or low incomes, people identifying as Black or Hispanic, and people in the South.”

A huge medical bill isn’t necessarily the final number

Many of the Commonwealth Fund survey respondents put the blame for their medical debt on “insurers,” “hospital services,” chronic conditions or simply “the healthcare system.”

But experts say that there are steps you can take to try and curb how much you end up paying out of pocket.

The KFF suggests that, when possible, to inquire about costs ahead of time and that, for those who receive an unexpected bill, to contact your insurer and possibly even arbitrate any payment disputes through the channels provided by the 2022 consumer protection law known as the No Surprises Act.

It’s also advisable to always double-check your medical receipts to ensure they contain your correct personal information and that you received all of the services billed for and weren’t overcharged.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also recommends searching medical billing codes for your procedures online to compare the standard pricing to your bill, reaching out to your insurance company to help fix any billing errors and seeking out patient advocates or consumer programs to help you handle any outstanding issues.

And the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says to try and negotiate the cost of a hefty bill down or an interest-free payment plan, or reaching out to non-profit organizations that offer financial assistance.

“Stress is almost as bad as the bill itself,” Luke, a 60-something man whose bills piled up due to long COVID, told the Commonwealth Fund, while also warning against ignoring the bills. “Then, when the next bill comes in, there’s late fees, or you’re getting texts, or phone calls. . . . You wish you had at least made a phone call, or answered the texts, or taken care of the bill.”

Heather and Richard Harris have filed the suit against Arka Risinger Educators LLC, which does business as Arka Montessori Academy of Risinger, alleging the surveillance footage at the school showed the teacher escalating an altercation between students and physically assaulting the four-year old. Another teacher, who witnessed many of the events, allegedly did nothing to intervene.

The Harrises say in the lawsuit that “their trust was violated when the safe environment they were promised turned into a child fight club.”

Moneywise has sent a request for comment to Arka Montessori Academy, but has not yet received a response.

Timeline of events

The lawsuit offers a timeline of the alleged events, which it claims was taken from the daycare’s security cameras.

On the afternoon of April 27, it says, the four-year old was taken into the classroom of teacher Jacqueline De Luna, a normal activity as classes are combined when morning teachers leave for the day. De Luna’s back was turned and another boy walked up and struck the four-year old, which resulted in a brief fight. De Luna then separated the children.

The other boy was allegedly the son of a substitute teacher Chynia Johnson, who then entered the room to cover for De Luna as she went to use the restroom.

Johnson’s son, the suit alleges, then pointed to the four-year old and pushed him in the chest. The four-year old raised his hands and Johnson then allegedly grabbed his arm, shook him and shoved him away. Then, the suit claims, she spoke with her son and stood aside as he attacked the four-year old again, but was knocked to the ground. Johnson then once again allegedly grabbed the child and swiped his leg out from under him, crashing him onto the hardwood floor.

De Luna, the court filing alleges, had returned to the classroom by this point, but did nothing to intervene in the situation.

When the four-year old’s mother arrived, she said, the child was crying hysterically and the parent was only told there was a fight. A review of the security video showed the larger story, the Harrises say.

A history of troubles

This isn’t Arka’s first incident. The facility has run up 16 safety violations with the state since it opened in January 2024, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s Child-Care Licensing Division.

While no incidents like the one in the lawsuit have been noted previously, there are prior citations for leaving children unattended outside or in the classroom.

No criminal charges have been filed in the case regarding the four-year old. Local media reports the substitute teacher involved in the incident no longer works there.

In July, employers cut 23,000 jobs, while another 103,000 jobs were cut in May and June, reports The Associated Press. While the unemployment rate dropped to 4.1%, it only did so because 264,000 people left the labor market.

But if you’re nearing retirement — and not ready to retire, either financially or psychologically — it can be hard to recover from an unexpected layoff. After all, how do you convince a would-be employer that you’re in it for the long haul?

“They may find themselves trapped between being too old to hire and too young to retire,” Catherine Collinson, CEO of the nonprofit Transamerica Institute, told USA Today.

When are you ‘too old’ to hire?

Most employers consider themselves to be ‘age-friendly’ — but that’s not necessarily the reality for many older employees.

About nine in 10 employers (89%) consider themselves to be age-friendly, according to Transamerica Institute’s Employers, Workers, and the New World of Work report, published in May. Yet, only 72% of employees feel that’s the case.

When asked how old is “too old” to hire someone, 63% of employers said it “depends on the person.” But of those who provided a specific number, the median age that makes you “too old” to hire is 65.

Notably, in Transamerica Institute’s 2023 survey, the median age that makes you “too old” was 58.

So if you’re laid off in your late 50s or early 60s, finding a new job could be challenging.

Last year, in testimony before the Senate Special Committee on Aging, Nancy LeaMond — AARP’s chief advocacy and engagement officer — said that AI-driven algorithms could be screening out older candidates.

“Algorithms used to scan résumés and applications can accelerate bias using graduation dates or years of experience as proxies for age,” LeaMond told the Senate Committee.

AARP’s research has shown that ageism in the workplace is commonplace. In 2025, about two-thirds (64%) of workers 50+ said they saw or experienced age discrimination in the workplace. And 22% said they feel like they’re being pushed out because of their age.

Ageism comes in many forms, including job searches. Subtle forms of discrimination include assumptions that older workers aren’t tech-savvy or that they’re resistant to change.

Joanne Dority told USA Today that after getting terminated from her tech job at 62, she found that whenever she encountered younger hiring supervisors during her job hunt, she wouldn’t make the cut.

“At some point, you’re just too old to be in tech,” she said. She eventually found work through a connection on LinkedIn — hired by someone her age.

What to do if this happens to you

You can’t claim Social Security until age 62 — and at that point, since you’re claiming before your full retirement age at 67, you’d be accepting a 30% permanent cut to your benefits. And Medicare doesn’t kick in until age 65.

So, if you’ve been laid off, put the brakes on spending. Ideally, you’ll have an emergency fund that covers three to six months of expenses to help you get by.

Don’t make any major decisions until you crunch the numbers. What are your expenses? How much do you have in savings? If you’re ready to retire, do you have enough in savings to retire comfortably? In the meantime, how much will health insurance cost?

Once you’re 59 ½, you can start tapping into retirement accounts such as 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). Otherwise, you’ll face a 10% penalty — plus, any income you withdraw will be taxed as ordinary income.

There is an exception: If you’re at least 55, you can take penalty-free withdrawals from the 401(k) at your last employer before age 59 ½. However, this doesn’t apply to withdrawals from 401(k)s at previous employers — those are still subject to the 10% penalty.

Another option is something called the substantially equal periodic payment, or SEPP, plan. In this case, you can also make penalty-free withdrawals from retirement accounts before age 59 ½.

But, you’ll have to commit to consistent withdrawals for at least five years (or until age 59 ½) using an IRS-approved calculation method: amortization, annuitization or requirement minimum distribution (RMD).

In other words, once you start, you can’t quit the plan early. If you do, you could be faced with repaying waived penalties, plus interest. You could also be faced with penalties and interest if you make a miscalculation. So it’s not a decision to be taken lightly.

Plus, this could impact your financial security in the later years of retirement, leaving you with a much smaller nest egg. Other options include tapping into your home equity or even downsizing.

But the reality is, you might not want to retire — even if you can afford to retire early. As Dority told USA Today, it was challenging to find a role in tech at age 62. While she did eventually find a job in her field, there are a few other options.

If you have transferable skills, you may want to consider jobs in other industries. You might transition to part-time work, consulting work or even fractional work, in which experienced professionals provide specialized skills to several companies at the same time (versus a single employer).

Maybe it means starting your own business. For example, Todd Fannin told USA Today that — after several late-career layoffs in the insurance industry — he’d had enough. So he started a business with his wife, pulling money from their retirement savings to start a deck and patio company that sells franchises.

Whatever the case, an unexpected layoff is a good time to engage a qualified financial advisor to run the numbers and see if retiring — or withdrawing from your savings early — is a viable option.

Friday lost her job as a senior director of content in June 2025 when her employer eliminated dozens of roles. In August, 27% of unemployed Americans had been out of work for 27 weeks or longer, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

After months without finding another full-time role, Friday was facing increasing financial pressure. Her unemployment benefits had ended and she was nearing the end of her severance, prompting her to look for another source of income. She took a part-time job at a local garden center while continuing her search for marketing and communications roles.

She first shared her experience in a viral LinkedIn post before writing about it for CNBC Make It.

“I spent nearly nine hours outside multiple days a week, in all types of weather, doing physical labor and helping customers with questions about flowers, herbs and vegetables,” Friday wrote. “I was exhausted after a shift in ways I never was in my previous roles, and I loved every minute.”

AI is making a tough market even harder

Friday’s lengthy search for another full-time role is playing out against a changing job market. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, 53% of Americans say they’re concerned AI could affect their job or the job of someone in their household.

AI is increasingly being cited as a reason for job cuts. U.S. employers announced 60,620 job cuts in March, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, with AI cited as the reason for about one in four layoffs.

Like many laid-off workers, Friday wasn’t only dealing with the loss of a paycheck. She spent months applying for jobs and, as she put it, “networking like a boss,” without knowing when the next opportunity would come.

“I was devastated when I got laid off from my dream job last year,” she wrote. “The organization’s leadership had talked about employees as if we were one big global family, and I’d believed it. When I lost my job, I didn’t know who I was anymore.”

That sense of loss can go well beyond a paycheck. For many people, work becomes wrapped up in their routines, relationships and sense of identity, making the sudden loss of a job an adjustment.

But Friday found something unexpected in the garden-centre job. The role wasn’t enough to replace her previous income, but its value went beyond simply helping her make ends meet.

“I knew the job would never cover all my expenses, and that I would need to rely on savings to stay afloat,” Friday wrote. “Yet, somehow, it felt like that $17 per hour saved my life.”

A lower-paying job can buy you more time

A lower-paying job may not solve the financial problem entirely, but it can help buy time while the search for something more permanent continues.

Friday is far from the only worker piecing together part-time employment while looking for full-time work. In August, 4.4 million people were working part-time for economic reasons, including those who wanted full-time jobs but couldn’t find them.

If you find yourself in a similar position, the decision comes down to more than the hourly wage. Consider what the job would bring in after taxes and work-related expenses, whether the schedule leaves enough time for applications and interviews, and how much longer that income could stretch your savings.

Unemployment benefits are another consideration. Some people may still qualify for partial benefits while working part-time, but eligibility and how earnings affect payments vary by state.

For Friday, the garden centre offered something months of job searching couldn’t: a reason to get outside, move her body and get out of her own head.

“Being at the garden center fed my soul and reset my mind,” Friday wrote.

That kind of reset can be especially valuable for workers already feeling burned out. An American Psychological Association survey found 67% of U.S. workers reported experiencing at least one symptom associated with workplace burnout in 2024.

Sometimes, being forced off the path you expected can create space to rethink what you actually need from work, even if the circumstances that put you there are far from ideal.

“Water flowers. Unload trucks. Stock tables. Help customers. Repeat. Breathe. Relax,” Friday wrote, explaining how the job also gave her a break from wondering when her next opportunity would come.

Of course, taking a significant pay cut isn’t realistic for everyone. But as the job market shifts and more workers find themselves navigating unexpected career changes, it can help to know that a step backward on paper doesn’t have to be permanent.

For Friday, it wasn’t. She eventually landed a full-time gig as a communications director at a health nonprofit. While her career has moved forward, she hasn’t completely closed the door on the job that helped carry her through a difficult year.

She still picks up Sunday shifts at the garden centre when she can.

An older workforce may usher in new challenges. And one of them could be an increase in age discrimination. Age discrimination involves discriminating in any aspect of employment against someone who is 40 or older. It can cost workers opportunities or leave them coping with emotional and financial stress.

For many workers, however, it’s challenging to know when behaviors cross the line into unlawful discrimination — and what they can do about it if it does. Let’s say, for example, that Stewart is 56 and he’s working in marketing at a popular software company. Unfortunately, his young new manager has begun routinely making what feels like rude comments about Stewart’s age.

Stewart feels uncomfortable and worries about his job prospects under a manager who values youth over experience. But he isn’t sure whether to let the manager’s actions go or take action. Here’s what employment law experts had to say.

Stewart should start documenting the comments

While Stewart has a few options, one thing is clear: He shouldn’t ignore his manager’s inappropriate comments.

“It’s very important you don’t dismiss what’s happening, even if the comments or jokes seem subtle,” Anthony Michel, an employment law attorney at Michel, Allen, & Sinor, told Moneywise. “The federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects employees who are 40 or older from discrimination because of their age.”

However, Michel said that simply hearing comments alone won’t always give rise to a legal claim.

“The comments need to be connected to an adverse employment decision or form part of a pattern of age-based treatment,” he explained.

Stewart will have to prove that a pattern exists, so he should start laying the groundwork immediately.

“If you are in your 50s and your young boss has been making subtle digs about your age, the most important thing is to document it,” Sam Almon, an employment lawyer and partner at Makarem & Associates, told Moneywise.

Almon suggested that Stewart “keep copies of any texts or emails, and for spoken comments, keep notes of what [was] said, when it was said, and who witnessed it.” That’s because “it is easy for a manager to laugh off subtle comments as just a joke, or no big deal.” Documenting communications, however, makes it easier to establish a pattern.

Report the comments to human resources

Once Stewart has a record of his boss’ comments, the next step should be to seek help within the company to stop the behavior.

“Report the comments in writing to human resources, or to your boss’s supervisor, and clearly state you believe you are being treated differently because of your age,” Almon advised. “A good-faith report of age discrimination protects you from retaliation, and a written report using the term ‘age discrimination; makes it harder for the employer to dispute that you made a protected complaint.”

While Stewart may worry about what complaining will do to his career, he shouldn’t. The law is on his side.

“The number one reason that employees do not complain is that they fear retaliation,” explained Rafael Lázaro, founder at Lázaro Law Group. “But once you complain, the law provides you with protection, because they cannot fire you based on that complaint. And importantly, if you never complain, your employer can later argue that it had a procedure for complaints and you never used it.”

Consider pursuing a civil claim

If HR doesn’t take action, Stewart may have a right to pursue a civil claim to recover damages. However, whether he can do so depends on whether he suffered actual harm.

“Do you have any legal recourse? It’s case-specific and depends on the severity and frequency of the comments, but often yes,” Almon said. “If you’re terminated, demoted, or subjected to some other negative action at work, your record of the comments may help show a discriminatory motive. And if you’re terminated after making a complaint of age discrimination, you may have a claim for unlawful retaliation.”

An employment law attorney can help Stewart to navigate the legal system, and he should get that help if he needs it. His career and happiness may be on the line.

Today, grown-up birthday boys and girls are making direct requests, whether in text-message groups requesting pricey gifts or demands that guests cover the cost of food and drinks at their birthday parties.

Imagine Sharon, 47, whose sister Denise is turning 50 and throwing herself a birthday bash in her condo’s party room. Denise’s digital invite asks every guest to pay $90 toward the open bar.

Sharon is shocked, knowing $90 is steep for a number of their friends, several of whom don’t even drink. She tells Denise that’s not an “open bar” — it’s a “cash-upfront” bar.

Denise retorts that she’s already spending a ton on catering, including hiring a bartender and server for the night. Sharon still doesn’t think it’s fair, especially as the condo party room is a free venue.

Here’s what etiquette experts say and how to handle such requests as a host and as a guest.

Etiquette around asking birthday guests to pay for booze

Etiquette experts agree: It’s rude to ask guests to pay for anything at your birthday party, including alcohol.

Miss Manners (a.k.a. Judith Miller) said as much to a reader invited to two birthday parties — a friend’s 30th and another’s 40th — in one day and expected to pay for both.

“The self-celebration, complete with self-selected material tributes but guest sponsorship, is, as you say, rampant,” Miller wrote. “The only way this crude practice will stop is if the targets refuse to cooperate.”

That was all the way back in 2007. The practice has only revved up since then. In 2018, Washington Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary, launched her self-styled #GuestsDontPay campaign to protest the practice.

“I now respectfully decline such invitations,” she wrote. “If it isn’t clear whether I’ll be charged, I ask. If I have to pay, I don’t go. I’ll offer congratulations and perhaps send a card or gift later. But I will not be a party to this etiquette breach.”

Singletary received backlash from millennials who said they had to ask friends to cover birthday food and drinks at fancy venues, prompting Singletary to write a follow-up saying millennials shouldn’t expect similarly cash-strapped friends to pay for meals and drinks out.

Elain Swann of The Swann School of Protocol told CNBC that hosts should never ask guests to cover the cost of anything — including drinks.

“You’re supposed to bring it together and do all the things, unless it’s potluck style,” she said.

Still, people like Denise continue to ask their guests to help pay the meal and bar tab at birthdays. What is the best way to handle this?

Negotiating pay-to-party invitations

Having guests pay $90 for the bar tab upfront may prevent lineups associated with bartenders negotiating cash guest by guest, but it may cause more consternation than it’s worth.

Haus, a subscription-based brand of wine-based aperitifs, recommends that hosts avoid such tension with guests by offering an open bar with drink tickets and then switch to a cash bar — so guests can enjoy a drink or two for free and then it’s up to them whether they want to pay for more.

Hosts may be able to find ways to cover the cost of alcohol by reducing the guest list as well as the alcohol on offer — for example select beers, wines, cocktails and non-alcoholic options.

Singletary recommends an even simpler option, like hosting a potluck and BYOB event, with everyone on the same page.

What about how a guest should respond to an ask like Denise’s? If an invitee is financially or ethically uncomfortable with such a financial demand, the experts say it’s okay to politely decline the invitation.

If you do go, you are signing a contract not only to pay but to be a good guest. Either option is fine, but it’s something hosts and guests alike have to live with long beyond the birthday party.

The White House’s own website says a family that never adds to the $1,000 should expect about $6,000 by the child’s 18th birthday.

“They’re ridiculous, they’re dishonest and they’re misleading,” University of Michigan economics professor Justin Wolfers said of the government’s growth projections in a YouTube video.

The program launched July 4, and Trump has been promoting it in campaign speeches ahead of the November midterms while economists pick apart the numbers behind it. So far the administration is standing by its estimates.

How the accounts work

Congress created the accounts in Trump’s tax-and-spending law. Children who are legal U.S. citizens born between Jan. 1, 2025 and Dec. 31, 2028 get a $1,000 deposit from the government if their family applies — a pilot program contribution, a Treasury spokesperson just confirmed to Moneywise — and the money goes into the stock market. You and your employer can then add up to $5,000 a year combined until your child turns 18. The employer’s portion is capped at $2,500, and it doesn’t count toward your taxable income. Charitable donations made to qualified groups of children sit outside the $5,000 cap, the spokesperson said.

Sign-ups had reached 7 million by late July, with 1.7 million children qualifying for the federal deposit, the department had told Moneywise at the time.

TrumpAccounts.gov, the program’s official site, forecasts that a child whose family makes the maximum deposit every year will have $271,000 by age 18 and $13 million by age 55.

What it takes to reach $271,000

Wolfers went through the assumptions in his video. The forecasts count on a 10% annual return holding for decades, about the S&P 500’s long-run average before inflation. They also assume parents deposit the full $5,000 every year until the child turns 18, then $7,000 a year through the child’s 20s. Without the deposits, the same 10% return turns the government’s $1,000 into roughly $6,000 by age 18.

A Treasury Department spokeswoman had told Moneywise in July that the accounts “level the playing field” by letting every parent invest for their children, “not just wealthy families with trust funds.” Wolfers expects the opposite — a program that pushes rich and poor further apart. Only families with $5,000 a year to spare collect the tax deferral and the large balances, he argued, and the employer contribution cuts the same way, since excluding $2,500 from taxable income is worth more in a higher bracket than a lower one.

Darrick Hamilton, an economics professor at the New School who helped develop the baby bonds concept, told The Guardian that most households in the bottom 80% of earners borrow rather than save, so the deposits driving the projections will come from wealthier families. “It’s really an income transfer, not a wealth-building tool,” he said.

The White House digs in

Asked whether the projections reflect what a typical family should expect, White House spokesman Kush Desai told Moneywise the Council of Economic Advisers spelled out the assumptions behind its estimates.

In a statement, Desai said billionaires and multinational corporations including Michael Dell, Ray Dalio and Micron have promised billions from their own fortunes to working-class children’s accounts, money that grows tax-free alongside the government’s $1,000 seed. High-income parents have always had tools to build wealth for their kids, he said, but the accounts are “giving middle class parents the same opportunity — with billionaires chipping in to help.”

“Only a moron would argue billionaires giving money away to working-class kids will worsen inequality,” Desai said.

The Treasury spokesperson pushed back on the inequality argument too, telling Moneywise the benefits are reaching families who need them — 86% of the accounts opened so far are tied to households earning under $200,000 a year, by the department’s count. The spokesperson also pointed out that 38% of Americans own no stock, while these accounts put every newborn in the market from day one.

As for the billionaire money Desai cited, the spokesperson said the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation gift — a one-time $250 deposit for each eligible child in ZIP codes where the median household income is $150,000 or less — was built to reach lower-income families.

Administration officials have separately told The Guardian the estimates are in line with the projections retirement account providers publish.

Keep this in mind if you’re saving for your child

The $1,000 is worth claiming either way, since applying costs nothing and the money compounds for 18 years. Roughly $6,000 at 18 helps with a security deposit or a semester of books. Hamilton’s point is that it won’t cover tuition or a down payment.

However, the bigger balances depend on what your household can actually deposit — something near the $5,000 limit every year, plus a market that keeps returning 10%. If that’s not your situation, plan around the smaller number.

The seed deposits stop with children born after 2028, in effect when Trump’s second term ends. The tax breaks that reward annual contributions were written with no end date.

This dispute can take many forms, including questions about whether one sibling is fulfilling their obligations while serving as executor after a death.

Say, for example, that Kevin and Rosa’s parents passed away after a lifetime of hard work, so Kevin believes there should be a fairly large estate. However, Rosa has taken on the role of executor, so she’s in charge of managing the estate’s assets and guiding it through probate.

Mom has been dead for a while, so it’s just Dad’s assets. But Rosa claims he had nothing but a small checking account, no other property, and no will. Kevin doesn’t believe Rosa, though, and he wants to know exactly what his dad owned and how it will be split between him, Rosa, and their other three siblings.

Fortunately, experts say Kevin has rights, and if assets are missing, Rosa can’t keep them hidden forever.

The court can make Rosa provide the info

The good news for Kevin is that formal processes exist to help prevent executors from hoarding assets and keeping all the money and property for themselves.

“If an estate is opened and you are a beneficiary, you may have rights to information concerning the estate or trust assets,” Patrick Simasko, an elder law attorney and partner at Simasko Law, told Moneywise.

However, you’ll likely need to take legal action to exercise those rights. “If your sister is managing your dad’s estate and you believe she isn’t disclosing all of the assets, you may need to involve the court,” Sarah Ocampo, co-founding partner of Ocampo Wiseman Law and probate attorney, told Moneywise.

The exact process for forcing the disclosure will depend on whether Dad had a trust, a will, or no estate plan at all. “If probate has already been opened, you can ask the probate court to require an accounting and disclosure of the estate’s assets. Most states also require the personal representative to file an inventory of the estate’s assets within a certain period after probate opens,” said Ocampo.

Rosa cannot lie or divert assets here, or she could face serious legal trouble. “If she has been appointed as the personal representative or executor of a probate estate, she generally has a fiduciary duty to gather, value, and account for estate assets,” Tiffany O’Connell, founder and elder law attorney at O’Connell Law, told Moneywise.

A fiduciary duty is the highest duty owed under the law, and it means she can’t put her own interests first. She must do what is best for the estate and all the heirs.

Consult outside resources to make sure you’re not missing anything

While Rosa is legally required to provide information about estate assets, that doesn’t always guarantee she’ll be truthful, even if lying could cause her to be sued and even face criminal charges. Fortunately, there are ways Kevin can research assets himself to try to confirm exactly what his dad owned.

“The tax file is the most productive source,” T.L. Turnipseed, head of Advanced Estate & Tax Planning at Alta Trust, told Moneywise. Turnipseed explained that the next of kin or beneficiary can access a deceased person’s tax return if they have a material interest that could be affected by the information. Essentially, this means that if you might inherit, you likely get to see the returns.

“Use Form 4506 for the return and Form 4506-T for transcripts,” Turnipseed said. “Read the wage and income transcript as a directory of payers: The bank that paid interest, the brokerage that reported dividends, the plan that reported a distribution, the lender that reported mortgage interest on a property no one mentioned.” This can give clues about assets Rosa isn’t declaring.

Turnipseed also suggested using county and court records to uncover hidden assets.

You may also want legal help during this process to track down missing assets, as it can be complicated. “You can hire an attorney to represent your interests,” Annamarie G. Gentile, founder and supervising partner at Angiuli & Gentile, told Moneywise.

Gentile explained that “through various discovery proceedings, asset information may be requested and obtained. If, upon receiving the information, it appears that your sister is in violation of her fiduciary responsibilities, you may seek to have her judicially removed.”

Hopefully, these steps will help Kevin track down his dad’s missing assets and ensure all his siblings get their fair share of the wealth Dad left behind.

As CNN reported, police in Naples descended on a home in the commune of Caivano as part of an ongoing sting operation this September. Shortly after smashing a few walls and pulling up the floorboards, police found what they were looking for: $3.6 million in neatly bundled stacks of 50 euro bills.

As police continued to search through furniture and closets throughout the apartment, they also uncovered 11 Rolex watches and evidence of this syndicate’s sinister operations, including weapons and drug paraphernalia.

Allegedly, members of the Angelino clan reportedly held all these ill-gotten gains, and many were carrying out their operations while behind bars. Over the past month, Neapolitan anti-mafia prosecutor Nicola Gratteri said his team wiretapped the cellphones these mobsters were using. Police also received more information on this apartment from informants who asked for protection.

In total, local authorities arrested 34 people in connection with this illicit cash, charging them with crimes ranging from drug trafficking to extortion. As for the money and valuables, police will send them to Italy’s “Justice Fund” to help those affected by the ills of organized crime.

Methods of the modern mafia

The money and luxury watches were just the tangible valuables investigators got from their Naples raid. According to Gratteri, he and his team also learned many invaluable lessons about how the modern mafia operates.

Speaking to the press, Gratteri described the Angelino clan’s operation as following an “entrepreneurial” model in which different people worked shifts like a regular job — but for their illegal activities.

However, compared with other high-profile recent busts, the Naples case seems relatively small and straightforward.

For instance, a Europol investigation recently showed how multinational the mafia has become. Police spread across multiple countries followed the movements of millions of dollars in laundered funds — some tied to luxury vehicles, multi-million-dollar properties and crypto — connected to cocaine trafficking for the Camorra and the ‘Ndrangheta clans. It took an international effort to find and nab the suspects, including support from agencies in France, Germany, Ecuador and Bulgaria, to name a few.

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) also showed that mobsters are still big into tax evasion tricks. In a separate case codenamed “Operation Moby Dick,” a Milan court convicted six people and confiscated €300 million after the OCCRP discovered a massive fraud scheme.

Criminals allegedly used fake invoices for electronics like AirPods and laptops over years to avoid paying taxes or to claim tax refunds illegally. In total, these fake invoices cost European and national budgets an estimated €520 million.

Are there fortunes under your floorboards?

Whenever stories like the one in Naples make headlines, it’s only human to wonder whether there are hidden riches at home. In most cases, tearing up walls probably won’t reveal anything but insulation and electrical wires, but that doesn’t mean a rare find isn’t possible.

For instance, an Ohio contractor discovered $182,000 in currency dating back to the Great Depression when working in one homeowner’s bathroom. Unfortunately, because of legal disputes over who truly owned the money, nobody really got rich off this find, but it shows these things can happen.​

In another example across the pond, Newsweek reported on a couple in the U.K. who uncovered a suspicious hidden room in their cellar that held a stack of £5 bills totaling about £1,000.

But before you start tearing down your drywall or ripping up floorboards, it’s much safer (and probably more lucrative) to start a home treasure hunt by cleaning the attic.

That’s what happened to three brothers in California who were rummaging through their attic and stumbled upon a “Superman” No. 1 comic. According to the LA Times, that lucky find netted these brothers $9.12 million.

If that didn’t make your jaw drop, get this: After calling for help with a leaky ceiling, homeowners in the French city of Toulouse found a painting by Renaissance master Caravaggio. The price tag? According to The Guardian, at the time of its discovery, experts valued the painting at €120 million.

Again, these stories aren’t the norm, but it wouldn’t hurt homeowners to be extra aware during upcoming renovations.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. made the comments in an undated interview with Verónica Batista, for Dominican sports program Fuera de Liga, conducted in Spanish and set to air on Oct. 4.

In a preview clip of the interview, Guerrero says that the massive $500 million, 14-year contract he signed with the Jays, the biggest in the franchise’s history, was not “for what [he’s] going to do, it was for what [he] already did.”

“They didn’t pay me because I’m going to hit 40 every year, they paid me for what I already accomplished,” he said, according to a report from Sportsnet.

His comments riled up fans, to say the least.

Historic contact for the Jays

Guerrero signed the deal in 2025, before the Jays made their way to the World Series for the first time since 1993.

The first baseman hit eight home runs in 18 playoff games, and his response to a reporter’s question before Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, that he was “born ready,” became a rallying cry for the city.

But his recent comments to an interviewer come at a very different moment for Guerrero and the Jays.

He has been hampered this season by “various ailments,” according to Sportsnet, and “batting .263/.335/.360 with nine homers and 56 RBIs in 142 games, missing 17 contests” due to injury.

Sportsnet noted that despite those stats, Guerrero has “by and large lived up to the non-production ends of the expectations around him, playing elite defence, supporting teammates, not allowing his struggles to bleed into others.”

Players weigh in

Still, fan reaction was fierce, and former players also weighed in online.

Canadian-American player Joey Votto, who played with the Cincinnati Reds, posted “Vladdy did earn his contract. He’s a young superstar who’s going to have a fantastic career and retire as a Blue Jay and HOF player like his dad. That said, as someone that has said silly things in my past, this is not him at his best.”

Jays manager John Schneider stood behind his first baseman. “The player, the person that I know in Vlad, by no means is he just saying OK, I got paid and I’m good with that,” Schneider said, according to Sportsnet.

But former New York Mets GM Steve Phillips said on TSN Radio that if he “knew a player had that mindset when I was considering him, I don’t think I would extend him that offer,” according to a Toronto Sun report.

To make matters more heated, Guerrero didn’t back down from what he said after the interview clip went viral.

“She asked me how I felt about this year, I said, obviously, I feel really bad about the year that I had, I couldn’t help get my team to the post-season,” Guerrero said, Sportsnet reported.

“And I said that I felt, my personal opinion, that every player gets paid for what they’ve done. That’s what I said. With that said, if you guys remember, I signed my contract at the beginning of last year when I did put up a good year, the kind of playoffs that I had, to help the team get into the World Series. To the fans, I never stopped working very hard. I’m going to go to the off-season again to prepare myself to do the best I can physically, mentally everything that I have, like I always do for my team and my teammates.”

Guerrero also said that he was “taking big responsibility” for the team’s performance this year and that he has “got to get better,” Sportsnet reported.

But with half a billion dollars spent, and no post-season to speak of, Jays fans might take some time to warm back up to Guerrero.

Three separate suits were filed against the company this week, saying riders sustained “catastrophic” brain injuries on X2 — and their lawyers say more than 100 other people allegedly suffered brain injuries on the ride over the past two years. The suits are seeking unspecified damages.

“Time after time, innocent people are coming off the ride with permanent brain damage,” said Chris Bulone, one of the attorneys for the X2 riders.

Moneywise reached out to Six Flags for comment. The company declined to discuss the suits, citing its policy against commenting on pending litigation, saying only “The ride remains closed at this time.”

Spun into another dimension

Six Flags’ own website notes the X2 “will have even the most hardened thrill seeker screaming” and says riders “will be spun into another dimension.” The ride hits a top speed of 76 miles per hour and features rotating seats that move 360 degrees.

Pamela Guillen was at the park on July 5th, celebrating her daughter’s 16th birthday and “boarded X2 at her daughter’s urging,” according to the suit. While on the ride, the suit alleges, she repeatedly hit her head against the ride’s headrest.

“When X2 returned to the station, Camille looked at her mother and saw her sitting with a vacant stare and her mouth open,” the lawsuit says. “Camille initially thought Pamela was joking. She quickly realized that something was wrong.”

Guillen was taken to the hospital and did not regain consciousness for two weeks, the suit says. Six Flags, it alleges, continued to operate the ride, despite knowing of Guillen’s injury.

Six days later, another guest, Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, allegedly lost consciousness after riding the X2 and had to undergo multiple operations to relieve pressure on her brain. She remains bedridden and barely conscious today, the suit says.

Michael Wilk is the third plaintiff, who alleges his head was slammed against the headrest during the ride. He later was diagnosed with a massive brain bleed and swelling, the lawsuit says, and is no longer able to practice law.

Heavy emphasis on thrill rides

Six Flags has been struggling in recent years compared to its theme park peers and has divested several parks. In the second quarter, it reported a loss of $203 million, compared to a $100 million loss in Q2 2025. The company, however, said it saw higher attendance.

Earlier this year, investor Jana Partners urged the company to pursue a sale and replace its chairman of the board.

Six Flags differentiates its parks with thrill rides that lean into the extreme. Earlier this year, Six Flags Over Texas launched a new coaster called Tormenta Rampaging Run, which broke a half-dozen world records for roller coasters, including a new top speed of 87 miles per hour and a 285-foot vertical drop at a breathtaking angle of 95 degrees. Riders journey as high as 309 feet in the air before plunging them back to each and subjecting them to a 179-foot loop, the tallest loop of any coaster in the world.

Work is also underway at Six Flags Great Adventure on Bakunawa, a new signature coaster. Set to open in 2027, it is advertised as the world’s tallest and fastest spinning launch coaster, sending riders 382 feet in the air at speeds of 100 mph.

The Six Flags lawsuits come roughly one year after a 32-year-old man died from multiple blunt impact injuries on the Stardust Racers roller coaster at Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe. Universal and the victim’s family reached an “amicable resolution” in the following months.

CEO Chris Kempczinski recently told CNBC that McDonald’s [NYSE: MCD] is no longer treating today’s inflation as temporary. He expects inflation will last for “many more years,” with little growth expected in restaurant traffic.

Beef is a particular concern for McDonald’s, given its importance to the company’s menu. In fact, Kempczinski said beef prices have nearly doubled over five years across the company’s largest markets.

“We’re not expecting that the industry, all of a sudden, is going to have robust traffic growth,” Kempczinski said. “We think that’s going to be largely flat.”

While McDonald’s reported earnings and revenue that were broadly in line with analysts’ estimates for its most recent quarter, U.S. same-store sales — a key measure of how established restaurants are performing without the boost from new openings — rose just 0.8%. That was below expectations and down sharply from 2.5% a year earlier.

Globally, the pattern was similar, with comparable sales rising 1.3%, down from 3.8% in the previous quarter.

During the company’s earnings call, Kempczinski said the results were “below our expectations,” acknowledging that McDonald’s didn’t get the traction it wanted from its under-$3 value menu. With restaurant traffic stagnating, the company is looking to take market share instead, and prices are becoming a bigger part of that effort.

Bringing ‘value’ back

McDonald’s is confronting inflation differently this time because customers have already absorbed years of steep menu-price increases, leaving the company with less room to keep passing along higher costs.

The company is trying to win back price-conscious customers with $4 meals and menu items priced below $3 across breakfast, lunch and dinner, including the McDouble, McChicken and four-piece Chicken McNuggets. However, customers have become more selective about eating out, particularly at the lower end of the income scale.

Fast food isn’t healthy, but it’s supposed to be cheap. Increasingly, it’s neither.

A FinanceBuzz analysis found that McDonald’s menu prices doubled on average between 2014 and 2024, based on a basket of popular items. Some former value-menu staples rose even faster: the McDouble climbed 168%, while the Quarter Pounder with Cheese Meal jumped 122% and medium fries increased 138%. The analysis calculated overall consumer price inflation at 31% over the same period, using the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ CPI Inflation Calculator.

McDonald’s pushed back on the idea that its prices had dramatically outpaced inflation. In an open letter, McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger said the average price of its menu items rose about 40% between 2019 and 2024, roughly in line with increases in the company’s labor and food costs over that period.

Inflation and the ‘K-shaped’ economy

The inflation hangover Kempczinski described is particularly important for McDonald’s, which has historically relied heavily on middle- and lower-income households.

Inflation remains elevated, but consumers aren’t experiencing it equally. The result is an increasingly “K-shaped” economy, where higher- and lower-income households are moving in opposite financial directions. For households with less room in their budgets, rising living costs can leave less money for discretionary spending, including restaurants.

As a result, restaurant sales are still rising, but the spending is increasingly coming from consumers with more room in their budgets. As Jonathan Maze of Restaurant Business noted, overall restaurant sales increased for five consecutive months through August, but the gains haven’t been evenly distributed. Full-service restaurants and local independents have performed better, while fast-food sales have struggled.

Higher-income households are driving much of that spending. According to the National Restaurant Association, households earning more than $100,000 account for 60% of restaurant spending despite representing 45% of U.S. households.

McDonald’s is seeing the other side of that divide. Spending at the chain among households earning $40,000 or less fell 2.4% year over year during its latest quarter, according to data from consumer analytics firm Numerator, Business Insider reports.

Americans haven’t stopped eating out, but those with the most room in their budgets are accounting for a disproportionate share of restaurant spending. For McDonald’s, keeping prices within reach for less affluent diners is becoming more important as the company can no longer count on industrywide traffic growth.

India’s stock market is emerging as an attractive destination for investors to deploy capital, according to the investment bank. It makes up about 12% of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, which tracks large and mid-cap stocks in two dozen emerging economies. J.P. Morgan also cited a fiscal and monetary policy in place that aligns with India’s steady economic growth.

AI has driven Wall Street’s colossal growth, but fears of financial chaos breaking out have lingered if AI spending slows down or dries up. All told, India is a prime destination to invest in a financial environment that hasn’t been taken over by the AI boom.

“The country’s appeal to global investors, however, is increasingly of a different kind,” J.P. Morgan said in a report. “Rather than competing on AI earnings power, India is emerging as a safe haven for those looking to diversify away from, or trim, crowded AI exposures.”

‘India increasingly becomes the default choice’

It’s getting harder to assemble a portfolio that won’t be affected by the AI boom in some form. The Brookings Institution published an analysis on Sept. 23 estimating that the price tag of the AI buildout in the U.S. over the next seven years will total $10 trillion.

One analyst described India as the top choice for insulating a portfolio against AI’s unpredictable future.

“When investors go looking for non-AI exposure, India increasingly becomes the default choice,” Rajiv Batra, head of Asia and co-head of Global Emerging Markets Equity Strategy at J.P. Morgan, said in the report.

The Indian stock market has proved to be resilient as it overcame a recent chapter of lackluster growth. J.P. Morgan noted that small- and mid-cap companies in India spearheaded that expansion with earnings growth of at least 25% for six to seven consecutive quarters. Once favorable business conditions set in, large-cap companies followed suit and posted double-digit earnings growth over two quarters.

Global investors, though, have been slow to seize on the improved financial environment. J.P. Morgan estimated that $115 billion could begin flowing from investors now that many Indian companies are reporting robust earnings. Foreign investors are starting to snap up shares in e-commerce, hotel, mining and healthcare sectors to list a few.

Threats to Indian equity growth

J.P. Morgan said that oil was the biggest factor that could affect India’s stock market. It noted that the Indian rupee and inflation move in tandem with the price of oil. If Brent crude stays above $85 per barrel, that will begin to drag down economic growth.

Brent crude has hovered around $100 for the past two weeks due to scarce oil supplies reaching the market, a consequence of the ongoing Iran war.

J.P. Morgan is also tracking global interest rates and El Niño, a climate pattern where ocean temperatures warm predominantly in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. If it affects the monsoon season, a disruption in crop growth is possible along with renewed inflation.

Still, that hasn’t dented India’s economic performance so far. The Indian economy expanded by 7.8% in the April to June quarter.

In February 2024, high winds caused a deteriorating pole to snap, about 60 miles from his ranch near Canadian, Texas. That sparked what grew into the largest wildfire in Texas history: the Smokehouse Creek Fire burned more than one million acres, according to the Federation of American Scientists.

Two people died, ome 15,000 head of cattle perished and Abraham lost approximately 3 to 4 million trees on his ranch, the Wall Street Journal reports.

“I can’t get my trees back,” he told the Journal. “We’ve got a bigger problem, which is this is everywhere. The world needs to know this is dangerous, and it’s going to get worse.”

The data obsession, theory and lawsuits

Abraham, a “self-described data junkie,” responded the way he knows best: by studying the problem systematically. He proactively went looking for patterns, traversing the region for two years, photographing the metal inspection tags on utility poles along back alleys and highways to assess their condition.

He also pursued Xcel Energy in court, seeking inspection records for poles across more than 200,000 miles of distribution lines in eight states the Minnesota-based utility serves.

“I’m just trying to figure out a puzzle here,” he told the Journal. “And when there’s data involved, I’m pretty good at figuring out the puzzle.”

His central argument: Xcel had fallen behind in pole inspections before the Smokehouse Creek Fire and was negligent in maintaining its infrastructure. Xcel has conceded its equipment was likely involved in the ignition but contests the negligence claim, the Journal notes.

Xcel shared this statement with Moneywise: “We disagree with several of the assertions Salem Abraham made to the Wall Street Journal. What was not specifically mentioned is that Abraham has filed several lawsuits against the company, seeking damages in the billions of dollars and well in excess of established values for claims of this nature. We are unable to discuss pending litigation.”

Abraham isn’t the only person allegedly taking legal action. In December, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Xcel, pointing to pre-fire inspections that showed deteriorating poles — some dating to 1936.

Under a temporary injunction, Xcel agreed to inspect 35,000 Texas poles annually and replace the most damaged ones as soon as a day post-inspection, the Journal reports. The company has estimated its Texas fire-related losses at $460 million or more and paid nearly $400 million in settlements through June.

A national problem in plain sight

Abraham’s fight is a local version of a problem that extends across the country.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, over 70% of the country’s transmission lines and power transformers are more than 25 years old. That’s infrastructure built largely in the postwar era that, according to the Journal, is “ill-equipped to meet the soaring power demands of the AI era.”

A report from Stanford University’s Climate and Energy Policy Program found that many U.S. utilities are not adequately prepared for wildfire risk, warning that the cost of inaction is growing — and that wildfires can bankrupt utilities and ultimately increase rates for consumers.

Xcel’s executive vice president and chief delivery officer acknowledged the challenge: “It’s not a matter if we’re behind. It’s a matter of learning from a rapidly evolving risk that is new to the world and to our industry,” Michael Lamb told the Journal.

In response to that learning, Xcel has formed a 60-person mitigation team, deployed hundreds of cameras and weather stations and relocated more power lines underground over the past two years.

Government responses and what’s next

States are responding in varying ways. Michigan has directed utilities to develop plans for targeted power shutoffs during high-risk periods. Missouri is requiring wildfire mitigation plans. Kansas has capped punitive wildfire damages against electric utilities at $5 million per claim. Utah now caps some claim values and lets utilities create wildfire funds to manage liability risk.

California’s attempt to limit utility liability — the most aggressive effort — stalled in the legislature, with shares of PG&E and Southern California Edison’s parent company both dropping roughly 20% after the bill failed.

Abraham wants things to go further in Texas, including seeing Xcel removed from the region entirely, replaced by a local rural electric co-op or smaller utility. He has organized a coalition of 10 towns to push for safety improvements.

The mayor of Pampa, Texas, one of the coalition towns, told the Journal the pressure is working — replacement poles are showing up across the region. “I’m glad they’re doing it,” Mayor Mike Borger said, “but that also says, ‘Oh, wow. These guys are on to us. We better make a showing here.’”

Lamb’s warning to prepare applies well beyond Texas. “Get your house in order because it’s coming to you soon,” he directed to all North American utilities.

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), 38-year-old Diamantina Cavazos currently pays just $10 per week for her prescription by buying through an online Canadian pharmacy that mails the medication to her. Without access to the foreign pharmacy, she would have to pay $1,100 per week since she couldn’t get her medication covered by her insurer in the United States.

“I’m extremely upset,” she told the WSJ.

Cavazos is one of millions of Americans who currently use foreign mail-order pharmacies to access more affordable medications. The practice has existed for decades but operates in a legal gray area. Now, Washington will enforce a set of rules that will make it harder for foreign pharmacies to ship medication to the United States.

The crackdown

Foreign mail-in prescriptions are technically barred under FDA rules but importers told the WSJ it’s rarely enforced since customs agents typically do not check low-value, individual packages.

Starting Oct. 22, that will change. Imports will be required to meet the FDA’s standards for personal drug imports. Previously, qualifying drugs valued at $800 or less could enter the U.S. through an exemption without entry procedures and import duties.

Under the change, prescription drugs will need to go through a formal entry process and a company or person will have to legally be on the hook if a shipment does not qualify for entry. Medications mailed from abroad will need both a customs broker and a financial guarantee — a standard most mail-order prescriptions will not meet, according to the WSJ.

Zonos, a Utah-based company that handles much of the mail moving through Canada and other countries, will essentially have to decide which packages go through the border by checking them against the FDA’s criteria for drug imports.

“There will be just a full stop of anything coming into the States,” Tim Smith, general manager of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association, a trade group of licensed Canadian pharmacies, told the WSJ. “These are cash-strapped, uninsured or underinsured people; many senior citizens on fixed incomes.”

According to the WSJ, the FDA generally won’t stop personal shipments if it’s treating a serious illness with no good domestic options, isn’t marketed to Americans, carries no unusual safety concerns and comes with a doctor’s note. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services told the WSJ the FDA will continue to evaluate imports on a case-by-case basis.

The latest crackdown comes after the government already implemented customs fees on medication shipments last August.

Patients scramble for options

According to research from JAMA Network Open, more than 2 million people in the U.S. who take prescription medication purchased them from outside of the country. The incoming rule change has left patients scrambling to stock up on medication before they potentially lose access.

Ken Hunter, executive director of Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation (CPPI) told the WSJ patients often rely on cheaper imports for drugs they’ll have to take for life. Hunter says many have told him they will cut or skip doses, or stop taking their medication entirely because of the change.

The organization says the new rule was meant to better screen for illegal narcotics or undervalued merchandise that were avoiding tariffs, but it will also impact prescription medication. CPPI has helped send more than 28,000 letters to members of Congress about the crackdown.

Let’s say, that Nicole’s mother, Elmira, is 85 years old. Elmira lives alone, although Nicole helps her out a lot. Elmira recently began hiding her finances from Nicole, and Nicole just discovered her mother has been giving money to the neighbors.

Now Nicole is wondering what, if anything, she can do about her mother’s excessive — and newfound — generosity. Unfortunately, lawyers say the answer may not be as straightforward as you’d think.

Acknowledging her mother’s autonomy

The first key thing Nicole must realize is that ultimately her power is likely limited when it comes to her mother’s funds.

“It’s important to remember that age alone is not a reason to take away a person’s right to control, or give away, her money,” Kerri Koen, an estate planning attorney and co-founder of Modern Legacy Law Group, told Moneywise.

Morgan Mitchell, an attorney at Coker, Robb & Cannon, Family Lawyers, agrees, telling Moneywise, “it’s hard to take away someone’s ability to make their own decisions, even if they are objectively bad ones.”

In fact, Mitchell explained that even if Nicole had power of attorney and was empowered to act on her mother’s behalf, this wouldn’t necessarily override Elmira’s choices, as Elmira could revoke the power of attorney at any time as long as she’s of sound mind.

While Nicole may not like Elmira’s decisions, they remain her choice unless there’s a very good reason to take away her autonomy. As Sarah Ocampo, founder and CEO of Ocampo Wiseman Law, told Moneywise, “If your mother is mentally competent and understands what she is doing, she generally has the right to spend or give away her money to whomever she chooses during her lifetime.”

Checking on her mother’s wellbeing

While Elmira can give away her funds voluntarily, Nicole can and should make sure no unlawful or unethical behavior is prompting her to act.

“Large gifts that are uncharacteristic for your mother could be a sign of coercion or financial exploitation,” warned Koen, while Lisa McCurdy, founder and managing partner of The Wealth Counselor, a boutique estate and asset protection law firm, told Moneywise that the secrecy was the “warning sign” as it could signal “a scam or someone exerting undue influence over her.”

Financial exploitation causes an estimated $28.3 billion in losses each year, so Nicole has a valid reason to be concerned about her mother giving away money. To find out, Tiffany A. O’Connell, CEO and founding partner of O’Connell Law, told Moneywise that Nicole’s first step should be a conversation with Elmira.

“I would encourage the adult child, if possible, to approach the parent with concern rather than accusation: ‘I’m worried because this seems different from how you have handled money in the past. Can you help me understand what is going on?’” O’Connell suggested.

If Nicole still has concerns and suspects exploitation after that conversation, McCurdy suggests reporting the issue to adult protective services to investigate.

Guardianship is possible if you can prove incapacity

Even if Elmira isn’t being exploited, Nicole may still have another reason to act.

“If you have legitimate concerns that your mother no longer has the mental capacity to manage her finances, you may need to petition the court for a guardianship so someone can be appointed to protect and manage her assets,” Ocampo said.

This process can be a challenge, though, and Mitchell said a medical professional would need to “determine that she lacks the ability to handle her physical or financial concerns.” Both Mitchell and McCurdy also explained that guardianship is rare and usually a last resort.

“It is public, expensive, and removes a parent’s legal rights,” McCurdy said. “Courts expect families to try less restrictive options first.”

Still, Nicole may be able to get court authority to help her mother protect her assets if there is sufficient evidence that Elmira isn’t of sound mind. And if Elmira risks losing the chance to leave the legacy she deserves, Nicole can and should step in.

The immediate future isn’t looking bright, either. The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that national farming-related fuel and oil costs will rise by 28.8% this year. That’s driving down farm profits, with the USDA estimating that net farm income is pegged to fall 2.6% in nominal terms and 5.5% after inflation in 2026.

“This is a national farm crisis for farmers,” John Boyd, Jr., a fourth-generation Virginia farmer and founder of the National Black Farmers Association, told NPR’s Morning Edition. “I’m having to come up with money that’s really not in the budget.”

Boyd noted it cost him around $1,000 the last time he fueled his combines and other heavy farm equipment with diesel, and that cost is taking a toll on his farm’s bottom line.

“I’m paying $7 a gallon for diesel fuel, almost double what I was paying last year at this time,” he told NPR. “America’s farmers are tough. But we’re not going to make it like this…”

Boyd also said his income has been “marginalized” from the Trump administration’s tariff policy and that the Iran war has contributed to agricultural production costs. “All of these things have created a farm crisis here in America for America’s farmers,” he said. “We rely on diesel fuel to fill up our combines for picking corn. And this is harvest time, which is a critical time for farmers.”

Higher fuel costs are burdening already cash-strapped farmers

Agricultural experts say diesel fuel has become a very meaningful part of farmers’ margin equation.

“Farmers have already invested in seed, fertilizer, labor and land by harvest, so in most cases they still have to harvest even if diesel becomes extremely expensive,” Yang Fang, the CEO and Founder of Beagle Technology, a physical AI and robotics company mechanizing farming equipment, told Moneywise. “The bigger issue is that a crop that looked profitable when it was planted can become much less profitable by the time it is harvested.”

Rising fuel costs also come at an inopportune time for America’s farmers, many of whom are in the midst of harvest season.

“Unfortunately, fuel is not an optional expense during the harvest season. If the crop is ready, the machines have to run,” Fang noted. Some growers may take out operating loans or choose not to harvest their crop, since the harvesting process can cost even more than not harvesting. “It’s very sad and unfortunate to see this, but there are many factors that growers can’t control,” Fang said.

Other agricultural analysts say farmers have several options when fuel prices are skyrocketing, but not all of them are realistic to pursue.

“Buying fuel in bulk when prices are lower can help, as farms can bypass pump markups and save money,” Yagiz Sullu, PhD and founder at Sullu Strategic Advisory LLC, a political risk and geopolitical analyst, told Moneywise. “For family farms, the most practical options are usually bulk purchasing, improving fuel efficiency and reducing non-priority trips across fields.”

Newer, more efficient equipment can also lower fuel use, but replacing a tractor is a major investment that some may not be able to afford. “The main problem with the diesel price spike is that farmers can become more efficient over time, but there is only so much they can do in the middle of a harvest,” Sullu said.

Tighter farm budgets could mean higher consumer prices

Some of the current diesel shock could eventually reach consumers.

For instance, Boyd told NPR that the diesel fuel cost issue leaves little or no room for him to cover higher fuel costs. “Corn is $5 a bushel, so there isn’t any room to make up or add anything to it, as a lot of people would think,” he said. “That’s the price that I’m selling corn for. And then I have to come up with the money to put this diesel fuel in there, right at $1,000 every time I fill up.”

That means Boyd and other farmers have little wiggle room on expenses and profits.

“If farmers, truckers, processors and retailers can absorb some of the costs, not all of them will be passed on to consumers immediately,” Sullu said. “However, if diesel prices remain high, consumers will eventually pay higher prices for goods.”

Additionally, agricultural goods such as fruits and vegetables travel long distances to reach consumers, and grains require planting, harvesting and transportation, so consumers will feel all the costs involved in getting them to market. “I expect a gradual increase rather than an immediate jump at the grocery store,” Sullu added. “The longer diesel stays expensive, the more difficult it becomes for businesses to absorb those costs.”

Long-term woes may rise if fuel prices don’t come down

If diesel prices remain high into 2027, farmers will have to make tougher decisions about what to plant and how much.

“Some may reduce acreage, switch crops or delay equipment purchases to protect cash,” Fang said. “For farmers already operating on thin margins, another year of high fuel, labor and financing costs could also push more growers to leave the industry, ultimately putting more pressure on food prices and rural economics.”

According to Wired, which viewed an internal email about the offer and spoke with company sources, Flock offered the severance on Sept. 18 and gave employees until Oct. 2 to decide if they want to take it.

Flock didn’t respond to Moneywise’s request for comment, but Wired reports that the $8 billion company, which has faced both business and PR backlash over its 120,000 traffic surveillance cameras in around 6,000 communities, said the severance offers workers “transparency, respect and choice.”

The severance offer also comes roughly a month after Flock CEO Garrett Langley said in a podcast interview that “the business is in good shape. We raised more money at the beginning of the year. The company’s still growing.”

But a tracker established by California-based nonprofit Secure Justice found that 391 Flock contracts have either been terminated, suspended or not renewed in U.S. communities since 2024, in many cases due to privacy, community and law enforcement abuse concerns. Some opponents of Flock cameras have also taken to vandalizing them.

All of which could make the reported details of the Flock severance package more attractive to employees eyeing a way out.

Flock offers severance options as cancellations mount

Wired reported that Flock’s exit package includes “several months of health care coverage and the ability to exercise stock options within two years after separation,” while stating some employee offers ranged into the “tens of thousands of dollars.”

The outlet also mentioned rumors that Flock “might resort to selling off parts or all of its business to stay afloat,” and that employees who accept the severance would wrap up with the company around the end of October.

The severance talk, meanwhile, comes as the company, which was founded in 2017, deals with cancellations of their services across the country.

While Flock’s website touts that its automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras “supported more than one million investigations, helped solve about 20% of reported crime in jurisdictions where Flock is operational, and helped locate more than 10,000 missing people” in 2025 alone, the company has become synonymous in some communities with privacy and surveillance overreach.

Fortune called Flock “the most pervasive surveillance network in American history — one that is increasingly drawing loud pushback from advocates worried about what’s been collected and who has access to the data.” And in August, the Washington Post counted “at least 50 law-enforcement officers” that were accused of, or charged with “using license-plate readers for unauthorized purposes, including to stalk women without their knowledge or consent.”

The Institute for Justice, a nonprofit, puts the known tally of U.S. law enforcement ALPR abuse at 244 incidents, including a Georgia police chief who “tracked his ex-girlfriend and her teenage daughter roughly 600 times” and a Texas sheriff’s deputy who “used 83,000 Flock ALPRs to find a woman who had allegedly had a medication abortion, at the behest of her abusive partner.”

The blowback, meanwhile, is bipartisan, with both Democratic and Republican leaders pushing back on the technology.

Jay Stanley of the American Civil Liberties Union told The Guardian that, “On the left, there’s a historical memory of law enforcement spying on and interfering with advocates for social change … On the right, there’s a long tradition of ‘don’t tread on me’ — keep the government out of my life, keep it from looking over my shoulder.”

And Secure Justice’s Brian Hofer told Ars Technica that the rate of cancellations could be concerning for Flock because “at that speed, if it goes another year, we’re talking serious money. That number is going to get huge, fast.”

Take your time — and these key steps — before signing a severance agreement

Experts warn that if you receive a buyout or a severance offer from your employer, it’s important to take your time and consider the options.

Indeed recommends reading the offer multiple times to ensure you understand it, that it’s legally sound and to give yourself a chance to gather any questions you may have. It’s also key to consider if the buyout can sustain your budget until you find another job. Others advise confirming “that all earned wages, overtime, bonuses and accrued vacation have been paid” before signing any agreement.

It’s also important to consider the state of your industry and if the buyout could be an opportunity to start over elsewhere, as well as the fact that a buyout could cause you to forfeit any unemployment benefits or legal footing to sue the employer for any unjust actions that may have occurred while you worked there.

In addition, legal experts suggest negotiating severance by researching industry standards and highlighting your own contributions and achievements in the company. They also suggest that you consider asking for other benefits like health insurance, stock options or job search/training programs, while adding that severance amounts can depend on how long an employee has worked at a company, as well as their position there, among other factors.

It’s also a good idea to secure legal representation to help you navigate the negotiation process and ensure that you are fully and appropriately compensated as you head out the door.

When the court made its ruling, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had collected $166 billion in tariffs on imported goods from 330,000 importers. It was supposed to be returned.

As the Hill reports, the agency set up a refund process in May, but only for businesses — not average Americans. By mid-September, the U.S. Treasury had issued nearly $135 billion in tariff refunds. Big checks went to big retailers, including:

• Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT) — $2.9 billion refund
• Apple — $2.2 billion refund
• Nike — $986 million refund
• Target — $994 million refund
• Home Depot — $730 million refund
• Amazon — $600 million refund
• General Motors — $500 million refund
• TJX (of TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods) — $331 million refund
• Lowe’s — $80 million refund
• Motorola — $60 million refund

A Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta survey revealed that most of those businesses are keeping their windfalls rather than passing them on to consumers.

Here’s a closer look at what executives plan to do with the money and how consumer advocates and lawmakers are demanding that Americans get a break.

Firms sitting on billions in tariff refunds

For context, the tariff refunds represent an average 1.7% of annual revenues, according to the Fed researchers.

As Bloomberg reported, the survey found that 75.2% of companies plan to hold onto their refunds, with 52.5% planning to invest in research and development or capital projects.

Only 17.2% plan to pass their tariff refunds on in the form of consumer rebates. Just 14.8% intend to lower prices.

Walmart is one of those companies. It’s pledged to use its tariff refund to cut prices, per CNN. FedEx (NYSE: FDX) set up a tariff refund portal for eligible customers, and UPS (NYSE: UPS) is also offering tariff refunds to customers, per CBS.

Now many consumers and others are advocating for refunds to average Americans. They also want the administration to eliminate the new tariffs it launched following that ruling, including up to 12.5% tariffs on imports from 86 countries and 50% tariffs on a variety of Canadian products.

Business, consumers and lawmakers demand refunds for all

Consumers who have seen the scale of the corporate refunds have launched class-action lawsuits against the companies themselves, demanding a share. Nike is one target.

As CBS reports, consumers allege that Nike “stands to recover the same tariff payments twice — once from consumers through higher prices and again from the federal government through tariff refunds.”

In support of such lawsuits, Consumer Watchdog has filed a brief with the U.S. Court of International Trade asking the government to put a stop to the new tariffs.

“Tariffs are collected at the border, but families pay them at checkout — and importer refunds generally do not reach consumers,” William Pletcher, the group’s litigation director, wrote.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have joined the growing number of Democratic lawmakers pressing the Trump administration to include consumer relief — and to plan to offer them refunds if the court strikes down the new tariffs too.

“Without such a plan, President Trump’s reckless trade policy risks becoming nothing but a multi-billion-dollar scheme to transfer wealth from consumers to giant corporations,” they wrote.

He came back to it with another tweet on Sept. 22, and he’s blunter this time.

“I hope people realize that for the foreseeable future, the cost of healthcare benefits will get more people fired, or not hired, than AI,” wrote Cuban, who co-founded the online discount pharmacy Cost Plus Drugs.

As for who’s to blame, Cuban pointed in March at giant, vertically integrated insurers swallowing most of that spending. He wants them broken up — and there’s already a bipartisan bill in the Senate that would take a swing at it.

What employers are actually paying for coverage

Employers and their workers paid an average of $26,993 for family coverage in 2025, up 6% or $1,408 from a year earlier, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s annual survey of more than 1,800 employers. The health policy nonprofit found workers themselves covered $6,850 of it, and some 154 million Americans under 65 get their coverage this way.

There was no relief in sight, either. When the survey came out on Oct. 22, 2025, insurers were already asking for double-digit rate increases on individual and small-group plans, and KFF warned the hikes could spill over to large employers next. “There is a quiet alarm bell going off,” KFF President and CEO Drew Altman said at the time, pointing at GLP-1 drugs, hospital prices and tariffs.

Do healthcare costs really kill jobs?

A National Bureau of Economic Research working paper from researchers at the University of Chicago, Yale, the U.S. Treasury and other institutions backs Cuban up on this one. The team tracked what happened to companies after nearby hospital mergers pushed up the price of care, and found that every 1% rise in healthcare prices trimmed payrolls and headcount by 0.4% at employers outside the health sector — in effect, the researchers concluded, a payroll tax.

People earning between $20,000 and $100,000 a year absorbed most of those cuts, while six-figure earners barely felt them, the authors found. And companies mostly cut jobs outright, the paper says, since workers won’t take a pay cut to cover a benefit that didn’t get any better.

So why does AI get the blame?

To be fair, AI really is showing up in the layoff numbers. U.S. employers announced plans to cut more than 97,000 jobs in May — the most for that month since 2020 — and named AI as the main reason for 40% of them, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. By the end of May, companies had announced 87,714 job cuts tied to AI, more than in all of 2025, Moneywise reported.

Still, the broader job market didn’t crack. U.S. payrolls grew by 172,000 that same month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the unemployment rate held at 4.3%.

“It’s far easier to blame AI than it is to blame Healthcare costs,” Cuban wrote back in March.

What the Break Up Big Medicine Act would actually do

Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo. — from opposite ends of the Senate — introduced the Break Up Big Medicine Act on Feb. 10. It would make it illegal for one company to own a medical provider alongside an insurer, pharmacy benefit manager or drug and device wholesaler. Anyone who owns both today would get a year to sell one side off, with the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department’s antitrust division enforcing penalties on holdouts.

The whole point is to unwind vertical integration — the setup that lets one conglomerate pay for your care, set its price and deliver it. Just three pharmacy benefit managers process nearly 80% of the country’s prescription drug claims, according to the bill’s findings.

What it means for your job

If you get insurance through work, give your open enrollment packet a hard look this fall. KFF CEO Altman predicted employers would respond the way they usually do, with higher deductibles and more cost-sharing — on top of the $6,850 the average worker already chips in toward a family plan.

And if you earn between $20,000 and $100,000 a year, the NBER research puts you squarely in the range that lost jobs when healthcare prices climbed.

Cuban, for his part, already told his followers what to do about it: Call your senator and tell them to support the bill.

The trial against Huawei, a Shenzhen-based megacorporation dealing in consumer electronics, telecom infrastructure, cloud computing and, more recently, AI chips, recently kicked off in New York, with the federal government deeming the long-established firm a “criminal enterprise” that has been engaging in “theft, lies and cover-up” for decades.

The proceeding has been years in the making. Many will remember the dramatic arrest of the company’s CFO, Meng Wanzhou, in 2018, for bank and wire fraud. In the years since, the Department of Justice has assembled a larger case against Huawei for allegedly stealing trade secrets from at least six brands, including Cisco, T-Mobile and Motorola.

Wanzhou, for one, admitted to misleading a large central bank in 2021, and the charges against her were dropped the following year. But the company that her father founded, and whose finances she still oversees, is in legal hot water.

In total, the brand faces 12 felony charges, ranging from sanctions violations and criminal racketeering to money laundering and fraud, which prosecutors argue paint a picture of a company where “crime is an important business strategy.”

A history of national security woes

Officials have considered Huawei a threat to U.S. national security since 2012, when the White House deduced it “cannot be trusted to be free of foreign state influence — influence that
extended to corruption, copyright infringement, bribery and more, official reports said.

U.S. carriers were banned from conducting business with Huawei starting in 2019, and have also faced further restrictions on the purchase or sale of its hardware — something the company fought with its own lawsuit against the Fed.

As this round of litigation gets going, Beijing has accused the U.S. of “oppressing Chinese companies” and “economic bullying.” Meanwhile, Huawei’s counsel asserted in a statement that “The U.S. government’s overarching narrative is demonstrably false,” as the brand has “the utmost respect for intellectual property.” The company states the bad-faith actions of individual employees, ostensibly like Wanzhou, are being conflated with the ethics of the company as a whole.

Beyond the intellectual property aspect of the dispute, though — in which the DOJ says Huawei “victimized” American companies to gain and industry upper hand — the U.S. government has concerns about the Chinese powerhouse “abusing” our financial system, including by laundering money through, and withholding crucial information about its dealings with Iran from, American banks.

The trial is set to last approximately three months, and will touch on alleged actions spanning from 1999 to 2020.

They’ve drained their 401(k)s, tapped the equity in their home, taken on mortgages and credit card debt, and even sold one of two rental properties. They also have four kids, and both are now back at work trying to boost their household income.

Emily recently called into The Ramsey Show looking for advice on what to do next.

“Personally, I don’t feel like he’s worked very hard to make it [the business] work,” she said of her husband.

Emily told hosts Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze that with the vending machines, her husband bought “too many, too fast.” She also said her husband followed what she described as the “Robert Kiyosaki way” and repeatedly told her, “You’ve got to get into debt to make money,” an approach that she strongly disagreed with.

Now the business isn’t producing enough to support the family and there’s not much left to sell.

“You’re done,” Cruze told her during the call. “I can hear it in your voice.”

Emily agreed. “Im very done.”

The business grew — and so did debt

Emily revealed that the family’s debt is a mix of business obligations and personal borrowing, including credit cards and roughly $200,000 in home equity lines of credit. They’ve also taken out mortgages against their home.

The couple recently sold one rental property and is trying to sell another vacant property worth about $60,000. Their home no longer has equity, Emily said, and the family has used its retirement savings to fund the business.

The vending operation includes both vending machines and micro markets. Some of the machines are leased while others are rent-to-own. Emily estimates the business itself is worth about $450,000, but even selling it wouldn’t solve the problem.

Much of the sale proceeds would have to go toward the debt attached to the machines, meaning little would be left to tackle the family’s personal debts. Emily said her husband wants to pursue bankruptcy while she wants to repay what they owe, pointing to her religious beliefs about paying debts.

Ramsey told her that selling the business and the home could potentially eliminate about $650,000 of the debt, leaving roughly $350,000 in business and credit card obligations. He also cautioned that bankruptcy may not wipe away as much of the debt as they expect.

Since both are back to work, the couple now has two incomes again. Emily said she earns $25 an hour working about 30 hours a week, while her husband earns $21 an hour.

In his defense, Emily’s husband is certainly not the only person to see vending machines as a way to make money. The business has become a popular side-hustle topic online, especially on TikTok, where videos can make the business look a lot simpler — and more lucrative — than it may be in real life.

What those vending machine videos don’t tell you

If you scroll through TikTok, you can easily find plenty of videos showing people buying machines, filling them with snacks, collecting the cash and restocking locations.

Some frame vending as a relatively simple way to create passive income or build a business without sitting behind a desk all day, and Emily’s husband isn’t the only person looking at vending machines as a business opportunity.

The U.S. convenience services industry, which includes vending and micro markets, generated an estimated $31.1 billion in revenue in 2025, according to the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA). Vending is still the industry’s largest business line.

But there’s a big difference between a vending machine generating sales and a vending machine business generating enough profit to support a family. NAMA’s 2023 industry census found the typical vending operator maintained 277 machines. Average sales were about $6,284 per machine annually — and that’s revenue, not take-home profit.

This means the social media videos are leaving out a lot, including finding good locations for the machines, buying inventory, keeping machines stocked, handling repairs, dealing with slow locations and, ultimately, making sure the numbers work after expenses and debt payments.

For Emily, Ramsey’s advice was to look at the situation as a whole rather than simply trying to keep the business afloat. He suggested selling the business and the couple’s home could clear a substantial portion of the debt, with the remaining obligations potentially negotiated or dealt with through other means.

Emily’s situation may be extreme, but the risk of taking on too much debt for a side hustle isn’t. Before putting thousands of dollars — potentially in borrowed money — into a side hustle simply because it looks easy enough online, look past the revenue screenshots.

Figure out what the business will actually cost, how much work it requires and what happens if the money doesn’t come in as quickly as promised. A viral video can make a business opportunity look simple, but it can’t also show you whether it will actually work for you.

The 22-year-old plans to channel that enthusiasm for savings and smart spending into a new educational video series, which will be called “Finance with Fernando.”

“I’m Fernando Mendoza, pro quarterback. But my true passion is fiscal responsibility,” Mendoza said in the teaser ad for the series, posted on social media. “Let’s flippin’ go.”

Mendoza is working with U.S. Bank for the show. Roughly a month ago, the financial institution announced a relationship with the rookie quarterback, naming him its “Chief Financial Playmaker.”

Financial literacy gaps

OK, yes, there’s a fun cringe factor to seeing Mendoza in a suit shouting “Get up! Your 401(k) contributions” and describing his offer of a LinkedIn recommendation as “the ultimate prize,” but despite the cheesiness of the video, there is a growing need for this sort of financial education — and Mendoza’s popularity could be a good way to get younger people interested in it.

A recent study by the TIAA Institute and the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center (GFLEC) found that U.S. adults could only correctly answer 49% of the index questions across eight key personal finance areas. And Gen Z’s scores were the lowest of any generation, with “many of them demonstrating very low levels of financial literacy.”

Whether it was saving, investing or comprehending risk, Gen Z consistently scored poorly.

Finance with Fernando

Mendoza says he hopes his show will provide viewers with a “practical guide” to personal finance. And it is a field where he has some knowledge. He graduated with his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Cal Berkeley.

Mendoza will have some extra time to focus on his educational efforts for young Americans. Despite being the top draft pick, the rookie is not the Raiders’ starting quarterback this season, instead supporting Kirk Cousins in the job.

The Raiders made the choice not to rush Mendoza into the spotlight, instead letting him strengthen his skills in a lower pressure environment, in hopes that he can lead the team in the future.

“It’s baptism by fire every day at all positions — especially rookie quarterbacks,” said head coach Klint Kubiak during training camp. “I see an improving player that we’ve just got to keep being hard on to get better.”

Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith recently said he supported the idea of a kill switch for AI. Speaking at a panel at the United Nations General Assembly, Smith said “The people who create the model should have the ability to turn it off. The cloud infrastructure providers like us should have it. The people who put in place the controls around AI agents should be able to turn them off. And I don’t think it’s a bad thing if we have a regulation that requires that.”

Earlier that day, Nvidia founder Jensen Huang appeared on The Ezra Klein Show to discuss AI alarmism, arguing it has gone too far. Huang said he believes the companies behind today’s AI models will eliminate any potential threat, but if they fail to do so, he said, drastic action may need to be taken.

“I am fairly certain they will say they know how to solve this problem,” Huang said. “It’s as simple as engineering. If they say the alternative, which is ‘there is no way to contain our experiments; when we test our AI models, it will get out and it will damage the world,’ then I think the answer is we have to shut the labs down because the cost to humanity, the damage, is too great.”

A growing call

Smith and Huang’s comments came on the same day that both OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei spoke before the United Nations, asking world leaders to establish safeguards for AI before the technology becomes so advanced humans are unable to control it.

The number of executives seeking regulation and talking up kill switches has been on the rise since former Anthropic insider Jacob Coxon warned that artificial intelligence could become an extinction-level threat to humanity in the coming years.

Coxon, on Sept. 8, wrote on social media “I spent the last three years doing pretraining research at both OpenAI and Anthropic. Neither company is acting responsibly. They are racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives.”

Calls for a kill switch have been floating since July, after OpenAI’s then-latest model broke containment and hacked outside sites. That resulted in a bipartisan bill calling for the creation of a tool that could immediately shut down all of an AI company’s programs. (The bill has been sitting in the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection since it was proposed.)

‘Inevitable’ regulation

AI companies have been mixed on the topic of AI regulation historically. Anthropic has been one of the biggest supporters of it, while Meta has been largely opposed. Last September, the Mark Zuckerberg-led company launched and invested “tens of millions” of dollars into a super PAC focused on fighting AI regulation. The American Technology Excellence Project, as it’s called, is meant to fight policies that Meta sees as harmful to the development of AI.

Microsoft’s Smith, though, said “at some point, some type of regulation is inevitable.”

And while, like Huang, he urged business leaders to continue using AI, Smith did say the talk of potential existential threats was one worth having.

“Look, I don’t get up in the morning and think that there is a 10% chance of human extinction, but I’d rather have us worry too much than do too little,” he said. “I mean, this is like we’re talking about the survival of humanity. So I think that’s more important than the latest technology, for gosh sakes, so let’s take it seriously.”

58-year-old Lori Flowers doesn’t have to.

Flowers was the victim of a “pig-butchering scam,” where a bad actor gains the trust of someone in order to get them to give up money toward fraudulent investments.

By the end of it all, she had removed $400,000 from her retirement fund and taken out $200,000 in personal loans to help someone she thought was her friend. Now, she’s out that money and facing a $225,000 tax bill to boot.

Here’s how she ended up in that situation — and what you can do to avoid being put in the same place.

Now without a retirement plan or the ability to build it back

In 2022, Flowers was approached online by a man who said he was from Brussels. He reached out to her on LinkedIn, saying he was planning to move to her area soon. The two talked over email and on the phone, but never in person.

“I thought we were really getting to know each other,” Flowers told USA Today. “What I think I know now is, he was using AI.”

She got to know him over the course of four months — which is when he asked her to bail him out by investing in his business.

“It was as if my best friend had asked me,” Flowers told USA Today.

Roughly $600,000 of stolen money later, she realized it was a scam. That’s when the IRS sent her a $225,000 bill: It had counted the missing money from her retirement account as taxable income, plus penalties for withdrawing money before she was of retirement age.

Flowers ended up having to declare Chapter 13 bankruptcy. She’s currently making $5,600 per month payments on her debt, most of which goes to the IRS; she expects to continue making these payments for the next few years.

“Because I’m having to pay back the taxes on this, I can’t even rebuild the nest egg that was stolen,” Flowers told Bloomberg. “Because when they calculate that bankruptcy payment, it’s all your discretionary dollars. There’s nothing left.”

How to avoid online scams — and why you should never send anyone your retirement money

Pig butchering scams are a type of confidence scam, where the fraudster spends several months getting to know their victim before they spring their trap.

There are ways to protect yourself from confidence scams. But first and foremost, you should never drain your retirement account for anyone — certainly not someone you met online, but also close friends and family.

Withdrawing from your retirement account comes with taxes and penalties that other accounts don’t have. Even if you give the money to someone else, you’ll still have to deal with the tax bill yourself. Because of that, it’s almost never a good idea to drain your account for someone else’s sake.

If someone does ask you to take money out of your retirement account for them, that’s a sign to take a step back and examine your relationship with that person. If you’ve only ever met this person online, especially if you’ve only known them for a few months, you’re likely dealing with a scammer.

Thanks to AI, it’s become easier than ever for bad actors to pretend to be someone else online, faking everything from social media accounts to even phone calls or video chats. Don’t give money to people you haven’t met in person before, even if you’ve chatted with them over video before.

“These liabilities, I say, are, in essence, in hypergrowth mode,” Burry wrote in a Sept. 19 Substack post.

Burry singled out Amazon, Meta Platforms, Alphabet, Microsoft and Oracle for proceeding with enormous capital expenditures.

Alphabet leads the way with $811 billion in planned spending and contractual obligations on everything from memory chips and data centers to electricity generation and more.

$3 trillion not on hyperscaler balance sheets

The pack of hyperscalers is holding $1.2 trillion in future lease commitments along with $1.5 trillion in commitments to purchase AI-related hardware and equipment, such as memory chips. The latter can be kept off a firm’s balance sheet until the products ultimately reach the hyperscalers and each party fulfills its obligations under current accounting rules.

The sum reaches $3 trillion once guarantees and financial backstops are accounted for. Burry warned that a financial miscalculation risks blowing a hole in a blue-chip tech company’s revenue.

“When the music’s over, these off-balance sheet commitments become real liabilities very quickly,” Burry said.

Burry’s AI bets

Burry has built a reputation as an investor betting against the AI boom, much like he did almost two decades ago when he staked positions against the U.S. housing market. In January, he warned the AI bubble would pop and take the U.S. economy with it.

“The government will pull out all the stops to save the AI bubble to save the market to save the economy,” he said on X. “The problem is too big to save.”

Burry has raised concern about a misalignment between the intended lifespan of a data center and the speed of AI chip development. Wholesale leases for data centers typically run between five and 15 years while new AI chips are introduced annually with different energy specifications.

If the AI hardware evolves faster than the data center’s costly infrastructure, it could leave hyperscalers on the hook for expensive upgrades that they hadn’t planned for, Burry said in the Substack post.

He’s not alone. Famed investor Jeffrey Gundlach, founder and CEO of DoubleLine Capital, issued similar warnings when chipmaking giant Nvidia partnered with Wall Street firms to create a $500 billion fund to finance the AI boom while relying on “assets of unknown life” as collateral.

Over the past year, Burry has only kept expanding his bearish positions. In June, he announced bets against Applied Materials, which makes chipmaking equipment, automaker giant Tesla and Caterpillar, the construction and mining equipment company.

Burry announced an increase in his short positions on Tuesday, taking positions against semiconductor behemoths like Micron Technology, software firm Palantir and Nebius, an AI cloud company.

Speaking with The Rollup at the Avalanche Summit New York, Mr. Wonderful said he believes Bitcoin can hit the $1 million milestone at some point — provided it ramps up its cybersecurity.

O’Leary is leery that the looming threat of quantum computing will be a major overhang on Bitcoin’s price performance. Even though he affirmed Bitcoin “will” reach $1 million, that’s conditional on whether “it can resolve the doubt creeping in around quantum computing breaking the algorithms and the chain and the encryption.”

Concerns over supercomputers hacking into Bitcoin aren’t new, but they gained extra attention in 2026 with Google’s alarming whitepaper. Researchers at the tech giant claimed “future quantum computers may break the elliptic curve cryptography that protects cryptocurrency and other systems with fewer qubits and gates than previously realized,” further urging widespread adoption of post-quantum cryptography by 2029.

But even with these quantum computing concerns, O’Leary isn’t sitting on the sidelines. In another interview with The Block, O’Leary made it clear that he’s “back in the saddle buying new positions, putting my bets on for this next cycle.” He also predicted Bitcoin to account for anywhere between 1% and 3% of alternative asset allocations as more investors treat it as digital gold.

These bullish vibes are quite a change from O’Leary’s prior stance on digital assets. Back in 2019, O’Leary roasted Bitcoin on CNBC, calling it a “useless currency” and “garbage.”

Is crypto an S&P sector?

What’s really got O’Leary pumped about crypto’s future is its potential to become the infrastructure for trading every conceivable asset. O’Leary explained his reasoning to The Rollup, saying, “The way I view this whole digitization of the economy…is that this sector — if you want to call crypto or digitization a sector — will become the 12th sector of the S&P because it services all 11 other sectors.”

Plenty of other investors and banks are equally excited about bringing more assets on blockchains through the process of “tokenization.” For instance, a recent Citi report suggested the total market for tokenization will explode from today’s $17 billion to a base case of $5.5 trillion by 2030.

When asked what it would take for O’Leary to bet even more money on crypto, he had a simple response: “Use case adoption.” In particular, O’Leary is waiting for the first major stock exchange to link with a blockchain.

As he told The Rollup, “If you told me an exchange adopted one of these chains, I’d be all over that. The values of those tokens would go through the roof because that is going to be the platform by which tokenization is supported on that exchange. That’s the next big thing.”

But O’Leary isn’t so sure who will be first to integrate with these storied trading institutions. The only thing he felt confident predicting was that it’s less likely to be the second-largest cryptocurrency, Ethereum.

The Bitcoin bulls are back

After languishing for months in the $60K range, Bitcoin rebounded sharply this August following the U.S. Treasury’s bond buyback program and President Trump’s pro-crypto press conference.

While short-term volatility is nothing new for the world’s largest cryptocurrency, more industry leaders feel confident the bottom is in and that higher highs are around the corner.

For instance, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong is gearing up for a $400K Bitcoin by 2030. The bank Standard Chartered is $100K more bullish, setting its sights on a $500K BTC in the same timeframe.

Even investors who weren’t commonly associated with Bitcoin are warming up to this digital asset. For example, Bridgewater Associates’ founder Ray Dalio expects “non-government-produced monies like gold and Bitcoin to do relatively well” given the current debt crisis, recommending a “bit of Bitcoin” alongside a larger percentage of gold.

But not everyone believes the Bitcoin narrative. Interestingly, O’Leary’s Shark Tank co-star Mark Cuban threw in the towel on crypto earlier this year, selling off his Bitcoin position. As CoinDesk reported, Cuban didn’t feel like Bitcoin lived up to its promised role as a gold-like hedge when the Iran war broke out.

Although Bitcoin’s price is still slightly down year-to-date, it’s up roughly 18.5% in the past six months.

The Pepsi Bottling Group plant in Cheverly has been operating for more than 60 years and is considered a local landmark, according to a report from NBC4 Washington.

It’s the latest PepsiCo facility to see major layoffs, with the food and beverage giant shuttering or reducing operations at several facilities since 2024.

At least 143 job losses

On Sept. 14, PepsiCo laid off 143 employees of the Cheverly plant in fleet, transport, manufacturing and warehouse operations, plus other salaried employees, the company said in a letter to the Maryland Department of Labor and the Cheverly mayor. According to the letter, 98 of those workers are represented by the Teamsters Local 639 union.

PepsiCo said that sales and delivery operations jobs would not be impacted.

Prince George’s County Council Member Jolene Ivey told NBC4 that it was difficult news for the community.

“It’s hard for the people who are losing their jobs, 100% that is the most important thing,” she told NBC4. “And then for those of us who’ve just grown up with the Pepsi plant there, it just seems ... I don’t know, it’s just hard. You hate to think that something like that is going away. It’s just been a part of our fabric.”

According to a Cheverly official who NBC4 spoke to, the facility is the highest grossing revenue generator in the town and added roughly $200,000 annually.

Ivey told NBC4 that the aging factory faced power and water issues, which she said contributed to the decision.

“The building is so old,” Ivey told NBC4. “The upgrades were so expensive and they were having problems with being able to keep the electricity going all the time. And the water itself cost too much for the company to upgrade to keep it going.”

NBC4 reported that PepsiCo said in a statement that the decision was related to changes in consumer demand, technology and its operating network.

Latest round of layoffs

Since 2024, several PepsiCo facilities around the country have faced closures or major layoffs. In October 2024, PepsiCo announced the closure of four bottling plants, in Cincinnati, Chicago, Harrisburg, Penn., and Atlanta.

In July 2025, the company announced it would end manufacturing, transport and maintenance operations at its Detroit site. That announcement came just a week after the company said it was looking to move toward “integration” between PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America and PepsiCo Beverages North America, to boost productivity.

In November 2025, PepsiCo said it would close two Florida Frito-Lay manufacturing facilities in Orlando, with 500 employees impacted.

In February 2026, PepsiCo said it would close a Frito-Lay warehouse in California, impacting nearly 250 workers. And in August 2026, PepsiCo permanently laid off more than 100 employees at its PepsiCo Beverages Sales building in Columbia, S.C., saying it was “shifting how warehouse logistics are managed” at the facility.

According to The Street, the latest round of layoffs is part of the company’s efforts to improve productivity across its North American operating network.

Those changes are in response to “shifting consumer demand” and “sales declines,” according to a separate report from The Street. Weakening demand has been attributed to both stubborn inflation and changing consumer tastes.

In July, speaking on an earnings call, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said that “Results were tempered in the quarter as U.S. food and beverage category performance moderated with consumer budgets tightening due to rising inflationary pressures.”

In addition to its restructuring, PepsiCo has responded to changing consumer tastes by launching healthier versions of some of its products and acquiring the prebiotic soda brand poppi.

The tech giant and online retailer has reportedly been contacting eligible former workers, including some who were previously laid off, about open positions across the company, according to recruiter emails reviewed by Business Insider. Amazon spokesperson Haley Silva told Moneywise that bringing back former employees is already a longstanding part of the company’s recruiting strategy.

“We’re always interested in connecting with talented people — both new candidates and former Amazonians — for open roles,” Silva said. “Rehiring former employees is a normal, longstanding part of how we recruit, and our rehire and interview practices are consistent across the company.”

One effort reported by Business Insider appears to be aimed specifically at former artificial intelligence and machine-learning employees. Recruiters working with an organization led by AWS vice president Swami Sivasubramanian have been reaching out under what one email called “Swami’s Boomerang Reengagement Initiative,” encouraging former workers to discuss potential new roles at the company.

Amazon, however, pushed back on the idea that the outreach represents a new AI-specific hiring strategy.

Big Tech’s boomerang hiring trend

The outreach comes after a year of major job cuts at Amazon, which has eliminated more than 30,000 positions across multiple rounds of layoffs. Yet even as the company trims parts of its workforce, it’s turning to former employees for roles it still considers critical, particularly as competition for AI talent intensifies across Google, Meta, OpenAI and Anthropic.

Amazon isn’t alone in cutting broadly while still hiring selectively. Meta has laid off roughly 8,000 employees earlier this year, Microsoft recently eliminated another 4,800 roles and Oracle has cut about 21,000 positions over the past year. At the same time, tech companies are continuing to compete for workers in areas they still see as critical, sometimes by turning back to former employees who already know the business.

Salesforce, for example, encouraged former employees to return in 2023 just months after eliminating roughly 8,000 jobs. Google has also increasingly turned to former employees in the race for AI talent. In 2025, about 20% of the software engineers it hired to work on AI were boomerang employees, according to CNBC.

Research from workforce analytics firm Visier found companies eventually rehire about 5.3% of workers they’ve laid off. And while not all rehiring involves former employees, workforce decisions can reverse quickly. Research from Robert Half found that three in 10 U.S. hiring managers who eliminated positions after implementing AI later had to rehire people for the same or similar roles.

Amazon’s return-to-office mandate isn’t going anywhere

Former employees who are considering a return to Amazon shouldn’t expect the company to loosen its in-office requirements. Amazon’s corporate employees largely worked remotely during the pandemic before moving to a hybrid schedule in 2023. Then, on Jan. 2, 2025, the company began requiring corporate employees to work from the office five days a week.

“Our return-to-office expectations remain unchanged,” Silva told Moneywise.

Neither return-to-office mandates nor boomerang hiring are unique to Amazon. As AI, layoffs and shifting workplace policies continue to reshape the labor market, workers may increasingly find themselves reconsidering former employers they thought they had left behind.

For workers, a layoff or departure doesn’t necessarily close the door for good. Former employees can be attractive hires because they already understand the company and how it operates, making relationships with former colleagues worth maintaining even after leaving a job.

But an invitation back isn’t necessarily a reason to say yes. A boomerang offer should be evaluated like any other job opportunity, including whether the pay, career prospects, workplace policies and flexibility that mattered when you left have actually changed.

The firm he runs now, Bracket22, costs $30,000 to $40,000 a year, and the entire staff is AI agents, he told CNBC in a September 8 interview.

Kelly, a former trader on CNBC’s Fast Money, shut down his cryptocurrency fund in early 2025. That operation ran 24/7, with about eight employees in offices from Hong Kong to California — many of them based in New York pre-pandemic — and he was paying millions of dollars a year in salaries, health care and computing costs.

His AI use began in earnest around November 2025, when a new version of Anthropic’s Claude was launched.

At first he simply pasted charts into it and asked for a technical read. But by the time he opened Bracket22, he had rebuilt the roles his old employees filled as a set of AI agents instead. He estimated the arrangement has made him “at least 10 times more productive.”

His agents include Houston, Desmond, Steffi and Doocy

Kelly introduced CNBC to several of the agents. The appropriately named Houston is mission control, performing all research and coordination of the other bots. The aptly named Steffi (Graph) handles technical analysis, reading charts and price patterns. Desmond works on the quantitative side, and Doocy runs what Kelly called his red team.

Once the research is done, Doocy’s job is to “attack this entire thesis” and look for flaws. The roster runs longer than the four with speaking parts: Sy, Zephyr and Slater.

“I’ve crafted each of these agents to be a specialist in their field,” Kelly said, adding that he didn’t want one system making every decision. So, the agents produce the research, and he uses it to test himself. The final call on every trade is still Kelly’s.

JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs are testing the same idea

CNBC presented the one-man firm as an example of a shift the bigger banks are approaching more cautiously. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon told investors at the bank’s February 23 investor update that the bank already had “huge redeployment plans” for staff displaced by AI. Its headcount barely moved over the year, holding at 318,512, but operations roles shrank 4% while client-facing roles grew by the same share.

Not everyone inside the banking industry is comfortable, though. Chris Churchman, a Goldman Sachs partner who leads the firm’s Marquee platform, warned on Goldman’s Exchanges podcast, in remarks CNBC published Aug. 24, that bankers who hand their analysis to the models risk ”cognitive atrophy” and lose the ability to work a problem through from scratch. Much of what makes a good banker was never written down, he said, and juniors absorb it by doing the work themselves.

Kelly said people he’s talked to at big hedge funds are already running their own versions of an agent setup. The point isn’t necessarily to replace everyone with agents, he said. Give a company of 100 people the same tools, and you end up with ”a staff of a thousand.”

What this means for your job and your money

The roles Kelly replaced with AI involve reading charts, testing various trading strategies and the tedium of watching markets through the night. If your own job looks like that, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics still projects employment for financial and investment analysts will grow 5.7% between 2024 and 2034, slower than personal financial advisors at 9.6%.

Meanwhile, the profile hasn’t yet revealed whether any of it makes Kelly money. The entire cost figures are his own estimates, and there are no outside clients to vouch for the results. So if any AI-run fund or trading app ever pitches you, seek verification on what it has returned, and for how long. Notable investors like Jeffrey Gundlach are telling people to keep their AI stock holdings near zero, and others are building defensive positions against the tech weighting already baked into index funds.

Kelly’s own picture of Wall Street’s future is a single fund manager with a couple of colleagues and a fleet of bots beneath them — not far from how Ray Dalio started Bridgewater out of his apartment. What he still brings, Kelly said, is creativity, which the agents haven’t managed yet. He doesn’t treat them as a substitute for people, at least not for now — and if that ever changes, “old BK will just have to be at the beach.”

Take James Farthing, for example. Farthing, a Kentucky man who won the Powerball last year, was arrested on Sept. 20 after deputies found him asleep in a running vehicle in a Walmart parking lot. He was then charged with alcohol intoxication in a public place.

Deputies described him as “manifestly under the influence of alcohol” and said they believed he presented a danger to himself and others. Making matters worse, this wasn’t the first time Farthing has interacted with law enforcement. In fact, he’s now been arrested five times since his $167.3 million win.

Multiple encounters

Days after Farthing won the largest Powerball jackpot in Kentucky history, he was arrested in Pinellas County, Florida, where he faced charges of resisting arrest and battery on a law enforcement officer. Police said they attempted to break up an altercation between Farthing and another person when the lottery winner kicked one of the officers. (He pleaded guilty to the charges in March.)

In February of this year, he was arrested in Kentucky and charged with intimidating a participant in the legal process. The following month, he faced charges of second-degree burglary and marijuana possession after allegedly entering a home in Lexington and taking more than $10,000 in cash. (That case was dismissed.)

Then, in July, Farthing was arrested once again on charges of first-degree strangulation and fourth-degree assault due to an alleged incident following a boating trip. He pleaded not guilty to those charges and was released on a $15,000 bond.

The dangers of a sudden wealth

While Farthing’s situation is somewhat unique, he’s far from the first lottery winner to have troubles after their big win.

When Jack Whittaker won $315 million in 2002, it seemed like a dream, but he later said it was the worst thing to ever happen to him. While he tried to spread the wealth, he ended up alienating some people while losing others, along with many other things that he once held dear.

Meanwhile, the winner of a $2 billion jackpot in California lost his $3.85 million Malibu home with ocean views when the 2025 Palisades fire destroyed thousands of homes and structures in the Los Angeles area.

And in 2021, a man who won $1 million wasn’t happy with having to pay taxes on the prize, so he made a false tax claim saying he had gambling losses equal to the amount he won that year, which let him get a refund on the withholding. He pleaded guilty to the false claim when challenged by the IRS.

To avoid the problems that can come with a big lottery win, most financial advisors suggest taking the payout via an annuity, since few people are ready to handle such large sums of money without warning. Experts also say the best thing you can do if you win a lottery is find an experienced financial advisor to help you manage the money, along with an attorney and tax expert who will work together to protect your winnings and your financial future.

With stocks posting double-digit returns over the past three years, thanks in large part to the AI boom, some workers feel rich enough to ditch the cubicle and expedite their retirement.

Bank of America economists referred to this trend as a “stock-fueled retirement party” in an August study, according to CNBC.

“Labor force participation is collapsing among older workers,” wrote economists Stephen Juneau and Aditya Bhave. “We think the strength of the equity market is partly to blame.”

But the party can’t last forever. And if early retirees suddenly aren’t as rich as they thought they were, they may have to go back to work, or adjust their expectations for a more comfortable retirement.

Why the ‘wealth effect’ might end

Stocks are the growth engine of your portfolio, helping to hedge against inflation and the rising cost of living. Over the past few years, they’ve performed remarkably well, leading to the “wealth effect.”

Since 2023, they have seen exceptional returns, with the S&P 500 rising 24% in 2023, 23% in 2024 and 16% in 2025.

The “bull case remains intact,” with the U.S. market rising about 12.5% to 13% year to date and non-U.S. equities rising about 20%, Lisa Shalett, chief investment officer of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, wrote in a September report.

“However, the risks are becoming harder to ignore,” Shalett wrote. “Higher bond yields, elevated oil prices, policy uncertainty and strain among lower-income consumers could test the rally as we move toward 2027.”

Indeed, some economists believe the AI bubble is ready to pop.

“There are plenty of signs that we are now in the late stages of a bubble in AI,” John Higgins, chief economic adviser for financial markets at Capital Economics, said in a September report.

Capital Economics estimates that the bubble will burst in 2027, with stocks falling at least 20% from their most recent high in the S&P 500.

If this happens, early retirees enjoying a “stock-fueled retirement party” may have a bit of a hangover (and maybe a few regrets).

“What happens if we get this long-expected drawdown in the equity market, if we’re in an AI bubble now and it reverses at some point?” Thomas Ryan, an economist at Capital Economics, told CNBC. “You’d potentially get some people at the margin who feel their 401(k) is in a good position now at 56, 57 years old who might come back to the labor force.”

Indeed, 6% of retirees “unretired” during the first half of this year, largely because they needed the money, according to an AARP survey.

How to protect your nest egg

Early retirees could face a sequence of returns risk, which means if you have to sell depreciated assets to fund your retirement, you’ll whittle away your savings before they have time to recover when the market eventually rebounds.

This isn’t ideal at any point, but it can be detrimental in the early years of retirement, since your portfolio may never fully recover.

For those joining the party early, however, advisors generally recommend shifting to a more conservative portfolio over time. That might mean moderate growth in early retirement (with a higher stock allocation), more dividend-paying stocks and bonds in mid-retirement and lower-risk investments in late retirement.

The bucket strategy can help retirees manage cash flow during a down market. For example, your near-term bucket should cover one to three years of lifestyle expenses with accessible cash in high-yield savings, money market funds or short-term cash equivalents.

Your medium-term bucket (years 3 to 10) isn’t overly aggressive. It’s designed for moderate growth and income through vehicles such as bonds, dividend stocks, or fixed income.

Your long-term bucket (10+ years out) can be more aggressive — say, in equities, stocks and even real estate — since there’s still time to recover in the event of a downturn.

You may want to sit down with a qualified financial advisor to rebalance your portfolio annually, or when your circumstances change, to ensure it still meets your goals.

Most advisors recommend a well-diversified portfolio that may also include alternative assets, such as commodities, gold, real estate, infrastructure and hedge funds.

If you don’t have enough cash to get by in the early years of retirement, you may have to consider returning to work. If you’ve only just retired, you may still have connections at your old job or industry, so it might be possible to take on part-time or consulting work.

As always, you could look for part-time or gig work in a completely different industry. If you like gardening, maybe the gardening department at your local hardware store might be a low-stress way to return to work and bring in some extra cash — without having to go back to the 9-5 grind of the corporate world.

“Our president will start a war with Iran because he has absolutely no ability to negotiate,” Trump said in the recirculated video posted on X. “He is weak and he’s ineffective.”

The video from 2011 was posted by the Democratic party on their official X account. At the time, Trump claimed Obama would start a war with Iran in order to get re-elected — a claim he continued to back after Obama won the election.

Obama did not launch a military attack on Iran during his second term in office, instead signing a deal in 2015 to limit Iran’s nuclear program.

Now Trump’s ongoing war with Iran is running up a massive bill for the U.S. and it’s costing every U.S. household over $1,700.

The cost of the war

According to the U.S. Central Command, the cost of the war in Iran has grown to $43.6 billion as of Sept. 3. The figure offers the most up-to-date cost for the conflict which was launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28. It’s also higher than the previous estimate detailed in a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report released Sept. 15, which pinned the price tag at $38 billion through Aug. 1.

The Central Command breakdown shows weapons costs alone jumped by more than $6 billion in just over a month, rising from the $21.7 billion listed in the CBO report to $28.1 billion.

The latest report does not include the cost of damage to U.S. bases in the Middle East, which Iran has attacked with ballistic missiles and drones. A report from the Pentagon inspector general released Sept. 14 said the strikes have damaged and destroyed hundreds of buildings at U.S. bases across the region. The $43.6 billion price tag also doesn’t take into account the impact the ongoing conflict has had on oil prices and the stock market.

An analysis from Moody’s Analytics found as of Sept. 11 the total bill per household of the conflict is $1,760. According to CNBC, Moody’s Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi said $930 of the bill comes from higher costs for energy, $425 comes from higher interest rates since the war broke out and the final $405 comes from higher military spending. According to Zandi, consumers will foot the bill for military spending through national debt expansion or higher taxes.

Trump pushes for historic military budget

Despite the high price of the war, Trump appears ready to keep fighting — and spending.

“Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before?” the president said during his recent United Nations address. “Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?”

The Trump administration has been pushing for a historic $1.5 trillion military budget as part of the 2027 budget. The massive sum would mark a 42% increase over current funding levels. According to Democrats, the budget also proposes a 10% cut to domestic investments, including cuts to funding for public education, housing and medical research.

Trump is also asking for Congress to approve a $95 billion package to help fund the Iran war and other security priorities.

According to Bank of America research, young employees are benefit-maxxing, going after every possible dollar of workplace-based perks, including 401(k)s, Health Savings Accounts, Lifestyle Savings Accounts and more. The statistics come from a 2025 survey of 941 full-time employees with 401(k) plans.

Those perks represent a lot of money: 30% of workers’ total compensation, according to Caeli, an app that helps people buy benefit-eligible items online. Yet 42% of employees fail to take advantage of them. Gen Z workers are an exception.

Stacy Bucchere, Bank of America’s Managing Director of Workplace Benefits, told Moneywise that Gen Zers are going so far as to demand stock awards — once the domain of high-priced executives — as part of their pay package.

“They are aggressively trying to get stock awards as a retention strategy, using them as a negotiating lever,” Bucchere said,

The strategy is working, with 27% of full-time Gen Z workers receiving stock awards, more than any prior generation.

Finance expert Melanie Musson, of Clearsurance.com, applauds their moxie.

“Why would you not try to negotiate and advocate for yourself?” Musson told Moneywise. “When you do that, you’re less likely to be undervalued and forgotten.”

Here’s a look at the motivation behind Gen Z’s benefit-maxxing, where they feel they’re ahead and where they lag.

What’s behind Gen Z’s focus on workplace benefits

As Fortune reports, Gen Zers’ are aware of potential cuts to Social Security starting as early as 2032 when the federal program’s trust fund is projected to dry up. That makes workplace 401(k)s and workplace savings plans attractive to them.

“Gen Z understands that life is expensive. They strongly want to live the lifestyle they grew up with,” Musson said. “They don’t want to take a step back and live on less than they’re used to.”

Thanks to TikTok influencers and social media, Gen Zers understand concepts like compounding interest, and are aware how valuable an employer’s match on a 401(k) can be.

Bucchere said one of the generation’s biggest motivations is FOMO, or fear of missing out.

“That FOMO for Gen Zers is, ‘I don’t want to miss out on one point of compound savings today,’” she told Moneywise.

The bank’s data indicates that Gen Zers start saving for retirement at 24 — compared to Boomers, who started at 34 years of age, on average. Meanwhile, 84% of Gen Zers feel confident they’re on track for retirement, compared to 79% of Boomers.

They start their careers with more financial knowledge than older peers thanks to financial literacy classes. A World Economic Forum report found more than 50% of Gen Zers learned about investing before they started their jobs, versus 20% of Boomers. Bucchere’s two Gen Z children — both business majors in college — took financial literacy courses in high school.

Still, Bucchere said Gen Z workers want more financial know-how.

“They are thirsty for education,” Bucchere said, noting the bank has produced educational resources for Gen Z readers.

The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers financial literacy tools for Gen Zers still in school as well as adults more generally. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has interactive games and modules covering basic financial education for a variety of ages.

Maximizing benefits at any age

Smith Anglin, a Dallas-based wealth management company, says employees of all ages should maximize every workplace perk on offer, especially:

• Workplace retirement plans, including 401(k)s and pensions — including an employer 401(k) match if it’s on offer.
• Employer-sponsored group health plans along with a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) if available
• Financial planning support and group life insurance
• Educational support including student loan assistance, tuition support and scholarships
• Vacation days. Even though many companies offer paid time off, only 22% of U.S. workers take advantage of that available break.
• Workplace health and wellness program discounts like gym memberships

The firm notes that companies use such benefits to attract and retain talent, and enjoy their own payoff when employees take advantage of benefits on offer.

For example, a 2010 study looking at the rise of workplace wellness benefits found that for every $1 companies spent on wellness programs, they saved $2.73 as a result of reduced absenteeism and $3.27 in medical costs.

By benefit-maxxing, Gen Zers may actually be doing their employers a favor.

Horwitz, 56, runs MindyKnows, a concierge service that offers a stand-in local parent to college students whose actual parents are hundreds or thousands of miles away. Equale’s family, based in Houston, has paid her around $1,600 for unlimited support since he was a freshman, according to the New York Times.

That includes birthday balloons, chicken soup when he’s sick, ER waiting room company, prescription pickups, bedbug exterminator coordination and regular photo updates to his parents.

“It’s like a surrogacy,” said Hamid Haidari, another MindyKnows client, after Horwitz took his son for X-rays following a soccer injury.

A niche business built on parental anxiety

Concierge student support services aren’t entirely new, but a fresh wave of upstarts has emerged to meet growing demand.

For example, MindyKnows now operates across 10 campuses — including Northwestern, the University of Florida and UCLA — with its own local “Mindy” and pricing structure at each. The unlimited Washington University package runs $525 a year. Similar businesses include the Bama Mama in Alabama, the GA Mom in Georgia and Campus Mom in Texas.

Campus Mom co-founder Monteigne Long explains the idea to the New York Times: “When I came to college in 1998, my parents dropped me off on a Saturday and were gone. Parents are staying much more tuned in and connected with their students’ college experience than they have in the past. When they can’t be here, they want someone who can be that stand-in for them.”

The data backs up that parental anxiety. According to The Princeton Review’s 2025 College Hopes & Worries Survey, 50% of parents said their child’s ideal college would be within 250 miles of home — compared to just 35% of students who said the same. Ever since the survey added that question in 2007, the majority of parents have consistently preferred proximity, while most of their kids have preferred distance.

What the services offer families

The specific offerings vary by company but share a common thread: doing the things a nearby parent would do.

For example, the Bama Mama’s Carrie Eckhardt will clean dorm rooms and check in on students if parents haven’t heard from them in a few days — “just pop in and say hi, and take a picture and send it to their mom.” Campus Mom offers “holistic wellness check-ins,” laundry services and sorority recruitment support packages.

Among many other tasks, Horwitz bakes homemade challah for students and fields recommendations on everything from the best local doctors to trustworthy landlords.

The value to Equale’s mother, Cathleen, was simple. To her, peace of mind “was just her being a mom and knowing that if I can’t be there and my child needs something, there’s someone there,” she told the Times. “To me, it’s insurance.”

The developmental debate

Not everyone is enthusiastic. Annette Lareau, a sociologist studying family life at the University of Pennsylvania, acknowledged the advantages but expressed concern that students might not develop the habit of relying on themselves or their peers.

And Dr. Larry Nelson, a professor of human development at Brigham Young University, drew a clear line: “There’s nothing wrong with a care package. But as soon as anything crosses the line into doing it for them, that’s where it gets problematic.”

Horwitz pushes back on the coddling characterization. “They’re 18, 19 years old, and they’re just off independently for the first time. We’re just a support system,” she told the Times.

Karen Allen, Campus Mom’s other co-founder, framed it practically: “If you asked me to go to class with them, that might be overstepping. But a little laundry? Wouldn’t any mom do that if she lived close by?”

For the parents writing the checks, that notion appears to be enough.

The 23-year-old designer — who arrived in Los Angeles at 18 with $400, no degree and no plan beyond driving for DoorDash — recently cleared $150,000 in gross sales over two weeks on a single product: a sculptural pill-bottle side table that started as a $50 Facebook Marketplace experiment.

“I wake up, and I’m an artist, which doesn’t even feel real to say,” he told Business Insider.

That instinct for spotting undervalued objects is what transformed Flodstrom from scraping together $500 at a time into a working artist with a viral product and six figures in sales.

From side hustles to social media

Flodstrom grew up in Peru, Illinois — a small town that he describes as “the middle of nowhere” — and came to Los Angeles to pursue music. But art and design came first. For the first several years, he made pieces while getting by with just enough income from teaching swim lessons and other side hustles, but “nothing was really popping,” as he told Business Insider.

The shift came when he started treating social media like a craft. Flodstrom reverse-engineered what made videos perform well on Instagram: a fast three-second hook and engagement signals, like retention, comments, shares and saves.

He began posting short, fast-paced videos of himself making things. The breakthrough came from a brick mirror he made for his own room, which drew about 3 million Instagram views. Then came an avocado chair, and then the pill-bottle side table, which garnered tens of millions of views.

The $50 idea that generated $150K

The pill-bottle side table started with a piece of curved acrylic from Facebook Marketplace. Flodstrom wrapped it in orange vinyl, shaped a lid from foam and plaster and printed a prescription-style label at Staples. Total cost: about $50. Hundreds of DMs came in immediately, but U.S. manufacturers quoted him $400 per unit, plus shipping, to scale it.

Then NO LOGO, a company that helps artists get their designs to the market, offered to produce a sample at no cost. He made a video with the company about his process. “If they had told me to pay for the sample, this never would have happened,” Flodstrom noted. “I would not have had the faith in it.”

He linked his Shopify store to NO LOGO’s system and listed the customizable table at $225. It generated $150,000 in gross sales in its first two weeks and $253,000 over a 90-day period, according to Business Insider’s review.

The unglamorous side of viral success

Flodstrom’s story is a case study in what happens after a product goes viral, and it isn’t all clean margins. At the time of the Business Insider interview, hundreds of orders were stuck in customs, with roughly $80,000 in Shopify funds unavailable to him while he continued paying for production. “It’s just super stressful,” he said.

His business is almost entirely dependent on Instagram, and something going wrong with the service is one of his “worst fears” — an account restriction could end his sales channel overnight. So, he’s working to diversify onto YouTube.

The bigger picture

Flodstrom’s path reflects a broader shift among his generation. According to the Bank of America Institute’s July 2026 report on business formation, Gen Z is contributing disproportionately to recent growth in new business applications, with the group’s application growth more than double that of Millennials and Gen X in June 2026.

A recent Indeed/Harris Poll survey found that 51% of Gen Z feel their college degree was a waste of money — compared to 20% of Baby Boomers.

But Flodstrom is wary of reading too much into one viral hit. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself,” he said. “It’s a big pill bottle. I’m not Van Gogh out here.”

The McManis Family Vineyards Winery Facility and its 122 acres of land have been listed for $22.5 million. Ten other vineyards owned by the family are also for sale for prices ranging from $800,000 to $14 million. The list price for the entire 3,500-acre property bundle comes to just under $78 million.

That won’t include the McManis brand, though. That can be discussed at a separate price, the listing said.

“It was a very hard decision for myself and my family,” Ron McManis, president and co-owner of McManis Family Vineyards, told the Sacramento Bee in a written statement.

The Canadian boycott

Part of the impetus for the sale of the McManis winery was the escalating trade war between the U.S. and Canada. Before the tariff battle, Canada was the top export market for American wine, and the country’s boycott of American-made alcohol has been a huge blow to wineries, especially the smaller ones that are family owned.

In 2025, Canadian bans cost the American wine industry $357 million, according to the Wine Institute. That total has increased over the course of 2026.

McManis Family Vineyards has been hit particularly hard by this trade war. While it has the capacity to crush up to 50,000 tons of grapes and bottle between 2.5 and 3 million cases each year, the winery recently lowered production to between 29,000 to 34,000 tons of wine grapes a year.

Tough market

Finding a buyer may prove challenging. As the Sacramento Bee reports, market demand for wine grape vineyards is limited, resulting in decreased property values.

And McManis Family Vineyards is hardly alone. Some California winemakers are uprooting or even burning their vines as wine sales hit their lowest level in over 20 years. Last year saw roughly 38,000 acres of wine grapes pulled out across the state, which represents roughly 7% of all grapes planted in California, according to data from the California Association of Winegrape Growers.

The wine industry saw an unprecedented cumulative contraction in 2025, with the largest one-year drop in volume. California alone saw a year-over-year shipment loss of $142 million, which represented 62% of the industry’s total value decline.

Tasting room traffic is down as well, and has been for several years.

“Relying on people coming to the tasting room no longer works,” one winemaker told Silicon Valley Bank in its 2026 State of the U.S. Wine Industry report.

The slowdown has also had a spillover effect, as even twist-cap bottle manufacturers have had to cut staff as demand for their services from winemakers has slowed in the past year.

More than $115 million of that goes back to workers. But spread across the roughly 264,000 people DoorDash says will get a check, the typical payout comes out to about the price of a takeout order for two.

"Simply put, we screwed up," the company said in a statement, while insisting the mistakes weren't intentional.

The full DoorDash settlement breakdown

Workers get $115.4 million of the $131.5 million, according to consent order terms reported by amNewYork. The rest covers about $11.3 million in civil penalties, $4.3 million for a worker-driven compliance program and roughly $468,000 to run the payouts.

City officials and Mayor Zohran Mamdani are calling it the largest worker settlement in New York City history and the largest involving food delivery workers anywhere in the U.S. The tab could still grow, too, since DoorDash is still calculating what it owes for work done between June 29 and Nov. 29. Any back pay from that stretch comes with an extra 13.79% civil penalty, according to the order.

For its part, DoorDash says it already set aside the full amount in prior quarters.

How much will DoorDash drivers get?

For most Dashers, not much. DoorDash says the median payout will be around $48, with the average missed payment at just $7.70 and 65% of affected workers shorted by $1 or less. Everyone who qualifies is guaranteed at least $10, even if they were owed less.

Some workers are in line for a lot more, though. Those who were paid late or not at all will get about 200% of what they were shorted, according to the city. So a worker who never received a $1,000 payment will collect $3,000, while someone whose $1,000 showed up late will get $2,000. Meanwhile, money for minimum-pay violations is split based on how much trip time each worker logged.

At the settlement announcement, Mayor Mamdani said upward of 27,000 workers will clear $1,000 and more than 4,000 will top $5,000.

How the city says DoorDash underpaid workers

Under city law, app-based delivery workers in New York have to earn at least $22.13 an hour before tips, a floor that gets adjusted for inflation every year. DoorDash raised its pay to meet that minimum in December 2023, but the agency found the company was excluding several categories of trip time and on-call time from the hours it actually paid for.

Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su put it bluntly at the Sept. 22 announcement: "DoorDash built a system that was quietly leaving out categories of trips and on-call time so the real amount of work by deliveristas wasn't counted." She added that the practice was hidden from workers, making it nearly impossible for them to tell when they'd been shortchanged.

The investigation started after dozens of workers complained about missing or late pay. Rosendo Tacam, a delivery worker and leader of Los Deliveristas Unidos, was one of the first to file a complaint.

"I gave DoorDash everything I had, and then they deactivated me and didn't pay me for my last week of work," Tacam said in the city's announcement. "I felt angry and disrespected."

DoorDash says many of the errors "were caused by technical bugs or happened in complicated situations," like deliveries that crossed city lines or had multiple stops. Others came down to workers entering incomplete or inaccurate banking information. By the company's count, about $6.6 million in payments never reached Dashers and another $5.7 million showed up days or even weeks late — though it says fewer than 1% of its NYC payments were affected.

DoorDash says that more than $83 million is tied to on-call time, referring to the stretches Dashers spend logged into the app waiting for their next order. The company says it paid for those hours all along, using a calculation it still considers "fair, practical, and legal," but agreed to switch to the city's formula rather than drag out the fight. It also says NYC Dashers have averaged roughly $30 per active hour before tips since the pay rule kicked in back in 2023.

DCWP's settlement page says the agency found DoorDash "deliberately" paid workers below the minimum rate or not at all, though DoorDash settled without a hearing. And when a reporter asked about DoorDash calling the underpayments mistakes, Mamdani wasn't buying it, describing the violations as "sustained" and "rampant."

DoorDash's past New York settlements and tip fight

It's not the first time DoorDash has had to pay up in New York, either. In February 2025, New York Attorney General Letitia James secured $16.75 million from the company after her office found it used customer tips to cover pay DoorDash had already guaranteed Dashers between May 2017 and September 2019. That claims window has since closed, with a final deadline of Feb. 13, 2026, according to the Attorney General's Office.

Then there's the fight over tips. In a Jan. 13 report, DCWP accused DoorDash and Uber (NYSE:UBER) Eats of using "design tricks" in their apps that cut workers' tips by more than $550 million. According to the agency, both apps moved the tip option to after checkout shortly after the city started enforcing its minimum pay rate in December 2023 — and within a week, the average tip on the two platforms plunged from $3.66 per delivery to 93 cents.

DoorDash pushed back the same day, saying the report "gets a lot wrong," arguing that moving tipping after checkout "isn't novel or nefarious." DoorDash also pointed to the report's own finding that total pay to NYC delivery workers rose by $1.2 billion under the minimum pay rule.

Since Jan. 26, a city law has required delivery apps to offer a tip option at checkout, including a 10% preset and a custom amount. The city says that change has already added more than $104 million in tips for delivery workers.

How DoorDashers can get their settlement payment

If you delivered for DoorDash in New York City and were underpaid, you don't have to lift a finger to get your money, since the city says it has already identified everyone owed using DoorDash's own records.

Starting in late October, settlement administrator Simpluris will email each underpaid worker a notice with their payment amount. They'll reach out to workers who were underpaid between April 22, 2022, and June 28, 2026, so they'll use the last email address you used with DoorDash. From there, you can pick a mailed check, direct deposit or another electronic transfer. If you don't choose, a check will go to your last-known address.

If your email has changed, a hotline opens at the end of September, or you can write to the administrator at Info@NYCDoorDashSettlement.com. A second, smaller round of payments, covering the underpayments DoorDash is still calculating, is set for early 2027 and may include some DashLink work.

Workers will also have a bigger hand in checking DoorDash's math going forward. For the next three years, the company has to send the city detailed compliance data every month, while the Workers Justice Project and Princeton's Workers' Algorithm Observatory build software that lets Dashers share their own trip and pay records directly with regulators.

"The people doing the work are often the best source of evidence about how these systems actually operate," said Andrés Monroy-Hernández, a founding member of the observatory and an associate professor of computer science at Princeton, in the city's announcement.

A few ways to protect yourself:

• Keep your own records. Screenshot your earnings and keep a running log of your hours, including time spent waiting between orders. That way, if a payment ever looks off, you've got something to check the app's numbers against.
• Know your local rules. New York City isn't the only place with pay protections for app-based workers, so check whether your city or state sets its own minimum, since gig pay can look very different once gas, insurance and taxes come out.
• Watch for settlement scams. Because this payout requires no claim, anyone asking you to file one or pay a fee to get your money is a red flag. When the attorney general distributed her own DoorDash settlement, her office warned workers not to share personal or financial information with anyone offering to help with a claim.

With the midterm elections less than six weeks away, El-Sayed turned that message into a photo op Tuesday, slapping “I did that” stickers featuring Trump on gas pumps while former Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned with him in Michigan. Harris’ visit comes as Democrats try to hold the state’s open Senate seat, a race that could help determine control of the chamber.

Michigan gas prices have climbed to a 2026 high of $4.93 a gallon, up 72 cents in just one month and $1.75 from a year ago, according to AAA. Gas prices have surged roughly 83% since the beginning of January, when drivers were paying an average of $2.70 a gallon.

“When you’re president of the United States and people are struggling for gas, you don’t sit there and talk about your new helipad or your drapes in a ballroom,” El-Sayed said during an interview with Fox News outside of a Michigan gas station. “You actually go and do your damn job.”

El-Sayed was contrasting the pain Americans are facing at the pump with Trump’s pursuit of a massive $400 million White House ballroom, a project that has drawn controversy over its cost and whether the president had the authority to move forward without congressional approval.

Pain beyond the pump

El-Sayed’s attack comes as higher energy costs eat further into household budgets. Americans have absorbed an estimated $115 billion in additional costs since the war with Iran began, or about $860 per household, according to Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics.

Those costs extend beyond what drivers see at the gas station. Higher fuel costs can work their way into everything from airfare to groceries and other goods that have to be transported across the country.

Lower- and middle-income Americans are especially exposed because they have less financial cushion to absorb those increases. “Those folks, they don’t own much stock, they may not even own a home and they have a fair amount of debt,” Zandi told Fox Business in an interview earlier this month.

The financial strain is becoming a major issue for voters heading into the Nov. 3 midterms. In a Fox News survey released last week, about three-quarters of voters rated the economy negatively, while those who said they were falling behind financially outnumbered those getting ahead by more than three to one. Gas prices were also a growing concern, with 61% calling them a major problem, up from 48% two years ago.

A separate NBC News poll found that 55% of registered voters said the Trump administration has hurt the economy.

Why fuel prices remain high and what it means for consumers

Much of that added cost can be traced to the disruption in global oil supplies since the Iran war began. Shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil routes, fell sharply, briefly pushing Brent crude above $120 a barrel in April.

The U.S. and other countries responded by tapping emergency reserves, while Saudi Arabia increased crude exports through its Red Sea port to bypass Hormuz. But that alternative has come under strain, too, as Houthi threats and attacks have disrupted shipments through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait near Yemen.

By August, the war had removed or disrupted more than 2.6 billion barrels of oil from the global market, according to Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser. He estimated that even if the Strait of Hormuz reopened immediately, it could take as long as 18 months to rebuild depleted inventories.

The effects are also showing up in diesel prices, with ramifications across the broader supply chain. The U.S. diesel average hit a record $6.53 a gallon on Tuesday, up nearly 80% since the war began, according to AAA data cited by CBS News.

Higher diesel prices can eventually raise costs for consumers, according to David Russell, global head of market strategy at TradeStation Group.

“Higher diesel prices will spread across the economy, with consumers facing higher costs for ordinary goods delivered by trucks and services like home improvement,” he told CNBC in an interview.

For renters, though, doing due diligence can go beyond a standard home inspection, and will likely include making sure you’re not falling victim to a rental scam and reading up on reviews of the landlord.

But what if a disgruntled tenant is unable to share their story because, God forbid, they were murdered? Even worse, it was in a crime that took place on the property you’re considering, and, if you can believe it, was allegedly perpetrated by the landlord in question?

It may sound like the plot of a horror movie, but it’s the reality for anyone looking at one particular house that recently hit the market in San Francisco.

‘Bright and inviting’ crime scene

The newly updated three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit in the Outer Sunset neighborhood is just steps away from the beach, and shows well in digitally staged photos. It’s described as “bright and inviting” in the listing, with special features that include “abundant natural light,” “beautiful hardwood floors” and “comfortable indoor living.”

What the listing doesn’t mention is the fact that, as local news station ABC7 has reported, the most recent occupant of the unit was shot in the front yard in May. The 58-year-old, whose car had also been set alight, eventually succumbed to his injuries, and the landlord is now on trial for the alleged crimes.

What’s even more sickening is the purported motive of the crime: that the landlord was trying to rid himself of the tenant so he could sell the home, according to the victim’s son.

With these accusations in mind, the property isn’t allowed to change hands while the case is in the courts. But the place, still in possession of the alleged perpetrator’s family, has appeared to make its way onto rental platforms, including Zillow, where it’s listed for $6,300 per month — almost double the $3,200 that the victim was paying for the place before his death.

As per California law, despite the cheery rental ad, all prospective tenants are being informed of the incident, the broker for the property told ABC7News.

Death disclosure legislation varies state to state

While California requires landlords to disclose if an occupant died on the premises within the previous three years (and the manner of that death), most U.S. states do not. In Georgia, for example, landlords must release this information only if asked, and do not have to do so voluntarily. In other areas, there are no regulations compelling a property owner to divulge.

This can change if the death was a result of conditions of the property, such as in Texas, where natural passings and suicides do not need to be communicated if they took place in a unit, but a death from someone, say, falling off a shoddy balcony must be disclosed. Some states also mandate owners reveal any “material facts” that could realistically impact the value of the property, which can include a death.

Would-be buyers, sellers, tenants and landlords should ensure they look up the rules in their own jurisdiction before listing or looking at a home.

The outlet spoke with unnamed sources which added that “Trump Jr.’s stake has been heavily diluted as Kalshi has grown and issued fresh equity over the past 18 months,” but it’s unknown how much the stake is currently worth.

While Kalshi itself was worth less than $2 billion at the time of Trump Jr.’s onboarding, a May 2026 release put its current valuation at $22 billion.

Neither Trump Jr. nor Kalshi returned Moneywise’s request for comment.

What Kalshi sees in Trump Jr.

In announcing the Trump Jr. partnership last year, Kalshi crowed that “his extensive business experience and influence … brings a fresh perspective to Kalshi as we continue to push prediction markets into the mainstream.”

The company’s announcement also included a statement Trump Jr. had previously made on X, in which the president’s son said he “immediately knew I had to contribute to their [Kalshi’s] mission” after seeing the prediction platform correctly call the 2024 presidential race for his father.

Some, however, have pointed to the Trump administration’s perceived support for prediction market platforms like Kashi and Polymarket — Trump Jr. also sits on the latter’s advisory board — via the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Trump nominee Michael Selig heads the CFTC, which has thrown its federal weight behind prediction markets in gambling lawsuits in states like Minnesota, New York and Arizona.

Neither the White House nor the CFTC replied to Moneywise’s request for comment regarding the potential conflict of interest, given Trump Jr.’s association with Kalshi and Polymarket. In the meantime, Kalshi is now asking the CFTC to let it broaden its platform perimeters and allow borrowed-money bets, CNBC reports.

Kalshi is betting on bigger players

Kalshi reportedly applied for regulatory approval this week to allow some users of its platform to engage in margin trading, which allows users to place bets using borrowed funds, a move that CNBC noted is believed to be “a critical step needed for bigger players to participate” in prediction markets.

Kalshi told the outlet that “the company would avoid offering margin opportunities on its sports event contracts, as well as its culture and ‘mention’ markets,” and that the move would “make longer-dated prediction markets, those with expiration dates far in the future, more attractive to institutional traders.”

Many also pointed out that Kalshi already has permission for such bets for its perpetual futures.

To that end, the Wall Street Journal reported in early September that Kalshi also wants “regulatory approval to start offering the country’s first regulated perpetual futures tied to single stocks” like Apple, Nvidia and Tesla.

“You’re going to have the ability to place these bets around the clock. And perpetual futures usually have much more leverage than you have with respect to single stock ETFs,” Benjamin Schiffrin, director of securities policy for the non-profit financial regulatory advocate Better Markets, told the outlet.

“I think there’s just the potential for huge losses, especially amongst individual investors.”

“The United States is working on a massive Deal with respect to the purchase of Potash from Belarus,” Trump stated on his platform Truth Social. “The pricing would be for substantially less than we are currently paying to Canada, very good news for our Farmers and Ranchers. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

On Sept. 22, Trump expanded on the trade announcement at a United Nations meet-up with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

“Belarus has a lot of potash, and our farmers need good prices,” Trump stated. “We’ll continue to go with Canada, but Belarus would like to sell it for a much lower price.”

Belarus likely cannot meet US fertilizer demand

The trade deal may already be on thin ice for two primary reasons:

• Belarus may be tapped out: On Sept. 21, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko poured cold water on the deal, noting that current potash production is committed to other contractual buyers. “Even if we wanted to supply potash to other Western markets, we simply do not have those volumes — everything is contracted,” Lukashenko said, according to a presidential office statement.
• Belarus also faces a potash transport problem. Moving potash to U.S. farmers may be a logistical headache for the Eastern European country.

Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer at StoneX, a global financial business advisory firm, told Reuters that Belarusian potash’s usual delivery route through western neighbor Lithuania remains offline, mostly due to sanctions linked to the ongoing war between regional heavyweights Russia and Ukraine.

Linville added that potash isn’t an immediate U.S. fertilizer need right now. “We have not struggled to find potash,” he told Reuters. “We have more than enough to go around. It is phosphate and nitrogen that we need help with.”

Trade experts agree, noting that it wouldn’t be cheaper to transport potash from Belarus to the U.S.

“First, Belarus currently doesn’t have enough volume to meet U.S. demand,” Yagiz Sullu, founder and lead analyst at Sullu Strategic Advisory LLC and a former U.S. Commerce liaison, told Moneywise. “Belarus is also landlocked, and the port of Klaipėda restricts Belarusian cargo and transit, so potash exports must travel longer distances through Russia, which would add rail, port, insurance, and handling costs.”

Sullu noted that although Belarus could offer a lower initial price, transportation, insurance, and handling fees would all add up, and not in Uncle Sam’s favor. “Without knowing which routes potash exports will travel and the initial price, it’s too early to say that Belarusian exports will be cheaper,” he added.

Canada may offer a better deal

Canada, which produces 15 million metric tons of potash annually, mostly from Saskatchewan, is the globe’s premier producer and exporter of the material. Trade friction aside, it may make more sense as a potash partner than Belarus.

“The journey of Canadian potash will be simpler than that of Belarusian potash,” Sullu said. “For instance, Canadian potash can leave a mine in Saskatchewan, loaded onto a train, cross the border, and reach Midwest markets. On the other hand, Belarusian potash will be much harder to get to Midwest markets.”

According to Sullu, Belarusian cargo is restricted to the port of Klaipėda in Lithuania; it must move by rail from mines in Belarus into Russia and then reach a Russian port. From there, it must be loaded onto a large cargo ship and transported across the Atlantic. Then it has to be unloaded at a U.S. port and moved again, such as by rail or truck, to fertilizer distributors and ultimately to farms in the Midwest.

“In this potential route, every transfer will create a new bottleneck,” he noted. “Russian port capacity, insurance and financing, and U.S. port handling are all costs that need to be considered.”

Additionally, fertilizer demand is seasonal, so the route must be decided well before meeting farmers’ demands. “Canada is advantageous because it already has an established rail transportation network with the U.S. that skips several … points Belarusian exports would face,” Sullu added.

Russian influence could be in play, too

Trade experts say the U.S. potash play is public policy leverage against Canada, which has recently been targeted by the Trump administration over trade and tariff issues.

“Until now, potash didn’t really play any part in the trade war, but is now being utilized as a bargaining tool or leverage,” Arif Gasilov, partner at U.S.-based consultancy Gasilov Group, told Moneywise.

Potash was still being delivered to U.S. farmers somewhat reliably, despite the Iran war reducing the overall supply of other key fertilizer components: nitrogen and phosphate, Gasilov noted. “I believe the full effects of this will only show up in agricultural supply chains in a year or two,” he said.

Additionally, the potash discounts touted by the White House “are just at the mine,” Gasilov said. “A lot of shipments are taking longer routes and thus costing more, as a result of Belarus losing its Lithuanian port,” he noted.

As a result of losing its other port, Gasilov thinks dependence on Russia would be significant. “That’s because Belarus shipped 11.6 million tons of potash through Russian ports in 2025,” he stated.

Among Walmart’s newest customers, households earning more than $100,000 a year are growing the fastest, and roughly 139 million people shop its U.S. stores and website each week. Fashion is becoming a bigger part of that business, too.

During Walmart’s fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings call in February, executives called fashion a “bright spot” in stores and online and said it helped lead growth in U.S. general merchandise sales. Walmart also reported that Marketplace categories including fashion grew more than 40%.

“We want to be the No. 1 destination for fashion,” Denise Incandela, head of Walmart U.S. fashion, told The Cut. “Our customer is America.”

Walmart’s fashion reset

Incandela joined Walmart in 2017 after working at Saks Fifth Avenue and Ralph Lauren and has helped lead that shift. Early on, Incandela showed Walmart executives how much clothing spending they were missing out on. About 80% of what Walmart shoppers spent on apparel was going to higher-priced retailers instead.

Walmart already had the customers. The challenge was getting them to buy more of their clothes there.

“We knew we weren’t servicing all their closet needs,” Incandela told The Wall Street Journal, adding that customers gave Walmart credit for value, but not necessarily for “style and quality.”

Since then, Walmart has invested more heavily in its own clothing brands. One of its newest, Scenario, includes more than 280 pieces with what Walmart calls a “romantic, modern bohemian” look, with most pieces priced under $25. Some shoppers are already taking notice.

“These are Walmart. Incredible, right?” TikTok creator @facefirstfashion said while showing off pieces from a recent haul. “You would think I paid hundreds of dollars for this,” she added while showing off a beige cardigan.

Walmart has also brought in designers with high-fashion credentials. Brandon Maxwell, who has styled everyone from Lady Gaga to Dr. Jill Biden and runs his own luxury label, serves as creative director of Walmart brands Free Assembly and Scoop.

Under Incandela, Walmart has launched or refreshed 15 of its own brands and added more than 1,500 outside brands to its assortment, according to The Cut.

Why the timing may work in Walmart’s favor

Walmart’s fashion push is coming at a time when shoppers are paying closer attention to price.

McKinsey found consumers are becoming increasingly value-conscious: 80% are doing things like shopping around or waiting for sales, while 70% say they plan to spend less.

That pressure is showing up in household finances, too. A 2026 Federal Reserve report found that 58% of U.S. adults said higher prices over the previous year had made their financial situation worse.

That could work in Walmart’s favor. If shoppers can find a sweater, coat or pair of jeans they like for less, the name on the tag may matter less. A $45 cashmere sweater, for example, can look more appealing when similar pieces elsewhere cost much more.

Walmart’s enormous purchasing power can also help keep prices down. Incandela told The Cut that its scale gives the company leverage on everything from production to shipping, pointing to a Scoop blazer priced around $50 that she said might sell for roughly three times as much elsewhere.

Can Walmart change how shoppers see the brand?

Lower prices and better-looking clothes might be enough to pull shoppers from the snack aisle toward the sweaters. But the harder sell is changing how people think about Walmart in the first place.

Retail consultant Steve Dennis told The Cut that some consumers who typically shop at brands such as J.Crew may not see Walmart as a genuine substitute.

Moneywise reached out to Walmart for comment but did not hear back before publication.

A shopper may be willing to buy a $45 cashmere sweater because it looks good and costs less, but fashion has never really been just about the sweater.

It is about the version of yourself you become when you put it on — the one who walks into the boardroom a little taller, meets friends for dinner feeling a little sharper or catches a reflection in a store window and thinks, okay, this works.

For Walmart, the challenge is proving that feeling does not have to come with a designer label. And for shoppers, maybe that is the bigger shift: learning to separate price from value and prestige from confidence.

A bargain is only a bargain if the fabric holds up, the fit feels right and you actually want to wear it again. Sometimes the smartest thing in your closet is not the piece that costs the most. It’s the one that makes you forget to check the label.

Now, those who receive SNAP benefits risk losing them to a fraud scheme that the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) claims is dominated by Romanian organized crime groups: card skimming.

The outlet reports that members of Romanian gangs come to the U.S. — often illegally — and install barely detectable card skimmers on store payment terminals that the Justice Department says are “programmed with software to capture payment and personal information from the magnetic stripe” when SNAP users swipe their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. The WSJ added that the criminals load the funds onto blank cards and withdraw cash from them or use them to purchase items to sell.

“The thought process that they were unorganized is not true,” Mike Peck, assistant special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Global Investigative Operations Center, told Moneywise. “They know how to get the materials that they need into the country, they know how to get the people they want into the country, and they’re specifically targeting U.S. benefits programs because of the potential for quick cash and money.”

In discussing such fraud, Ohio state Rep. Tristan Rader put it bluntly to the WSJ: “There’s a special place in hell for people who steal from the poor.”

When stolen benefits become a household crisis

While there’s no national data that’s specific to SNAP card skimming, a report from the Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that $322 million in lost benefits, “likely due to fraudulent activity,” were replaced between October 2022 and December 2024, with another $233 million in fraudulent losses predicted for 2026.

Last year, an average of 42.1 million low-income Americans received monthly SNAP benefits, with the annual cost totalling $101.7 billion.

Priya Fielding-Singh, a food policy expert and director of policy and programs at George Washington University’s Global Food Institute, told Moneywise that SNAP fraud can be “deeply destabilizing” because, with the federal government no longer replacing stolen funds, victims often have to make sacrifices in order to make up the difference.

“In a budget that tight, losing any amount of food assistance can quickly affect much more than food. Families have to take on debt, defer paying other expenses or reduce how much they are eating to make their money stretch further that month.”

Peck, meanwhile, recalled one victim telling him they were “loading up for Thanksgiving dinner, couldn’t pay for it all [and] had to walk away because these scumbags go and steal it.”

When it comes to skimming theft, the WSJ noted only a handful of states have invested in microchip technology, like that used in debit and credit cards, for EBT cards to prevent fraud. Ohio and Virginia, for example, passed laws to include microchips on EBT cards this year, while California says it saw an 83% reduction in SNAP thefts after introducing chip-enabled cards.

Still, merchants must also adopt technology compatible with the chip cards and, as the WSJ noted, criminals can find ways around chip-enabled cards, but authorities are making progress. The Secret Service says a nationwide fraud outreach program with retailers prevented $428 million in fraud losses and confiscated more than 400 skimmers last year alone.

Blair Keen, a Secret Service investigative analyst (technical advisor), told Moneywise that agents often bring information flyers to businesses and show them how to check for skimmers themselves. “And in some instances, we’ve left an area and then we’ve gotten called the next week that, ‘Okay, because you guys taught us, now we found another one,” said Keen.

In April, meanwhile, the Justice Department charged five Romanian citizens in the U.S. for conspiring to steal nearly $1 million in SNAP benefits in Ohio and California by placing skimmers in 7-Eleven and UPS stores, among other locations. In July, the Justice Department also arrested two Romanian brothers for using “skimming devices at ATMs, fuel pumps and other locations.”

“We’ve been very, very fortunate that they haven’t broken the algorithm on [the micro]chips,” Peck added. “If we ever get to that point where they’re able to break them, that’s a financial crisis we’ll face as a nation. So work has to continue, because if we don’t, who’s going to do it?”

The fight to make SNAP harder to steal

A USDA spokesperson told Moneywise that the Food and Nutrition Administration is “strengthening prevention efforts to combat SNAP fraud,” including EBT chip cards and card locking, mobile payment pilots and “awarding grants for state agencies that support fraud detection and prevention.”

Peck, meanwhile, noted that “chips are your best bet right now” for fraud prevention, but that “it’s going to take a whole community approach to really combat this.” He pointed to a San Diego church that drove some parishioners to an ATM in order to safely withdraw their SNAP funds together.

The Food and Nutrition Administration suggests changing your EBT card’s PIN number at least once a month, as well as checking your account regularly for unauthorized charges. And the Secret Service advises SNAP recipients to “inspect ATMs, point-of-sale terminals and other card readers” for “anything loose, crooked, damaged, or scratched” and not to use the card reader “if anything appears unusual.” The Secret Service also says to use tap technology with debit or credit cards wherever possible.

“I also think we should be really careful not to put all of the responsibility on SNAP recipients,” Fielding-Singh added, noting that they’re just using the system they’ve been provided. “Individual precautions certainly matter, but so does modernizing the EBT payment system so these benefits are much harder to steal.”

Danielle Tammone, a Bohemia, Long Island homeowner, was walking in her backyard when she fell into a sinkhole about eight feet deep. Terrified, she began screaming for help while Daisy, her dog, stood guard over the sinkhole.

“People suffocate, and they die, so I thought that at first,” Tammone told CBS News New York. “I couldn’t breathe well, because I was gasping, and scared and crying.”

Tammone’s cry for help caught the attention of her neighbor Christine Chanowsky, who, with the help of another neighbor, immediately called 911. “At first, we thought she was in the shed or something. “We were not looking on the ground,” Christine Chanowsky told CBS New York.

Both neighbors told Tammone “don’t stop screaming” until they could locate her position. Within minutes, emergency responders brought Tammone up with a ladder. “Firemen, cops, ambulance, special unit, EMTs — they were wonderful,” Tammone said.

A physical therapist by trade, Tammone is currently recovering from whiplash and muscle pain from the fall.

Recognizing the danger of at-home sinkholes

Sinkholes are not uncommon in residential homes, experts say.

“A sudden ground collapse could stem from abandoned cesspools and septic tanks,

wells, leaking water or sewer lines, and bad soil conditions,” Blaine Rogers, an attorney and partner at the law firm Davis Levin Livingston, told Moneywise.

Typical warning signs include “unexplained depressions or cracks in the foundation, pooling or draining water differently than usual, leaning structures and oddly soft ground,” Rogers noted.

Insurance-wise, a standard homeowners policy (about $2,872 a year in the U.S., depending on the state) is built around a list of exclusions, and earth movement is almost always on it.

“Sinkholes and ground collapse usually fall inside that exclusion, so damage to the house or the yard from a collapse is often not covered unless the homeowner added a sinkhole or earth movement endorsement,” Joshua Lavine, CEO at Maryland-based Capitol Benefits, LLC, told Moneywise. “Some carriers offer one, and a few states require that it be offered, so it is worth asking about before anything happens.”

Sinkholes also bring unique issues to the insurance coverage table.

“Old cesspools and wells create a problem because the policy may also exclude damage tied to structures nobody knew were there,” Lavine noted.

Injuries are a different story, as the liability section of a homeowners policy responds when a guest is hurt on the property, and that section does not carry the same earth movement exclusion. “In a case like this one, a homeowner would likely find little help for the hole itself but real protection if a visitor was injured,” Lavine added. “The homeowner’s own injuries are not covered by their liability coverage, which is where health and disability coverage come in.”

If the property owner or guest is injured in a sinkhole accident

When a homeowner, family member or guest is injured after falling into a hole caused by an old well, cesspool or other structure, the homeowner could face legal and financial risk.

“Ultimately, homeowners are responsible for their property, but that doesn’t always mean they are the only responsible party,” Jennifer Taylor, founder and CEO of Claim Ready, an insurance technology platform, told Moneywise. “If there was a known issue with the property that wasn’t properly disclosed during the sale, for example, there could be some responsibility elsewhere.”

At that point, Taylor advised homeowners to speak with an attorney “to determine who may actually be legally responsible,” she said.

If a homeowner’s turf collapses, the immediate priority is personal safety.

“If the ground has suddenly collapsed, keep everyone away from the area,” Taylor recommended. “If someone is injured or there’s an immediate danger to the home or surrounding property, call emergency services or the appropriate local authority.”

Once everyone is safe, a homeowner should contact the insurance company and report what happened. “The insurer can help direct the next steps and determine what type of inspection may be needed,” Taylor noted. “Also, take photos and video from a safe distance, but don’t start filling in the hole or making repairs before the area has been properly evaluated and the insurance company has had an opportunity to inspect it.”

Sinkhole coverage costs can vary widely

Neither Lavine nor Taylor would comment on specific sinkhole insurance coverages on inspection or remediation, as they say the issue varies so much by cause and region. Still, homeowners can take immediate and useful steps with an insurance provider after a collapsed ground incident.

“The preventive step I give homeowners is simple,” Lavine said. “Ask about a sinkhole or earth movement endorsement, and review liability limits and umbrella coverage at each renewal rather than after something has gone wrong.”

The incident was first reported by the Stanford Review, a student media outlet. The original photo from Stanford Residential & Dining Enterprises shows three smiling students with plates of cafeteria food in each hand.

The altered photo depicts a Black woman who replaced Stanford student Billy Ramirez, who stood furthest to the right. The other two students received a digital makeover and were given trimmer physiques in the final image.

‘Silenced and erased’

Ramirez recounted learning about the altered image after a friend sent it to him. He said he felt “immediately baffled.”

“At first, I found it hilarious that they had used AI to completely change our appearances, including my race and gender. But after looking at the comparison, I was also upset because I don’t agree with Stanford making those choices about how we were represented,” Ramirez told the Review. “Seeing my identity changed and being left out of the picture made me feel, in a way, silenced and erased from a representation that was supposed to include me.”

A university spokesperson said Stanford had reviewed the issue and confirmed that AI was employed to modify the campus dining image “in violation of university policy.”

“Stanford’s AI policy is clear: The use of AI in producing or altering images of Stanford people, events, research, facilities, or achievements is strictly prohibited,” Stanford University public relations director Charlene Gage told Moneywise via email. “Both the alteration and lack of disclosure in this case violate that policy.”

Gage continued: “We are working with Residential and Dining Enterprises to provide additional training and ensure proper review of all materials.”

For the fall 2025 semester, Stanford reported that about 31% of its 7,300 undergraduate students were Asian. About 24% of all Stanford undergraduates were white, followed by Hispanic/Latino students at 16%. Black students made up 6% of the undergraduate student body.

AI use in ads

The instance of AI-generated imagery to highlight campus diversity evokes an earlier episode from September 2000 when the University of Wisconsin-Madison digitally inserted a Black student named Diallo Shabazz into a crowd of white college football fans. The digitally altered image was then used as the cover of the university’s undergraduate application booklet.

University officials admitted to The Washington Post at the time that they had used an image of a Black student for the booklet. University of Wisconsin-Madison’s then-vice chancellor for student affairs Paul Barrows said “this was an error in judgment that shouldn’t have happened.” University officials later apologized to Shabazz and the campus community. It also reprinted roughly 100,000 booklets for about $64,000.

The use of AI in ads is hardly a one-off for the sector. In 2024, 60% of agency decision-makers reported that their firm was already using generative AI to serve their clients in varying ways.

However, Americans remain broadly skeptical of the AI boom and how it could affect the U.S. economy. That skepticism extends to AI use in ads.

Gallup released a survey on Aug. 19 that showed nearly half, or 49%, of Americans viewed AI-generated ads negatively. Only 19% viewed them positively, and nearly one-third remained neutral on the question.

Americans were warmer toward using AI to help brainstorm ideas for ads, rather than employing the nascent technology to artificially create voices or people.

Strategy is also making moves to boost its share price. The same SEC filing disclosed that the Virginia-based Bitcoin holding firm had repurchased $174 million of its preferred stock. Strategy’s token holdings now total 846,000 Bitcoin worth $74 billion.

Bitcoin has fluctuated sharply in price over the past two years. It peaked at just above $126,000 in Sept. 2025 on the back of market enthusiasm for President Donald Trump’s second term in which he declared to be a “pro-crypto president.” His administration dropped scores of federal investigations into crypto firms and signed into law a regulatory framework for stablecoin issuers that integrated them further into the mainstream financial world. Stablecoin is a crypto asset pegged to a reserve currency like the U.S. dollar.

Bitcoin prices have since dropped sharply from last year’s record-high to $86,500 as of Tuesday afternoon. That price plunge hasn’t dented Saylor’s enthusiasm.

“A little more orange,” he posted on social media the day before the SEC filing, referring to a Bitcoin price chart with the company’s signature color.

“Sell a kidney if you must, but keep the Bitcoin”

As of Tuesday afternoon, Strategy was trading at about $168 per share. The Bitcoin firm’s share price has grown 9% since the start of the trading week on Monday. While a predominantly volatile space, crypto trading is still bustling with investor activity and far from dead — at least for now.

The Bitcoin-holding company unloaded $216 million in Bitcoin in July, just as Strategy was about to embark on a major overhaul of its balance sheet. The sale was viewed as a signal to crypto investors that the company intended to use Bitcoin to grow its liquidity in a more elastic strategy going forward, rather than simply acquire more of the token and refrain from selling it. The latter has been core to its overall business strategy, even as Bitcoin prices fell as the result of turmoil in digital asset markets.

Saylor has built a reputation as a Bitcoin evangelist. “Sell a kidney if you must, but keep the Bitcoin,” he said in a Feb. 2025 social media post.

Crypto’s flop in Congress

The crypto industry was dealt a major blow in Congress last week when a major crypto package named the Clarity Act failed to pass a key test vote in the Senate. Trump had supported the legislation, which would make it easier to ensure crypto wasn’t policed with the same federal oversight as stocks and bonds traded on Wall Street.

Democrats, though, sought stronger ethics language to prevent Trump from profiting off crypto assets. The president reported $1.4 billion in income from crypto ventures operated by members of his family. Crypto advocates assailed the outcome of the vote.

“Today’s vote was a failure of leadership,” Mason Lynaugh, executive director of the Stand With Crypto advocacy group, said in a statement shortly after the failed vote. “Every day without action is a day that American innovation, jobs, and investments continue to be shipped overseas.”

“To do this job for a living, that would be the dream,” Coates told WOWT. “Make a career out of it would be the goal, to get paid to do what you love.”

The dispute centers on a technicality. The Fremont job posting in April required “graduation from high school” — without specifying “accredited.” After rejecting Coates, the city updated the language to read “graduation from an accredited high school.”

Both sides of the argument

Coates and his family don’t accept this rationale and took the fight to the Civil Service Commission, supported by roughly 30 homeschool supporters and the Cedar Bluffs Fire Chief, Chris Lichtenberg, who feels the City is missing out. “You guys are discriminating against him,” he stated during the appeal.

Jennifer McDuffee, Fremont’s HR director, said the requirement was always implied: “I would say it’s a standard understanding that when someone requests a high school diploma or GED that they’re asking for an accredited diploma.”

Commissioner Doug Backens also noted, “I don’t think there was any discrimination against him, and I don’t care to hear that word out there.”

Moneywise contacted the City of Fremont for comment but had not heard back by publication time.

The Commission acknowledged the ambiguity in the original job posting but ruled it lacked authority to address city policy. Commission chairman Steve Tellatin cited concern about “the posting of the original requirements for the job and the ambiguity of what a diploma is,” but took no action.

Andrew’s father, Seth Coates, noted they were given 30 days to file in court.

Homeschooling & accreditation: Why it matters

The case touches a nerve because homeschooling is both legal and increasingly common, yet the credentials it produces remain unevenly recognized by employers.

In Nebraska, homeschools operate as “exempt schools,” according to the Nebraska Department of Education — meaning they are explicitly “non-approved and non-accredited private schools” under state law.

That legal designation, while designed simply to exempt families from accreditation requirements, can create downstream consequences exactly like what Coates encountered: a diploma that’s legal under state law but not recognized as equivalent to an accredited one by employers who assume otherwise.

Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, according to the National Home Education Research Institute, with an estimated 3.4 million students homeschooled during the 2024-2025 school year — roughly 6.3% of the K-12 population.

But accreditation varies significantly by state and program. According to GCheck compliance platform’s guide on homeschool diploma verification, “Homeschool diplomas represent completion of comprehensive educational programs” and are a “valid high school completion pathway.”

It notes that verifying homeschool credentials requires employers to navigate state-specific rules that vary widely, and they must take care to avoid discrimination. Credential verification in this area can be more nuanced than a standard background check.

Coates hasn’t given up on a firefighting career and hopes another paid department will credit his volunteer experience. “We’re not mad about one applicant, my application,” he said. “Now it’s turned into we want to make sure that every homeschooler has an equal opportunity.”

Federal prosecutors have accused Love, 35, and his alleged accomplice Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud between February 2022 and August 2026. The men will be tried in federal court in Portland, Oregon.

According to court documents, Love found victims on dating sites like Tinder and wooed them, posing as a pro football player with the San Francisco 49ers — or alternatively as a wealthy Swiss real estate developer — using aliases including Jon Love, Daejon Love, Avril Lyto Love and Jordan Love.

FBI investigators say Love used artificial intelligence to create fake images of himself as a football player that he posted on social media platforms such as Instagram, along with images and videos of himself in expensive clothing and driving expensive cars.

According to the court documents, Love “developed romantic relationships with many of the victims and told them he wanted to settle down and build wealth with them by investing together” — with Chan posing as Love’s investment advisor.

Court documents reveal the women not only gave Love and Chan their own money to invest, they even took out personal loans to do so.

During a news conference on Sept. 18, Portland FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas Olson commented on the backlash against alleged victims including “jokes, mockery, commentary that unfairly targets and blames the victims in this case.”

“Victim blaming is unjust and harmful, and overlooks the calculated, highly manipulated lengths these individuals went to, to exploit and manipulate others,” he said, according to KCRA 3.

AI is a big part of that manipulation.

AI and Google can fall for AI manipulation, too

Some of the victims reportedly got suspicious and fact-checked Love’s claims online, but as Fox News reports, both AI and Google appeared to provide false facts in response. Investigators themselves typed Love’s first and last names into search engines and found false confirmations that Love did, in fact, play for the 49ers.

“He was either a player, former player, a player on injured reserve … but whatever name he was using, he’d put enough stuff into the media searches so it was the first thing that came up on people’s page,” Olson shared with The Athletic.

“And it was not just the first thing that came up. It was like, there were multiple things in there that would confirm whatever he was telling those folks.”

Investigators say the manipulation went beyond using AI. Olson said Love targeted trusting and responsible people who “believed they were building genuine relationships and legitimate financial futures,” and if women questioned Love, he simply blocked them.

The court documents add that Love and Chan would meet the alleged victims via three-way FaceTime calls to establish trust, as well as in person, flying to different cities and states — including Oregon, Washington, California and Idaho, where the two were arrested.

Since the charges were laid, more alleged victims have come forward in Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah, bringing the count to at least 61, according to The Athletic.

“We were surprised how many people were victimized in such a short period of time and then to have that many more come forward,” Olson said, according to ABC 7. “It’s a large volume for just a couple of subjects. Our concern is that this fraud could be replicated by other individuals that are out there victimizing other people in similar schemes.”

49ers join the investigation

After performing their own Google searches, the FBI went straight to the source, the San Francisco 49ers, to investigate Love’s claim that he was a member of the team. Olson said the 49ers organization has been fully cooperative with the investigation and confirmed that not only was Love never on their team, he’s never played football in the NFL.

Olson encourages anyone who has suspicions about a potential romance or investment scam to investigate someone’s bold claims before moving forward. “I think you can exercise some healthy skepticism, but also verify with other real people and individuals, not just on the internet,” Olson shared with KCRA 3.

Olson also encourages anyone who may have been victimized to come forward to authorities, be it their local police or federal authorities.

“We don’t want anyone to be fearful of coming forward, certainly not for fear of embarrassment or anything like that, because we want to help them and we want to make sure that this doesn’t happen to anybody else.”

The FBI encourages anyone with information about Love or Chan to contact the bureau either online or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.

While most older borrowers owe for their own education, some retirees are saddled with student loan debt because they borrowed to help their children get a leg up. But that can leave them struggling to make ends meet in retirement with huge loan balances.

Let’s say, for example, that Raymond took on student debt to help his son and daughter earn their degrees. The problem is, Raymond now finds himself at age 70 with $200,000 in debt and no clear way to dig out of the hole.

So, what can Raymond do in this difficult situation?

Understanding repayment options

Raymond must start by taking a close look at the debt he’s carrying so he can understand his options.

“I think the first step here is to figure out exactly what kind of loans you have,” Steve Sexton, CEO of Sexton Advisory Group, told Moneywise. “Federal Parent PLUS Loans, federal consolidation loans and private student loans all have different rules and repayment options.”

Sexton explained that federal student loans may offer very flexible payment plans. “Depending on how and when the loans were consolidated, some borrowers may qualify for an income-driven repayment option, which will help make that monthly payment much more manageable,” he said.

Raymond would need to have consolidated his PLUS Loans and had the consolidation loan disbursed before July 1, 2026, to be eligible for an income-driven payoff plan. But even if he didn’t do that, he may still be able to consolidate his PLUS Loans to access the tiered standard plan, which gives him a longer repayment timeline (and lower monthly payments).

If he has private student loans, consolidation isn’t an option, but refinancing to reduce his rate could be, if he can qualify for a new loan with a lower rate than his current debt. If he can’t refinance, though, he’s stuck with the payment arrangement he agreed to when he borrowed.

Regardless of whether his student loans are federal or private, Sexton explained that “with a balance that large, the goal may not be to pay it off as quickly as possible. The goal may be to keep the loan in good standing while preserving enough money to live comfortably.”

Prioritizing retirement

While Raymond may want to abandon the idea of early debt payoff, he still must make sure he doesn’t get into financial trouble with how he handles his loans.

“Don’t ignore the loans,” said Michael McAuliffe, president and founder of Family Credit Management. “If they go into default, you can have part of your Social Security taken each month by the government.”

As long as Raymond stays current on payments, though, there may be little reason to do more, especially since Sexton said his first focus must be on his own future. “An important point worth noting,” said Sexton. “Federal Parent PLUS Loans can generally be discharged if the parent borrower dies. That doesn’t mean you ignore the debt, but it is one more reason I would be very cautious about exhausting retirement assets just to get the balance to zero.”

If Raymond can pay an affordable minimum monthly payment while still having money left over for everything else he needs, doing that may be better than aggressively trying to repay everything he owes ASAP.

“Don’t assume the answer is to start liquidating accounts just to make the balance go away,” warned Sexton. “At that age, the bigger priority is protecting your overall retirement. You still need money for housing, healthcare, everyday expenses and potentially another 20-plus years of living costs. Draining an IRA or 401(k) to aggressively pay down student loans can create a tax bill and leave you with less flexibility down the road.”

Get creative in finding extra cash

If Raymond decides to be more aggressive about paying off his debt, he can also explore ways to generate extra money to send to creditors.

“You may need to work a part-time job solely to pay off your debt,” said Melanie Musson, a finance expert with Quote.com. Musson says the extra money, combined with pulling money from your retirement savings can help pay off the loan in a shorter period of time. However, as Sexton points out pulling from an IRA or 401(k) does come with tax implications.

Musson also suggested selling some things, like an RV, extra car or motorcycle if Raymond has any of these assets, as selling items could help pay off the debt faster.

And she also pointed out an obvious solution, although it’s one Raymond may feel uncomfortable with. “There’s also the option of asking your kids to pay the debt since it was for their schooling, but this puts your relationship in a tricky position,” Musson said. “If you took out the loan of your own accord, with no agreement for your kids to pay you back, it usually won’t be well received if you ask them to repay you.”

Whether Raymond decides to ask his kids for help, get aggressive to aim for $0 in debt, or keep monthly payments as low as possible, he must keep in mind that he needs his own money to last for life. And he absolutely doesn’t want to risk that.

As Sexton said, “Let’s not forget the emotional side to this. Parents often feel guilt because debt was taken out for their children. But at 70, you don’t have as many working years ahead of you to rebuild your savings. Your children may have decades of earning potential left. You have to make sure helping them doesn’t come at the expense of your own basic financial security.”

The ad, which was posted on Instagram, featured K-pop singer Karina wearing a white skirt while holding a pair of the company’s Chuck 70 X sneakers. Shadows and lighting reflected against those, however, creating a white triangle that mimicked a KKK hood. Others noted the shoes appeared to be dangling, as if someone was being hanged.

“We’re sorry. We understand why this image is deeply upsetting and recognize that we got this wrong,” Converse said in a statement shared with ABC News. “We removed it from our channels and are working to remove it everywhere it appeared. This should not have happened and we will do better.”

It’s unclear who designed or approved the ad.

‘Insensitive and distasteful’

Critics quickly called out the ad when it debuted online.

“Who approved this? Who looked at these images and thought they would sell shoes?” said Kendall Peacock, who runs the Education Firm, an Atlanta-based tutoring and mentorship program. “As a Black man and someone who loves Converse shoes, I find this very insensitive and distasteful.”

Photographer Stephanie Schwartz wrote, “Shadow, light and composition. Every photographer can tell you, whoever did this ad knew EXACTLY what they were doing.”

Even politicians criticized Converse and its parent company Nike.

“Nike and Converse, what the hell were you thinking?” Rep. Troy Carter, D-La., said in a statement. “Black pain is not a marketing prop. Lynching is not a creative concept. The Ku Klux Klan is not an aesthetic. This campaign should never have been created, approved or released. Nike and Converse must answer for it. You have caused real harm and repairing that harm will require more than an apology written by your public relations department.”

Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt added that Converse’s apology doesn’t explain how the ad was approved in the first place.

“Converse says sorry. The image was still up hours later,” he wrote on social media. “An apology doesn’t undo what got past legal, marketing and leadership at every step. We keep having this conversation because corporations keep failing the same test.

“Do better means catching this before it airs — not after we’re offended.”

Rising tensions

The Converse ad comes at a time when racial tensions are on the rise in the U.S.

A study by YouGov found that two-thirds of Democrats believe race relations have gotten worse since 2016, while 43% of the Americans surveyed, from both political parties, felt racism was a big problem in today’s society.

Critics have also criticized President Trump, most recently for his mention of Willie Horton at a stump speech for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley. Horton, a Black man who was convicted of assault and rape after he was released from prison through a Massachusetts furlough program, was used in an ad for George H.W. Bush’s presidential campaign in 1988. The ad was an attempt to label Michael Dukakis, Bush’s opponent — who was the governor of Massachusetts at the time — as soft on crime.

In his recent stump speech, Trump compared Dukakis’s release of Horton to the pretrial release of a Black man who’s been charged with the murder of a Ukrainian refugee last year in Charlotte, North Carolina. However, Whatley’s Democratic opponent — Roy Cooper, the former governor of North Carolina — was not the governor when the man was released or charged with murder.

Meanwhile, Trump ally Laura Loomer has also come under fire for calling a Black lawmaker “ghetto.”

“The apartment unfortunately smells like hot garbage or the subway,” Gobaud told Gothamist. “There’s a draft of warm, smelly trash and mechanical air constantly entering the apartment.”

The problem? His landlord and the building owner claim they don’t smell anything and it’s led to a legal standoff where neither side is budging.

The dispute

Gobaud’s complaints about the smell date back to move-in day in June when he says he first noticed the weird odor in the apartment. According to court documents, he filed a repair request through the building’s tenant portal the next day. That was just the first of 10 other requests he ended up submitting.

He then started making complaints to the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development and sent emails to the property manager and the building owner, Fetner Properties.

In its court response Fetner Properties said it responded to Gobaud’s complaints, investigating, repairing and cleaning parts of the unit, including patching holes in the kitchen, replacing the fridge and sealing gaps in and around plumbing in the bathroom.

“It appears,” they wrote, that Gobaud “is trying to use this court to posture for a rent abatement.”

Gobaud has denied the accusation he is using the scent to get out of rent payments and his landlord says he has continued to pay his rent each month.

The building

The unit is located on the 46th floor next to a trash compactor room and garbage chute. Gobaud believes the smell is coming through an electrical outlet opening in the wall behind the kitchen cabinets.

He told the Gothamist he’s spent hundreds of dollars buying structural plans from the Department of Buildings and on a borescope camera that fed behind his cabinets into the wall. The building plans appear to show a riser shaft between his unit and the garbage room and he showed a Gothamist reporter how he believes the air circulates from behind the wall and out of the electrical outlet opening.

The company and its attorney deny that there is a gap, arguing that the trash chute is encased in concrete to stop the smell.

And it appears Gobaud is alone in his battle. According to the Gothamist, just four other tenants have filed complaints about the building since April 2025 and it has four open violations, none of which relate to peculiar odors.

Still Gobaud isn’t giving up. He plans to go door-to-door along the line of apartments next to the trash chute to see if others are experiencing the same problem.

What rights do tenants have?

Despite the ongoing dispute — and alleged odor — Gobaud says he has no plans to move out. He likes the apartment, its location and its view. He even turned down an offer to break his lease.

So what rights do tenants have when it comes to their living conditions? Landlords are required to comply with federal, state and local laws. There is no single federal law addressing landlord-tenant disputes, but federal laws against housing discrimination and safety do exist.

State and local laws vary, but often give tenants the right to complain about unsafe, unhealthy or poorly maintained housing. Tenants generally have the right to complain about persistent or serious smells in the apartment, especially if they may indicate things like sanitation, sewage or ventilation problems. Whether a landlord is legally required to fix it depends on what’s causing the smell.

For tenants dealing with a persistent or unexplained smell, the first step is to report the problem to the landlord or property manager in writing and keep a record of each complaint, response and attempted repair. Photos and videos may not capture an odor itself, but documenting where and when the smell occurs, along with any visible conditions that could be related, can help establish a pattern.

Tenants can also contact their local housing or code-enforcement agency if they believe the odor may be connected to a health, safety or building-code violation.

But as Gobaud’s case shows, these disputes may not always yield the desired results and could leave you in a legal stalemate.

You have a ready-to-go operation, customers are already there and, ideally, there’s money coming in. But when you put a big chunk of that purchase on a credit card, things can get complicated quickly if the business isn’t bringing in enough to cover the debt.

That’s exactly the sticky situation Manny from Atlanta found himself in when he called into The Ramsey Show.

He told Dave Ramsey that he’d used credit cards and seller financing to buy a business that isn’t bringing in enough money to cover what he owes, while also carrying a mortgage on a rental property, a mortgage on his own home, and about $30,000 in other personal debt.

“The bank doesn’t know it’s business — it’s in your name,” the Ramsey said. “You have $20,000 in credit card debt because you bought a business with a credit card. There’s no such thing as business debt on something like this because banks don’t loan money to businesses of your size.”

Manny wanted to know whether selling the rental property could help him get out from under the debt. Ramsey’s answer was simple.

A sticky situation

Manny bought the business for $200,000, put some of the purchase on a credit card and financed the rest through the seller. He said he still owes about $60,000 on the seller financing.

His wife also works for the business, although Manny didn’t go into detail about how it was doing. He estimated it made just under $60,000 last year.

The couple also has a rental property that brings in about $1,100 a month in cash flow, along with their home mortgage and about $30,000 in personal debt. Under those circumstances, Ramsey didn’t think the rental was worth keeping.

“Yes, sell the rental property and pay off the $60,000 and pay off the $50,000 and pay off your home mortgage and you’re 100% debt-free,” Ramsey said.

Then he boiled it down to something Manny could feel rather than calculate.

“Can you breathe that level of peace into your lungs?” he asked. “That’s why you sell the rental property.”

Selling the rental would mean giving up the $1,100 a month it brings in. But Ramsey’s point was that Manny could use the equity to eliminate the debts that are taking money out of the household every month.

When a business purchase becomes personal debt

Manny used the credit card to buy the business, but that didn’t make the credit-card bill the business’s problem. He bought a business. He also put $20,000 of that purchase on a credit card in his own name.

If the business doesn’t make enough to cover the payment, Manny still has to make it. The credit card bill doesn’t wait for the business to have a better month.

That’s why the purchase is putting pressure on more than just the business. Manny still has credit card debt, money he owes the seller, a rental mortgage, his home mortgage and other personal debt.

The rental property is the one piece Ramsey thinks can change that. It brings in about $1,100 a month, but selling it could give Manny a much bigger lump sum to put toward the debts.

Ramsey’s answer wasn’t to take out another loan or try to move the debt around. He told Manny to sell the rental property and use the money to pay off the debt, including the business debt and the mortgage on his home.

That would mean giving up the rental income, but it would also eliminate a number of monthly payments for Manny and his wife.

In Ramsey’s view, that trade-off is worth it because Manny wouldn’t be trying to make the business work while also finding money for all those other bills.

After that, they’d still have the business to deal with. They’d just be doing it without all those other debt payments hanging over them.

Beyond these specialized, AI-proof trades skills, though, there are also certain innately human proficiencies that experts believe will remain coveted throughout future tech-obsessed eras.

And influential figures in the sphere, like Bill Gates, are asking that society earmark space for people in positions that require these uniquely mortal abilities as we push into the unknown of a new industrial revolution.

Specifying ‘human reserved’ jobs

In a lengthy essay about the frontier of artificial intelligence, published recently on Gates’s blog, the Microsoft magnate suggests, among other things, that we “set aside some jobs for humans,” no matter how software evolves to supersede us.

The jobs in question would include roles that deal with extremely delicate situations, such as in healthcare specialties — areas that Gates is personally familiar with, and uses his experience to prove the continued need for.

“My dad died of Alzheimer’s in 2020. In the later stages of his illness, he was cared for day and night by caregivers who understood him even when he struggled to express himself,” he says. “Something in the care they gave him was irreplaceably human. No robot could or should have done it.

“For example, imagine a robot giving you the awful news that you have an incurable disease. There’s no technical reason why it couldn’t. Yet it shouldn’t.”

Gates believes this “human reserved” label could also extend to other sectors where, even if an algorithm could do a particular job, it would not be moral to allow it to, such as in cases that would displace a large number of specialized, experienced people.

“We might set something aside as human reserved for economic reasons: You can’t tell a 55-year-old who has worked in construction their whole career that they need to go work at an elder care facility and expect them to find it fulfilling,” he writes. “We should consider setting aside some jobs now and phasing in AI slowly over years or decades with a commitment to preserve some jobs.”

Something that could help with said preservation is adding a tax for employers to rely on computers or robotics to complete work that people could be paid to do; as Gates says, the present system that charges companies payroll taxes and other expenses for each human worker (and treats robots as a tax write-off) “nudges you toward replacing humans with machines.”

Gates proposes the funds garnered from such a levy could go toward staff laid off due to AI.

Future AI abilities are potentially unlimited and still unknown to us

As seen in China, which has revolutionized auto plant floors with endless rows of robotic arms to replace human assembly line workers, there is the very real possibility that work across more industries than we expect could eventually be automated, whether by a piece of computer code or an entire humanoid robot.

Microsoft itself listed gigs like embalmer, hazardous material removal worker and dishwasher as some of the ones least likely to be impacted by emerging technology — meagre pickings for those of us in completely different fields, and still not even guaranteed in the years to come.

As positive as Gates’ perspectives on the AI future are, at least compared with others in the industry right now, he does admit that the tech could serve as not just the greatest equalizer ever invented, but “the worst source of injustice,” depending how we use it and what guardrails we impose on it.

With the rise of AI, recruiters are routinely flooded with applications, and they, in turn, use AI to screen out candidates. It’s been referred to as the “AI doom loop.”

Hotel empire Hilton has seen its early-career program receive thousands of applications for only a handful of spots.

Here’s why the program is so popular with young job seekers.

A highly competitive landscape

According to a report from Fortune, Hilton’s Launch program received 5,000 applications in a span of just a few weeks. But the program only accepts 20 individuals.

That makes its acceptance rate just 0.4%, which makes it more competitive than an Ivy League school. For Harvard’s class of 2029, the acceptance rate was 4.18% (2,003 students admitted out of 47,893 applicants).

The Launch program is meant to foster future leaders for the company, offering both corporate experience and a chance to learn outside the U.S.

The two-year program begins with a 10-month stint at Hilton headquarters in McLean, Va., where participants work in one of the company’s key corporate areas to develop business, analytics and tech skills.

Then, there’s a three-month rotation at one of Hilton’s hotels worldwide, to see hotel operations first-hand. This is followed by another 10-month rotation in Virginia in a key corporate area.

Hands-on leadership training is a big selling point on the program, but what might be even more appealing is that after successfully completing the program, participants are offered a full-time job, according to Fortune.

Laura Fuentes, chief human resources officer for Hilton, told Fortune that the Launch program is meant to give participants an immersive experience of the business, and be a gateway for a career.

“These jobs are super competitive. I mean, we have 20 to 30 spots, and we’ll get 5,000 applicants,” Fuentes told Fortune. “It’s intense ... The volume may ebb and flow in any given year, but there are opportunities, and we’re looking for talent all around the world.”

According to Fortune, the Hilton internship program is also highly competitive; this year saw 12,000 applicants vying for just 72 positions, a 0.6% acceptance rate.

Gen Z’s values

It makes sense that Gen Z would flood a company like Hilton with applications, since both the early-career opportunities it offers and its reputation overall align with Gen Z’s values when it comes to their careers.

Gen Z places a high value on jobs that allow them to grow, and involve helping others. And they’re not as interested in jobs that involve unsustainable workloads that could lead to burnout.

Gen Z also values investments into their professional development, so it makes sense that a company invested in developing leaders from the ground up would appeal to them.

AI woes

Hiring professionals have faced an exponential increase in the number of applicants for jobs. One analysis found that from 2022 to 2025, there was a 111% increase in the number of applications for jobs.

Hilton’s CHRO Fuentes told Fortune that AI has definitely heightened the competition.

“AI is helping candidates apply, but then they’re also the victims of the increased volume that this generates,” Fuentes said.

Her advice for young job seekers? Stand out by only applying to positions that you actually really want.

“Because at some point, if you make it through — which is your hope in the interview process — we’re gonna want to see authentic interest.”

The majority of U.S. law enforcement agencies provide no financial support for their dogs once they leave active duty, according to the Retired Police Canine Foundation (RPCF), as noted by Police1, a publication run by police-training company Lexipol.

Veterinary costs — which can exceed $1,000 for a routine annual checkup and climb past $10,000 for chemotherapy or emergency surgery — fall entirely on the handler or adopting family.

“We’re very, very bonded with these animals,” Lt. John Pappas, an RPCF spokesman and former K-9 commanding officer with the NYPD, told Police1. That’s why handlers will often go into debt rather than let their dogs go without care.

Florida is trying to change that equation.

How the program works

Florida offers handlers of eligible retired police dogs up to $5,000 per dog per year for veterinary expenses, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The RPCF sends the funds to eligible handlers statewide. Covered expenses include vaccinations, routine care and even cremation.

To qualify, a dog must have served at least five years, or at least three years if it was injured in the line of duty and retired due to that injury, per FDLE’s eligibility rules. The state expanded the program in 2025, raising the reimbursement cap from $1,500 to $5,000 a year.

For comparison, Delaware reimburses up to $1,500 annually and Maryland up to $2,500, WDBJ7 reports. Most states offer nothing at all. Florida, Pappas said, is “way ahead of everybody else in this country.”

Broward Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Claudinne Caro captured the spirit behind the program: “Retirement allows these dogs to enjoy a well-earned life with the person they trust most.”

Why the financial gap matters

The retirement funding problem is significant because the costs arrive precisely when dogs are most vulnerable. According to Paws of Honor, cited in a congressional op-ed by Rep. Randy Feenstra, about 40% of a police dog’s lifetime veterinary expenses occur in its final two years of life — meaning handlers can expect $5,000 or more in bills just at the point of retirement. The National Police Dog Foundation notes surgeries can run as high as $40,000.

The average working lifespan of a police K-9 is approximately seven to eight years, according to the Hollywood Police Department. Veterinary costs typically fall on the law enforcement agency while the dog is on active duty. But when that career ends, the financial responsibility typically transfers to the individual handler overnight.

Federal legislation is gaining momentum

Florida’s model may be getting a national counterpart. In September, the National Police Association endorsed the K-9 Hero Act of 2026, legislation introduced by Rep. Derrick Van Orden that would establish a federal grant program — authorized at $5 million annually from 2027 through 2031 — to help cover veterinary expenses for retired federal and military working dogs.

Nonprofit organizations with a main mission to support retired working dogs would be eligible to apply, with grants capped at $1 million per organization per year.

“Police dogs perform physically and mentally demanding work, which places them at increased risk for medical issues requiring specialty veterinary care. These costs can accumulate rapidly and create a financial burden for caregivers,” said Paula Fitzsimmons, legislative director of the National Police Association.

For now, Florida remains the gold standard — and a reminder that the dogs who spend years putting themselves in harm’s way deserve more than an unceremonious end to their care and benefits when their service finishes.

But not talking about money can cause its own problems, especially when it comes to inheritance.

Avoiding discussions about inheritance can lead to family rifts and infighting. It can leave family members expecting something — and even making plans for the inheritance they think they’re going to receive, which can obviously have a negative impact if it turns out the money they planned to have isn’t there.

And for younger children, keeping an inheritance or a trust a secret and then suddenly revealing it when they come of age can also backfire. So, too, could telling them about the money, but not teaching them beforehand how to handle it responsibly.

Experts agree that preparing children for an inheritance, no matter the size, is an important part of overall financial health.

Ken Polk, founder of Arlington Family Offices, a wealth management firm for wealthy families, told Business Insider that he has three steps he recommends to parents who want to teach their children how to manage inheritances — and it’s “a process that begins in childhood and evolves as your kids grow up.”

Emphasize character first

Polk’s first step is a big one, it not only impacts the other steps, but really your child’s life as a whole.

He noted that wealthy individuals may wish to have “a legacy that lasts.”

“Ultimately, preserving legacy comes down to a child’s character and who they’re becoming,” Polk told Business Insider.

Personal finance expert Dave Ramsey recently addressed this issue for a caller to The Ramsey Show, saying that he raised his own children “not to be good children, but to be good adults.”

“I’m going to teach them how to save. I’m going to teach them how to spend. I’m going to teach them how to live on less than they make,” he said.

He added that children who are expecting inheritances should still have to work. “Do not allow them to be entitled brats that don’t work.”

Polk recommends an exercise of having children name eight character traits that they would like to embody, and then getting them to write a letter to their future selves. “It’s about helping them work backward from the person they want to become,” he told Business Insider.

He also noted that it’s important to help children figure out “their purpose in life” before any inheritance is in their hands.

Start having conversations young

Polk says that children as young as six can start to learn the basics of money management. He recommends a system using jars or envelopes, and having kids divide their money into three categories: “some to give, some to save, and the rest for living.”

When his children turned 12, Polk then graduated them to actual bank accounts, taking them with him to the bank to open them. With their bank accounts, he encouraged the same “give, save, live” system.

Teaching children how to make financial decisions on a smaller scale means that “you can gradually entrust them with bigger ones,” Polk says. Once this framework is in place, Polk says they’ll be more prepared to learn about what their inheritance could look like.

Tell children not only what, but why

Polk says that revealing your family’s financial situation to your children can happen between the ages of 19 and 22. “That’s when you begin walking them through the family’s finances and talking more openly about their inheritance,” he said.

He has clients write a “legacy letter” to their children, explaining the purpose behind the inheritance, and that “makes the ‘spirit’ of the money clear.”

Polk told Business Insider that he and his wife had done this with each of their children.

“Their mother and I sat down with them and explained that there was a reason we had taught them systems like give, save, and live. We were seeing whether they could handle the inheritance they were about to learn about.”

If your children are going to receive an inheritance or access to a trust earlier, however, it may be wise to start the “reveal” process earlier.

Ramsey advised the caller to his show that if their children would have access to their money at age 18, the parents should slowly reveal over time that there was money set aside for their futures as they move into their teen years.

For example, starting to teach them about investing, and then mentioning that there is some money already invested for them for their futures.

“Stick with large cap quality stocks,” Morgan Stanley strategist Mike Wilson wrote in a Monday note reviewed by Business Insider.

The bank identified 15 major stocks that fit its quality criteria and carry an “overweight” rating from its analysts, including chipmakers Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) and Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU), tech companies Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and SanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK) and credit giants Visa (NYSE: V) and Mastercard (NYSE: MA).

The rest of the list spans several sectors, including consumer staples, retail, health care, technology, semiconductor equipment, software and travel.

Among them are Costco (NASDAQ: COST), Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), Lam Research (NASDAQ: LRCX), Arista Networks (NYSE: ANET), Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD), Seagate Technology (NASDAQ: STX) and Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), along with the beaten-down UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH) and ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW), which was caught up in the broader software selloff earlier this year.

To make the cut, companies had to rank among the 1,000 largest stocks by market value, have higher earnings estimates than three months ago, place in the top third of Morgan Stanley’s quality screen and carry an “overweight” rating from the bank’s analysts.

What changes in mid-cycle

The focus on earnings reflects Morgan Stanley’s broader view of where the market is headed. The bank believes that the bull market still has room to run, but the companies leading it could change as the economic cycle matures. Wilson has previously described a shift away from the early-cycle environment, when economically sensitive, higher-risk companies benefited as earnings rebounded from depressed levels.

In the mid-cycle phase, strong earnings growth becomes more important as higher interest rates weigh on stock valuations. Wilson has pointed to the current combination of strong earnings growth and declining valuations as a sign that this shift is already underway.

During mid-cycle, “quality starts to matter again,” Wilson said in an Aug. 3 episode of the Thoughts on the Market podcast. In a follow-up podcast on Sept. 18, he pointed to strengthening earnings expectations in software, financial services, insurance and health care services, suggesting those sectors could pick up some of the momentum enjoyed by semiconductors and other cyclical stocks earlier this year.

There are signs that shift may already be underway. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index, a widely followed benchmark for the chip industry, has surged 75% this year but is down roughly 14% from its June high, according to Yahoo Finance data.

For investors, a shift in market leadership would put more weight on companies that can keep growing earnings and generating cash even as borrowing costs rise.

How long will the earnings boom last?

If earnings are becoming more important to stock returns, investors may need to be more selective about where they put their money. That comes after an especially strong second quarter, when S&P 500 earnings grew 28.9%, according to FactSet, marking the third straight quarter of growth above 25%.

Analysts tracked by FactSet expect earnings growth to remain strong in the third quarter, but Goldman Sachs sees that pace slowing next year.

In May, Goldman forecast S&P 500 earnings growth of 24% this year, slowing to 13% next year. The bank also expects companies benefiting from AI infrastructure spending to account for roughly half of this year’s earnings growth.

But Goldman has also made the case for looking beyond the stocks that have led those gains, supporting Morgan Stanley’s argument for a more selective approach. Chief U.S. equity strategist Ben Snider said it would be beneficial for investors “to diversify beyond AI-infrastructure stocks,” especially if an improved geopolitical outlook boosts consumer-facing stocks.

Dozens of lawsuits have been filed against the companies behind the most popular GLP-1 medications from people who have been diagnosed with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). The disorder is rare, but can cause rapid-onset vision changes and loss that can result in blindness. It typically occurs in people over the age of 50 and is usually permanent.

NAION is not listed on the warning labels for GLP-1 medications in the U.S., but is included in some other countries. In June, Novo Nordisk updated labels for Wegovy and Ozempic in Europe to read that semaglutide, an active ingredient in weight-loss drugs, may cause NAION in up to one in 10,000 patients.

Evidence linking GLP-1 medications and NAION is mixed. While some research has suggested a possible association, other studies have found no correlation between the two. In May, The American Academy of Ophthalmology said there was insufficient evidence for a blanket warning, writing “causality has not been established.”

What do GLP-1 makers say?

“Patient safety is Lilly’s top priority,” Eli Lilly and Company, an American pharmaceutical company that manufactures Mounjaro and Zepbound, said in a statement to Moneywise.

“We actively monitor, evaluate and report safety information for all our medicines to the FDA. As part of our routine safety review process, we have ongoing discussions with regulators regarding potential safety topics and we will continue to review data, including any data regarding ophthalmic issues. If anyone is experiencing side effects when taking a Lilly medicine, they should talk to their doctor or other healthcare professional.”

Novo, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, said it believed the personal injury lawsuits were “without merit and we are defending them.”

“Patient safety is a top priority for Novo, and we take all reports of adverse events seriously,” Liz Skrbkova, head of U.S. media and stakeholder relations for Novo, told Moneywise. “We care deeply about the wellbeing of people who take our medicines and collaborate closely with health authorities and regulatory bodies worldwide. Semaglutide has a well-established safety profile, supported by robust clinical development programs. We recommend that all patients maintain close contact with their healthcare professional for proper diagnosis, appropriate treatment, ongoing guidance and careful monitoring.”

Recent pickup in usage

The lawsuits surrounding GLP-1 drugs and NAION didn’t just pop up. In January, a Maryland truck driver claimed an “eye stroke” left him blind and he blamed it on GLP-1 drugs. And while the current lawsuits represent a small fraction of the people taking the weight-loss drugs, recent changes in availability are putting more of a spotlight on them.

Just under three months ago, a new federal program expanded access to GLP-1 drugs under a program known as Medicare Bridge. At the end of August, federal officials said 600,000 older Americans had signed up to receive the drugs, which cost just $50 per month.

Medical officials say patients who are taking semaglutide who haven’t experienced any symptoms should continue to take the meds. People who have not started yet and are concerned about the risk of NAION should consult their doctors before deciding whether to proceed with GLP-1 drugs.

In a Sept. 18 conversation at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York, Obama tied the risk to “recursive learning,” which he described as AI models increasingly learning without relying on humans to supply the answers.

About a year ago, Obama estimated, humans were responsible for roughly 90% of what AI models learned, with the models filling in another 5% to 10% themselves. In less than a year, and perhaps less than six months, he said that split has moved to roughly 50/50.

If the trend continues, Obama said the ratio could eventually flip to 90% machine learning and 10% human input, allowing AI capabilities to improve much faster, but perhaps at the expense of some highly skilled jobs.

He singled out law firms, which traditionally employ large numbers of junior associates to handle research, drafting and document review, with many earning six-figure salaries.

“If you are investing in AI at a law firm, and they’re pretty expensive, the reason you’re making that investment is because it will allow you to do things without those associates,” Obama said.

Obama said accountants could face a similar threat from agentic AI, a newer form of the technology that can take instructions and then carry out tasks on its own. Instead of simply answering a question or generating text, these systems can handle work now performed by lawyers, accountants and other professionals.

“The economic disruptions that will come at this speed, I think, are going to be profound as well,” he cautioned, while adding that there’s clearly a “misalignment between what our society needs and the commercial imperatives that these companies are facing,” raising the possibility that what makes economic sense for businesses may come at a cost to workers.

AI may already be changing who gets hired

So far, the impact on workers has been more complicated than outright job replacement. AI is being used to automate some tasks while helping workers perform others, and its use in the workplace is growing quickly.

Research from The Conference Board found that by the end of 2025, roughly 41% of U.S. workers and 18% of U.S. companies reported using AI. Within three years, it estimates that 60% to 70% of jobs in the “cognitive workforce” could involve people working alongside AI.

But to Obama’s point about junior associates, AI displacement may be more pronounced among younger workers entering the job market. Stanford University’s Institute for Economic Policy Research reported that unemployment among recent college graduates reached 5.6% in early 2026, up 1.6 percentage points from three years earlier.

“Junior roles often involve routine research, analysis and writing tasks that can now largely be done with AI,” Stanford researchers wrote, adding that there’s evidence AI “may be dampening demand for new hires.”

Signs of a rebound have emerged in at least some AI-exposed fields, though hiring has yet to return to levels seen before ChatGPT launched in late 2022. According to a recent analysis by Investopedia, job postings for software developers fell 73% from their February 2022 peak through February 2025, but have since risen by roughly 21%. Software-development openings nevertheless remain about 23% below pre-pandemic levels.

Could new demand offset AI job losses?

The near-term picture may be difficult for some workers, particularly those trying to get a foot in the door. But another school of thought argues that AI’s longer-term impact will depend on how much new demand the technology creates as it makes services cheaper.

Torsten Slok, partner and chief economist at Apollo, points to Jevons paradox, the idea that making something cheaper or more efficient can lead people to use more of it. He argues the same dynamic could play out in cognitive industries heavily exposed to AI.

“As AI makes many processes cheaper in finance, consulting and legal services,” Slok wrote, “we should expect more demand and more jobs in those sectors, not fewer.”

Slok pointed to medical imaging as an example. As the cost of PET, CT and MRI scans fell by roughly 70% over two decades, the number of scans at least doubled. In other words, lower costs helped boost enough additional demand that overall usage increased rather than declined.

If he wants the insurance money, he has nothing to do but wait.

Foreman has residential flood insurance through FEMA, which provides over 95% of flood insurance nationwide. Unfortunately, they’ll only pay out once his house collapses.

“Environmentally, it would be far better if they would allow me to tear it down on a beautiful day where all the debris is in one spot,” said Foreman to NPR. “But by requiring the waiting game for it to fall, it’s going to fall in a storm, and it’s going to be scattered for miles.”

Here’s what you should know about FEMA’s policy around beach erosion — and what you should keep in mind if you have your own beachfront property.

FEMA’s current policy is bad for homeowners and the environment

Beachfront properties are increasingly at risk because of coastal erosion, where sea levels rise and rock and sand is whisked away from the shore. Houses that were previously protected from the waves find themselves collapsing either due to water exposure or shifting foundations.

The United States loses around $500 million of coastal property each year due to coastal erosion. There are ways to slow down erosion, but once your home has been put in structural danger by it, there’s not much you can do.

“There is no way to maintain homes where they currently are,” said Reide Corbett, climate scientist at East Carolina University, to NPR. “The only solution is to back off that front line.”

One of the most cost-effective ways to reduce beach erosion is called “coastal restoration,” when communities remove man-made buildings from a coastline and allow the beaches to return to their natural state.

But removing or relocating homes from the coastline is expensive. Demolishing houses costs tens of thousands of dollars, while moving your house to a more viable location can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Without FEMA’s help, many beachfront homeowners can’t afford to pay that. Instead of destroying or relocating their unlivable home, allowing the coastline to recover, FEMA makes the homeowners wait until the houses crash into the ocean before they can get a payout.

“Unfortunately, there’s a lot of debris that comes with these collapses,” says Lisa Sharrard, a flood insurance agent in North Carolina, to NPR. “It leaves a legacy of hazard on the beach. It’s almost impossible to get everything.”

On top of that, homeowners have to spend potentially years waiting for their homes to collapse. At best, that’s a vacation home or rental property that can’t make money for the owners. At worst, homeowners could find themselves with no place to live and no insurance to cover a new home purchase.

If you have a beachfront property, be aware of what climate change could bring

If you own a property on the beachfront, it’s never too early to think about how coastal erosion could impact your home — even if you think it’s safe.

Thanks to climate change, coastal erosion is only getting worse. For example, if you live in California, this season’s record-breaking El Niño is likely to cause significant erosion.

And if coastal erosion doesn’t cause your home to collapse, climate change could result in a greater number of hurricanes that could damage your home further.

FEMA partners with almost 50 different insurance companies to provide flood insurance. If you have flood insurance, it’s almost certainly through them; make sure to read your policy clearly so you understand what your insurance covers.

Also research how coastal erosion has impacted your local community. Coastal erosion doesn’t mean you have to sell your beachfront property immediately, but if your home is close to the ocean, you’re playing a game of chicken. The longer you wait to sell, the harder it’s going to be — and the less you’ll be able to sell it for.

FEMA did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

And yet, on the financial questionnaire for Ramit Sethi’s Money for Couples podcast, Grace wrote she was “unable to make big life decisions like starting a family” because Chris refused to engage in money management. When Sethi read that back on the show, Grace said she felt like “I’m crying for help on a sinking ship, and no one is coming to help me.”

The number behind that feeling: 108%. Their fixed costs — before a single discretionary dollar — consume more than their entire monthly income.

“You spend more than you make every single month,” Sethi told them. “It is simply a matter of time until you are broke beyond broke, until you lose it all.”

The baseball game that exposed the pattern

The couple’s financial dynamic crystallized in a single story Grace told on the show. They had family visiting and everyone wanted to go to a baseball game. Grace told Chris they had $100 left for the entire weekend.

At the game, she watched him order beer after beer and buy drinks for others. When she raised it with him, his response was: “My family’s in town and we’re just having fun, so we’ll figure it out later.”

When Sethi asked who “we” was in “we’ll figure it out later,” Grace gestured at herself — and then acknowledged she covered the dinner that followed by dipping into money she’d been setting aside to pay their property taxes.

Chris handles spending. Grace handles the spreadsheets, the transfers, the problem-solving — and, crucially, the anxiety. “I would try and sit down and have conversations about it and he wouldn’t engage in it,” Grace told Sethi. “So, okay, if someone needs to figure out how to manage it, I’m going to.”

Chris, who makes less than Grace and has always deferred to her on finances, admitted: “I just kind of curl into a little shell and don’t talk about it because I’m just avoiding it.”

Where the money goes

When Sethi walked through their numbers, the picture sharpened. Their $7,868 in monthly fixed costs included $922 in insurance, $735 in pet care for two dogs, one with chronic pancreatitis, $662 in wellness expenses, $502 in car payments and $1,218 on $22,483 of total debt.

Then there was eating out. Grace estimated twice a week. Chris said three times. Sethi walked them through every meal, coffee and snack — and landed at 15 times per week. “You’ve concocted a reality that is not real,” Sethi told them.

One detail that particularly surprised Sethi: Grace also had a second job bringing in $8,000 to $10,000 a year that wasn’t reflected in their plan — money that was absorbing the overruns rather than building any buffer.

A pattern bigger than one couple

Grace and Chris aren’t an anomaly. According to the Federal Reserve’s May 2026 Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households report, many young adults received outside financial help — for cell phone bills, general expenses or housing costs — in the prior 12 months, and the share of adults with meaningful monthly budget surplus has barely budged.

Beyond spending, the deeper issue Sethi identified was the dynamic. Grace absorbed all the financial stress while Chris avoided it entirely, having grown up in a household where money was never discussed because it was never scarce. “You’re still tiptoeing around each other,” Sethi observed, “and you’re married and talking about starting a family.”

That dynamic is more common than most couples realize. According to Fidelity’s 2026 Couples & Money Study, nearly half of all couples avoid money conversations specifically to prevent arguments, and fewer than 1 in 3 regularly discuss day-to-day finances together.

Cornell University researchers found that higher financial stress is directly associated with less financial communication between partners — the more overwhelmed people feel, the more they expect conflict and the more they avoid the conversation entirely.

The recommendation

For this couple, Sethi’s prescription was to stop nibbling at subscriptions and small cuts and instead build a shared vision of what they actually want their life to look like — their “rich life” — before deciding what to cut.

He also pointed to the horizon: their debt payments — currently $1,218 a month — are set to end by March or April 2027. When that happens, their fixed cost ratio drops to roughly 61%, which is workable.

But only if they stop treating the next 15 months as something to endure passively, which clicked for Chris toward the end of the session: “If nothing changes … we’re going to be broke … And sell everything, until there’s nothing left and we have nothing.”

Trump has embraced a hands-off approach to AI regulation, resisting calls to reign in the rapidly developing technology and implement federal guardrails. But as the president pushes to accelerate an industry expected to reshape the global economy, another part of the story is unfolding much closer to home: the Trump family is building business interests — and profiting — off of AI.

Trump’s pro-AI stance

The president has downplayed the need for his administration to put any restrictions on AI, even going so far as to call concerns around the technology a conspiracy.

“The only control or ‘guardrails’ that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A has that, in spades,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Sept. 14. “There is a SICK conspiracy going on against AI and Data Centers.”

The comment came after Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, published an essay arguing AI companies should deliberately “slow the pace” of development. The guardrails Amodei spoke of were then endorsed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

Trump has argued restricting the development of the technology would harm competition, claiming that the U.S. is currently beating China in the AI race and guardrails could jeopardize that lead. But the Trump family also has a personal stake in the industry through business ventures and stock investments.

Don Jr. and Eric stand to gain from AI

According to the Washington Post, the president’s sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric are both investors in several AI and data center ventures.

Donald Trump Jr. is a partner at 1789 Capital, a venture capital firm that closed a $1.2 billion deal focused on real estate ventures, including digital infrastructure like data centers. In a statement shared with The Post, a 1789 spokesperson said Donald Trump Jr. was operating as a private citizen and not in a “government capacity.”

He and Eric have both joined the investment firm Dominari Holdings and helped launch American Data Centers, an AI infrastructure venture. The deal came just weeks after their father announced a $20 billion data center pledge from Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani, as well as $500 billion in planned private AI investment.

But the business interests of the two brothers extend well beyond data centers. Both Donald Trump Jr. and Eric have ties to the defence technology industry, most notably through the rare-earth magnet startup Vulcan Elements. According to the Guardian, 1789 Capital took a stake in the company — whose products are used in AI datacenters — three months after it was awarded a $620 million loan from the Pentagon.

According to The Post, Eric is also an investor in companies related to defence and robotics, including Space-Eyes, which uses AI to process data from satellites.

A Washington Post analysis in July also found 15 companies tied to the brothers’ investment funds. Those companies have generated at least $3.2 billion in federal business since they joined — but SpaceX and the AI-powered defence technology firm Anduril account for 97% of that figure.

Trump’s own investments

The president also has deep ties to AI. Since returning to the White House, Trump’s investment accounts have made nearly 30,000 securities transactions, with many involving companies that supply the chips, energy and infrastructure required to power AI systems. Government filings show Trump has purchased shares in Dell Technologies, Micron Technology and GE Vernova, all companies whose profits are tied to AI-related development and spending.

Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social, has also moved further into the technology and energy sectors. The company merged with a nuclear-fusion venture that plans to develop power plants in response to rising electricity demand, including demand driven by AI.

Truth Social is also investing in AI-related products and has announced it will be licensing access to the social media platform’s posts to AI labs.

Trump made more than $2 billion on his investments in 2025, but has since denied claims that his role as president has anything to do with it, instead attributing the gains to the highs of the stock market.

“You know why I’m profiting, because the stock market’s going up,” Trump told reporters in July. “Everybody’s profiting.”

“For the first time since the start of the Iran conflict, we don’t have a baseline view,” JPMorgan’s head of commodities strategy Natasha Kaneva said in a Sept. 17 note to clients. “We simply don’t know how to model the endgame.”

JPMorgan’s reluctance to provide a possible benchmark for oil prices underscores the difficulty of predicting the fallout of a conflict that has no end in sight. The investment bank forecasted in mid-July that Brent crude would average $86 per barrel in the third quarter of 2026. There would be no “long-lasting damage to energy market production,” JPMorgan said at the time.

In the most recent note, JPMorgan said it had three “economic redlines” that it didn’t believe the Trump administration would cross. Among them: $100 for a barrel of crude, gasoline hovering near a national average of $5 per gallon and a 10-year Treasury yield near 5%. The latter signals that investors are demanding higher interest to be swayed into buying Treasury bonds.

‘Those lines have been crossed’

As of Monday afternoon, oil traded at $95 per barrel of Brent crude, the international oil benchmark. It’s a slight drop considering oil prices hovered around $100 for much of the summer due to the scarce supplies reaching energy markets. Gas prices continue climbing upward with the national average standing at $4.48 per gallon, according to AAA. Ten-year Treasury yields are about to breach the 5% threshold for the first time under Trump.

“Six months later, many of those lines have been crossed, yet the exit strategy is less clear, not more,” Kaneva wrote alongside analysts Lyuba Savinova and Artem Fakhretdinov. The trio conceded that there were scarce signs of Iran and the U.S. publicly pursuing a diplomatic off-ramp that would quell pricing unrest in energy markets.

“With no clear signals from either the U.S. or Iran that they are prepared to de-escalate — and absent a diplomatic breakthrough on Sept. 24, when President Trump and President Xi are set to meet in DC — the assumption that the disruption is temporary is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain,” the JPMorgan analysts said.

A ‘more concerning’ price spike in diesel

JPMorgan also flagged another “more concerning” development: Diesel prices reaching record-highs while inventories dry up ahead of usual peak demand periods in winter. Diesel cost $6.51 per gallon on Monday, per AAA, far exceeding its previous $5 record set in June 2022 during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Republican lawmakers are now pushing President Donald Trump to implement a ban on diesel exports in an effort to soften the financial blow to farmers and truck drivers. Sen. Chuck Grassley said that skyrocketing diesel prices “ARE KILLING FARMERS INCOME” in an X post on Saturday. Diesel is a fuel product distinct from gasoline and commonly used in farming equipment and heavy commercial transport.

For now, JPMorgan believes September’s “fair value” for Brent crude will reach $90 with a big caveat. “There is no shortage of risk for the market to price,” the bank analysts said.

Let’s say Helen has about $2 million to leave behind and, for years, she’s assumed it would all go to her only child, Jeffrey. But then Jeffrey got sick.

He’s married, in his 50s, and has two children, so Helen knows there are people who would need the money if something happened to him. What she isn’t sure about is whether her estate plan actually works the way she thinks it does.

If Jeffrey dies before her, does his share automatically go to his wife? Would his children inherit it? And what if Helen wants the money to stay within the family, but doesn’t necessarily want to leave the decision to someone else?

How to protect your $2 million legacy

At 76, Helen has plenty of reason to start asking those questions now.

It’s not something most parents want to think about. When you name your child as your beneficiary, you’re usually thinking about a future where they’re around to receive the money.

For someone with a sizable estate, that can make the backup plan almost as important as the original one.

A few changes to a will or beneficiary designations could determine where the money goes if an heir dies first. Depending on the family, a trust could also be worth considering.

The important thing is to make those decisions while you still have time to make them yourself.

What happens if your heir dies first?

This is where things can get complicated. And the answer may depend on what Helen’s will says, whether she named a backup beneficiary, and what kind of account or property is involved.

If Jeffrey dies before her, Helen’s money won’t necessarily go wherever she assumes it will. Some assets may pass to another person she named. Others could be dealt with through her will or under state law if she didn’t leave clear instructions.

That’s why estate-planning lawyers often recommend naming a contingent beneficiary — someone who steps in if the primary beneficiary can’t inherit.

Helen could name Jeffrey first and his children as the backups. Or she could decide that Jeffrey’s wife should receive the money instead. She may even want different instructions for different parts of her estate.

Allison Marketti, founder of Marketti Law Firm, LLC, told Moneywise that a contingent beneficiary is essentially a backup plan. She encourages clients to think beyond simply naming a person and ask: “If my first choice isn’t here when I die, where do I want this asset to go?”

The choice is Helen’s, but it needs to be written down properly. This is where it’s worth remembering that a will doesn’t control everything. Retirement accounts, life insurance policies and some investment accounts have their own beneficiary forms. Those designations can determine who receives the money, even if the will says something different.

“This is probably the biggest misconception I see in estate planning: A will does not necessarily control where all of your assets go,” Marketti said. “Assets with valid beneficiary or transfer-on-death designations generally pass according to those designations rather than under the terms of the will.”

So Helen’s job isn’t just to update one document. She needs to look at the whole plan — and make sure it still reflects what she wants.

Decide who should inherit next

For Helen, the first question is: If Jeffrey isn’t alive, who do I want to get the money?

She could leave it to his wife. She could split it between his two children. She could name someone else entirely.

“In your hypothetical, if [Helen’s] intention is to leave everything to her son, she should also decide what she wants to happen if he dies first. Does she want his share to go to his children? His spouse? Some combination? Or somewhere else entirely?” Marketti told Moneywise.

There’s no reason parts of her estate have to be handled the same way, either. A retirement account, life insurance policy or investment account may have its own beneficiary designation.

Those designations can name both primary and contingent beneficiaries, and can spell out how the money should be divided. The American Bar Association notes that these designations can override what’s written in a will for assets that pass directly to a named beneficiary.

That’s something Helen will want to go over before assuming her will has everything covered.

One practical place to start is with a list of everything she owns: bank accounts, retirement accounts, insurance policies, investments and property, as well as who is currently listed to receive each one. It’s not the whole estate plan, but it can make it much easier to spot an outdated beneficiary.

Update the will and the beneficiary forms

A will matters, but it doesn’t necessarily decide where every asset goes.

Helen could update hers and still have an old beneficiary designation sitting on a retirement account.

“You can change your will and still have an old beneficiary designation sitting on a retirement account, life insurance policy or investment account. Those designations can determine who receives those particular assets regardless of what the will says,” Marketti says.

Maybe Jeffrey was the only beneficiary she named years ago. Maybe she named someone else as a backup and forgot about it. Either way, it’s worth checking.

Helen could also ask her lawyer about per stirpes language. Essentially, it can allow a deceased beneficiary’s children to receive that person’s share. The exact wording and effect can vary, so this is one of those items worth having a lawyer walk through.

Consider a trust

The detail of Jeffrey’s two kids gives Helen another step to think about.

She may not want to leave a large inheritance directly to children who are still minors. A trust could give her more say over when the money is available and what it can be used for.

“Instead of giving a young beneficiary unrestricted control of an inheritance, a grandparent can name a trustee to manage it and establish guardrails for distributions, for example, allowing money to be used for education, health and other needs while the beneficiary is young and providing greater access later,” Marketti told Moneywise.

For example, Helen could set money aside for things like education, medical expenses, or housing instead of having her grandkids receive a large sum outright.

A trust can add costs and paperwork, so she’d need to weigh that against what she actually wants the money to do.

Think about the family’s financial needs

Then there’s the part that doesn’t fit neatly into a legal document, which is: What does Jeffrey’s family actually need?

If he dies, his wife could be raising two children without his income. The kids are only 10 and 13, which means there could be years of expenses ahead.

Jeffrey’s own situation matters, too. If he’s dealing with serious medical costs, Helen may want to think about whether some of her money should be available to help him while he’s still alive.

Her original plan was to leave everything to her son. That doesn’t necessarily mean she has to change it. But his circumstances have changed, and it makes sense for her to take another look.

Get professional advice and keep the plan current

Estate planning also has a habit of getting shoved into a drawer and forgotten. A new marriage, divorce, birth, death or serious illness can all be a reason to pull the documents back out and see whether they still make sense.

Marketti recommends treating an estate plan as an ongoing process rather than something you do once and forget about.

“After a death, marriage, divorce, birth, serious illness or other significant change, don’t just pull out the will. Review the entire picture: the will, trust, powers of attorney, ownership of major assets, and beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, life insurance and financial accounts.”

That means looking at the will alongside beneficiary designations, trust documents and ownership of major assets. An estate-planning lawyer can help make sure those pieces work together.

There is a simple exercise Marketti recommends for anyone reviewing an estate plan: “If I died today, where would this particular asset actually go?”

Taxes may be less of a concern for her than she might expect. The federal estate-tax exclusion for someone who dies in 2026 is $15 million, according to the IRS. The IRS says estates of people who die in 2026 generally don’t have to file a federal estate-tax return unless the gross estate, adjusted taxable gifts and applicable exclusions exceed $15 million.

For Helen, the bigger question is where she wants that $2 million to end up.

She has already decided who should get it first. Now she needs a plan for what happens if that person isn’t there.

Faced with the rising cost of everything from groceries to childcare to college savings, parents with children under 18 are at a breaking point — and 76% believe they’ll need financial support from extended family to make ends meet, according to the latest BMO Real Financial Progress Index.

In the coming year, nearly two in five (37%) parents with young children expect to receive financial support — or plan to ask for it — from their parents or grandparents.

This goes beyond asking grandparents to babysit or chip in for a college education. Nearly half (47%) of parents with young children say they’ll receive cash for day-to-day expenses as inflation stretches budgets thin.

That shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering the cost of raising a child these days: a LendingTree analysis found that it costs $303,418 to raise a child over the course of 18 years. That works out to $16,857 every year.

And that doesn’t include costs after the age of 18, namely the cost of a college education. But with more adult children asking for financial support, baby boomers may find themselves blasting through their savings — and putting their golden years at risk.

Here are three things to do before handing over a cent.

Take care of your financial situation first

If the cabin air pressure drops in an airplane, you put on your own oxygen mask first before helping others — including small children — because you can’t be helpful if you’re incapacitated.

The same goes for financially supporting adult children and grandchildren.

The vast majority (92%) of American grandparents are providing financial help to their grandchildren, according to research by SeniorList.com, with 16% supporting both their own elderly parents and their grandchildren.

The research reveals “a concerning pattern of financial self-sacrifice” from grandparents, with nearly one in five feeling “pressured to give even when it creates financial strain.”

More than one in 10 had already dipped into their savings or retirement accounts to help their grandchildren, while 51% would consider doing so. Many would also consider taking on debt (28%), retiring later (42%), refinancing their home (20%) or even coming out of retirement (37%) to help their grandchildren.

But, oftentimes, that leads to more problems down the road.

“This is especially true if you’re sacrificing your retirement savings, as you may find yourself in a situation where you can’t retire and you can’t depend on your children for support, as they never established financial independence,” says Nancy Thomsen, a partner and wealth manager for Creative Planning in Overland Park, Kansas, in a blog.

Before you step in, Thomsen says to make sure you’re prioritizing your own financial health first. That means maximizing your retirement savings, maintaining an emergency fund and avoiding debt.

Set boundaries around financial support

While giving or lending money is often driven by a desire to help those we love — or, in some cases, feeling obligated to do so — it’s important to set ground rules and boundaries.

If you’re regularly giving them money for essential living expenses — such as rent or groceries — this can develop into a dependency loop over time, Thomsen says.

This dependency loop “can be particularly challenging for older adults who are trying to balance support for their grown children with their own retirement savings needs.”

If you’re in this situation, only lend what you can afford. If you’re not sure how much you can realistically afford to give, talk to your financial advisor — ideally before you start taking withdrawals from your retirement accounts.

“Boundaries often get a bad reputation, but in reality, they create clarity and safety for everyone involved,” says Bryan Trugman, CFP and managing partner at Attitude Financial Advisors in Plainview, New York, in a blog post.

He recommends defining time frames or conditions around financial assistance. “It gives adult children a clear understanding of what support looks like and encourages forward momentum.”

For example, if an adult child wants to move back in with you, agree in advance for how long. If they need help with day-to-day expenses, such as groceries, childcare or summer camp, be clear about what you can afford and how much you’re willing to spend each month — then let them figure out where that cash should go. Also be clear how long that support will last.

Make it conditional

Ideally, financial support should be short-term and help them progress toward a goal, such as covering a grandchild’s rent while they go to college.

“You have to look at what is the goal of the support going forward,” Mark Hasenauer, head of financial planning and retirement at TD Wealth, told U.S. News. “If you’re not helping them build toward something, you’re hurting them.”

For example, you could lend your adult child a certain amount — an amount that fits into your budget — at 0% interest. Make the loan repayable over a set period of time, such as a monthly payment over 12 months.

Then, make it formal by having them sign a contract (you can find templates online). You should also set terms for late payments or defaults, to keep your child or grandchild accountable.

Another option is to match their savings for a major expense, up to an amount that you can afford each month.

So, for example, if they’re putting aside $200 a month for a car down payment, you could match their $200. That not only reinforces good money habits, but it keeps your own budget under control.

If you want to be able to help out your adult children or grandchildren with unexpected expenses, consider opening a high-yield savings account, which you can build up over time. That way, you won’t have to drain your retirement account if an emergency arises.

After all, you don’t want to push the Bank of Gram and Gramps into a crash.

American Airlines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines are all scaling back or reconsidering planned flight schedules as jet fuel prices surge. The airlines say travel demand remains strong, but the sharp increase in fuel costs is making some lower-profit flights less feasible to operate.

For American, the latest jump in fuel prices alone is expected to add roughly $1 billion to its fourth-quarter fuel costs compared with the assumptions it made in July. The airline has already adjusted its financial outlook twice this year.

The changes don’t necessarily mean travelers should expect widespread cancellations. Instead, airlines are looking at the economics of individual routes and frequencies — particularly flights that generate less revenue.

Why airlines are cutting flights

Fuel is one of an airline’s largest operating expenses, which means sudden increases in cost can quickly squeeze profit margins.

American CFO Devon May said fourth-quarter fuel prices have risen by roughly $1 per gallon from the level the airline assumed in July. American estimates that every one-cent change in fuel prices affects its quarterly costs by about $10 million. That makes a $1 increase particularly significant.

Jet fuel prices have been climbing alongside crude oil prices amid the ongoing conflict in Iran. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that, at the time of writing, the global average jet fuel price rose 7.4% to $194.90/bbl compared to the week before.

Airlines can respond to higher fuel bills in several ways, including raising fares, cutting costs or reducing the number of flights they operate. In this case, executives have indicated that capacity reductions are becoming part of the equation.

United has already said some flights that had been scheduled for December will no longer operate. The carrier has also warned that additional adjustments could come in the first quarter of 2027 and beyond if fuel prices remain elevated.

Southwest, meanwhile, has roughly halved its planned 2026 capacity growth from its original target of about 2% to 3%. Its CFO said additional reductions could follow if fuel remains expensive.

The strategy is relatively targeted. Rather than simply cutting flights across the board, airlines are evaluating routes that have become less profitable because of the higher cost of operating them.

The IATA’s June outlook noted that airlines responding to elevated fuel costs could rationalize capacity by trimming less-profitable routes or reducing flight frequencies. That can help carriers reduce fuel exposure while supporting fares on the flights that remain.

What it means for travelers

The biggest immediate impact for passengers could be fewer choices, particularly on routes with multiple daily departures.

That could matter more as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s approach, when demand for air travel typically increases. If an airline removes one of several daily flights on a route, travelers may have to choose a less convenient departure time, connect through another airport or pay more for a remaining nonstop flight.

And fewer seats can put upward pressure on fares.

That’s because airlines aren’t simply cutting capacity because people have stopped traveling. Executives from all three carriers said demand has remained resilient despite higher fares. United, for example, described fourth-quarter bookings as strong, while American reported strength across both premium and economy cabins.

That combination — strong demand and less available capacity — can give airlines more ability to maintain or increase fares.

This doesn’t mean every ticket will suddenly become more expensive. Airfares vary widely depending on the route, timing, competition and how far in advance a ticket is purchased. But travelers looking for the cheapest seats could face fewer options if airlines continue removing marginal flights.

For anyone planning holiday travel, the developments are another reason to pay attention to schedules rather than assuming that a particular flight frequency will remain available. Airlines could continue making adjustments into late 2026 and, if fuel prices stay elevated, into 2027.

“Look at the healthcare industry,” Cuban wrote in a recent post on X. “Multi-hundred-billion-dollar conglomerates that get sued daily. Literally. Daily. Lose most suits. Against cities. States. Feds. Get fined hundreds of millions in individual suits. They are too big to care.”

Cuban argues that large healthcare companies can treat lawsuits and government fines as a cost of doing business because the financial upside from questionable practices may exceed the eventual penalties.

That scenario leads to what he calls “enforcement arbitrage,” a business dynamic where a company can profit from breaking or pushing the limits of rules because the financial consequences of enforcement are smaller than the gains from the conduct.

“The Feds/states don’t have the resources to pursue us all,” Cuban noted on X. “And for civil suits, they [big healthcare companies] will delay and lobby, and their lawyers will be better. More importantly, they know they make more money than they can extract from them.”

Healthcare experts say the incentive problem Cuban is describing is real.

“If the economic benefit of a practice is immediate, while detection, litigation and any eventual remedy happen years later, enforcement can become a weak counterweight even without anyone literally budgeting for a future fine,” Kirat Kharode, founder and CEO at HealCo and a former hospital system executive, told Moneywise.

Healthcare makes this scenario especially difficult because the conduct is often buried inside contracts, reimbursement arrangements and highly concentrated local markets.

“By the time a dispute is resolved, the market may already have changed,” Kharode said.

Enforcement arbitrage is in play

Enforcement arbitrage is akin to financial arbitrage, where a stock market trader, for example, exploits a price difference between two markets. In business, enforcement arbitrage exploits the gap between the economic benefit of questionable conduct and the expected cost of getting caught and punished.

For example, a pharmaceutical giant may profit from a controversial product and make $1 billion selling it. Lawsuits may follow, with $200 million paid out in settlements and regulatory penalties. That leaves a net economic benefit of $800 million for the drug company. Under that hypothetical, even losing lawsuits or paying fines doesn’t necessarily deter the behavior. The penalties can effectively become just another cost of doing business.

In his recent X post chain, Cuban calls for a tri-partisan commission to set guardrails on what big healthcare companies can do at a time when AI appears set to make those companies even more powerful, and fight back against enforcement arbitrage.

That’s where the independent commission comes in.

“We have to recognize we don’t know the best answer yet,” Cuban noted on X. “As much as I hate committees or panels, that’s where we have to start. An organization, funded by taxpayers, with all variety of stakeholders, with the frontier model reps being in the minority, working to put together the research and suggestions to deal with this.”

AI makes policing big healthcare companies more difficult

In his X post, Cuban called for a tri-partisan commission with “Reps, Dems, independents” to police healthcare companies looking to exploit arbitrage gaps and profit from them.

“Who picks this?” he wrote. “This is the hardest part. Maybe we take someone from the GAO office who has served at least 20 years. They don’t need to be AI experts. They need to know how to be nonpartisan and manage.”

But any credentialed healthcare oversight commission should avoid a regulatory system that can only reconstruct what happened years after the market has moved on, Kharode added.

“Healthcare has decades of rules, reporting and enforcement, yet many important economic decisions happen inside contracts and operating workflows long before a regulator or purchaser sees their effects,” he told Moneywise. “With AI, the government should preserve access to evidence, decision lineage and auditability from the beginning rather than trying to recreate them after harm occurs.”

Another lesson is to regulate mechanisms rather than simply company size. “A large company isn’t automatically behaving badly, and a small company isn’t automatically behaving well,” Kharode stated. “Understand the incentive, identify the conduct you’re trying to prevent and make the consequence close enough in time and magnitude to affect the decision.”

Cuban’s proposed independent panel

Independence also requires more than putting industry representatives in the minority of any healthcare regulatory commission.

“I’d want transparent conflicts and compensation, fixed terms, public reasoning behind recommendations, access to independent technical expertise and published minority views when members disagree,” Kharode noted.

Most importantly, the panel should be judged by whether its recommendations can be translated into enforceable rules and measurable outcomes.

“Healthcare has plenty of advisory bodies and reports,” Kharode added. “The harder problem is closing the distance between identifying a problem and changing the behavior that produces it.”

Meanwhile, Cuban appears committed to holding healthcare firms accountable. The same day, he posted on X about enforcement arbitrage and shared a post about the Ohio Chamber of Commerce suing United Health for “improper actions.”

In a note to clients reported by CNBC on September 19, Goldman economist Joseph Briggs wrote that “low reported economic sentiment likely reflects a more fundamental, downbeat assessment of the state of the world rather than the economy.” “Lower happiness” across the country, he said, helps account for the gap between the grim survey results and data like GDP growth that show the economy expanding.

The index comes from the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, which has tracked how households feel about their personal finances, business conditions and buying conditions since 1952. Wall Street treats it as one of the main gauges of consumer confidence. The preliminary September reading, released September 11, fell 7.5% from August and 13.2% from a year earlier. The only lower figure on record was May's 44.8.

For perspective, COVID-19 never pushed the index below 71.8, and the Great Recession era’s low was 55.3. May’s 44.8 came in under both.

Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve raised rates a quarter point on September 16 to a range of 3.75% to 4%, its first hike since 2023.

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh said the central bank moved because inflation “is too high and has been for too long,” while pointing to improved job openings, unemployment rates and business investment as evidence of the economy’s resilience.

So how can people feel this bad about an economy their own central bank considers resilient? Economists have been asking some version of that question since the pandemic, and Briggs’ note is Goldman’s attempt at an answer.

What the happiness data shows

Briggs pulled his evidence from the University of Chicago’s General Social Survey, which has asked Americans about their lives since 1972. In 2016, 31% of respondents told the survey they were “very happy.” By 2024, that was down to 23%. The share answering "not too happy" went the other direction over those years, from 13% to 20%. Briggs noted that happiness fell during the pandemic and hasn't returned to its pre-pandemic level.

Happiness has also fallen faster than Americans’ satisfaction with their own finances, Briggs found. He traced much of that to shrinking trust in public institutions, which caused a “disproportionate amount” of the drop in recent years.

Joanne Hsu, director of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers, told CNBC earlier this year that the multiyear slide in sentiment lines up with other readings showing Americans are less happy and less trusting of institutions than they used to be.

Inflation is still part of the story

Briggs said inflation is likely still weighing on confidence too, and the September survey backs that up. Year-ahead inflation expectations jumped to 4.6%, the highest since June, as fuel prices climbed with the Iran conflict. Consumer prices were up 3.4% year over year in August, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and real average hourly earnings fell 0.3% over the same 12 months.

“Year-ahead expectations for both personal finances and business conditions plunged,” Hsu said when the report came out. Sentiment worsened among both Democrats and Republicans, she said, and the index now sits 16% under its February level, from just before the Iran conflict started.

Why you should brace up with budgeting

Briggs told clients not to count on sentiment rebounding just because the economy stays on track. He also warned that the index may not tell forecasters as much as it used to about what consumers will do next, which is the main thing Wall Street uses it for.

People still expect inflation over the next year. So if consumers are right to expect 4.6% inflation over the next year, gas and groceries will feel it first, and the Fed’s rate hike means credit card and car loan rates are (most likely) set to climb, as well. Those are things you can plan around.

Over the course of one year, the Milwaukee couple had armed officers, carrying ballistic shields and long guns, show up at their front door 55 times thanks to false reports of an emergency at the address.

It’s a practice known as swatting and it’s not just a terrifying experience for homeowners and a diversion of resources for law enforcement officials, it can prove deadly.

“Every time, you can’t not fear for your life to some degree when you have a shotgun racked and loaded, pointed directly at your face,” Tomlinson told WTMJ.

“We begged them to stop. We went so many times. We emailed everybody. We talked to sergeants and lieutenants and everything, and nothing changed,” Robinson added.

A city settlement

While officers —recorded via body cameras — acknowledged the house was a “known swatting location,” the repeated tactical presences resulted in the couple suing the city after its pleas with the department to change how things were handled resulted in no changes. In August, the city paid a $575,000 settlement to avoid a federal trial, which alleged Fourth Amendment violations, citing several unlawful searches and seizures.

To date, no one has been convicted for making the repeated swatting reports that impacted the couple.

Protecting yourself

The reasons behind someone swatting you vary. The goal could be harassment, intimidation or some sort of retaliation. Some incidents are isolated. Others are part of a larger coordinated effort. Cases like the one Tomlinson and Robinson found themselves in, where they were repeatedly targeted dozens of times are rare.

Still, even one swatting incident can be terrifying. Here’s how to protect yourself, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

• Conduct an audit of your online presence, looking for sensitive personal information that could enable bad actors to conduct a swatting attack.
• Be careful about what you post or share online, including photos and videos. What might seem like a small deal can be exploited or manipulated by criminals.
• Consider using one of the many online resources and services that reduce or remove sensitive publicly available information like DeleteMe, Incogni or Optery.
• Use strong, unique passwords and multi-factor authentication on all devices and accounts, including smart home devices—anything that has a potential tie to your address. Online gamers might want to hide their IP address via a VPN to prevent potential swatters from finding their location.
• Have a plan in place in the event of law enforcement showing up on your doorstep.

Above all, should you be the victim of a swatting incident, it’s important to stay calm and cooperate with law enforcement officials. They’re arriving on site under the impression that something very bad is happening at that address, so tensions could be running high.

When it comes to this issue, one important factor often goes overlooked: The specific date you separated. This date can matter a lot. And that can become a problem if you and your ex don’t agree on when it is.

For example, let’s say Patty and Steve of North Carolina are getting a divorce and have been legally separated for a while. Patty believes the separation date was when she told Steve she was done with the marriage. However, the couple briefly considered reconciling a few weeks later, so Steve believes they have a different separation date.

So, who is right? How can the date of separation affect asset division, and what can the soon-to-be divorced couple do to prove when the separation began?

Why does the date of separation matter?

First things first. It’s important to understand why the separation date matters so much. And the answer can depend on your location.

“In states like North Carolina, the date of separation is particularly important because it generally establishes the cutoff for determining what property and debt are marital,” Nicole Sodoma, a family law attorney and founder of Sodoma Law, told Moneywise.

However, as Sodoma and other experts point out, this isn’t the case everywhere.

“The premise of this question is state-specific because the date of separation does not determine the marital cutoff in every jurisdiction.” Katherine Miller, a partner at Miller Law Group and author of the book Emotionally Savvy Divorce, told Moneywise.

Miller explained that in New York and a number of other jurisdictions, “The marital cutoff is generally the date the divorce action is commenced,” which she believes “creates a clearer legal line.”

Knowing which date counts matters because, as Miller said, it can “materially affect which income, assets, and debts are included in the marital estate.” If, for example, Steve took out a large new loan or Patty got a sign-on bonus for taking a new job, those assets and debts could be included in the marital estate or not, depending on when the couple stopped being united in the eyes of the law.

A divorce attorney can help you determine whether the date of separation is the key cutoff in the state where your divorce is taking place, so you’ll know when property and debt stop belonging to both of you and become separate under the law.

How can you determine the date of separation?

So, if the date of separation matters, what can you do if you disagree?

“If the spouses cannot agree, the date may become a factual question for the court,” Miller said. “The court would need to examine the circumstances surrounding the separation and determine when the marital partnership actually ended.”

“Some states require you to file a document that indicates you have legally separated,” Sodoma said. In those states, you’ll provide an affidavit or pleading specifying the separation date, but your spouse can refute it with evidence if they choose to.

Sodoma recommends that you “Look for objective, contemporaneous evidence showing when the separation occurred,” and provided examples, including “a new lease or mortgage, utility records, change-of-address forms with the post office, bank or credit-card statements, HR records with your employer, travel records, and hotel or other lodging receipts.”

Stacy Kemp Ferrari, founder and managing partner at Kemp Law Group, also said the evidence could be “as informal as texts or emails where they discussed their separation, or more official documents like when they opened an individual bank account or removed their spouse from their credit cards.”

Ferrari said that the date when you make a beneficiary change on life insurance, or revoke a healthcare proxy, can also serve as solid evidence of the separation date. However, just in case there’s an issue, she suggested that “It’s also helpful to document any big purchases made using their solo account, like a car, to prove that they were already operating as a single.”

By gathering the right evidence, Patty can prove when the legal separation was official, which can help her ensure the debts and assets divided were truly acquired while she and Steve were still officially a couple with a shared life.