💰 Make it count

Make it count for retirement: Trump accounts can now be opened for children under age 18 with a Social Security number, and the type of individual retirement account will include $1,000 in seed money for eligible kids born from January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2028.

Parents and others like friends and grandparents can contribute up to $5,000 combined in additional funds annually for 2026 and 2027. Employer-funded contributions are capped at $2,500 a year for each employee. Workers may set money aside on a pre-tax basis if their company allows — lowering their own taxable income.

Making the most of tax-advantaged accounts is just one way year-round tax planning can pay off.

— The Editors 

🛍️ Bang for the buck: Higher-income shoppers are driving growth at Dollar Tree, where 60% of last quarter’s new customers earned $100,000* or more. Sales have expanded across all income groups even with the chain adding more expensive items and raising its base price to $1.25. The dollar-store dynamic illustrates how the K-shaped economy has taken hold.

🧮 Counting catch-up: 401(k) savers age 50 and up are now required to make any retirement catch-up contributions on a Roth basis if they earned $150,000+ in FICA wages in 2025. Read more on the revised rule and new contribution limits on The Currency^TM.

🍟 Order up: McDonald’s saw Q4 revenue jump 10% to more than $7 billion,* driven by value-menu deals and promotional meals. New energy beverages and specialty sodas are on deck to launch in 2026, tapping into consumers’ thirst for customizable drinks.

🗂️ Tax matters: Tax season is in full swing, with refunds reaching more than $16.95 billion* as of Feb. 6. The average direct deposit return is $2,388 — over 10% more than the same time last year. Make refunds count as a financial planning tool: Consider paying down debt, building up emergency funds, or boosting retirement savings. 

Accounting influx

Students are increasingly crunching the numbers: Undergrad accounting enrollment rose for the third straight year in fall 2025 — up 7.3%* from 2024 and far outpacing the 1.2% growth rate across all majors. Accounting now ranks fourth* among in-demand bachelor’s degrees.

Many states have adopted more flexible education requirements for CPAs amid a strong demand that extends well beyond tax season. Investing in an accounting degree could pay off: Accountants saw median annual pay of $81,680 in 2024, and faster-than-average job growth is projected through 2034.*

Inflation by the numbers

Annual core inflation inched downward to 2.5% in January, hitting the lowest level since April 2021, according to the Consumer Price Index.

Food shoppers saw year-over-year price drops in eggs (-34%) and pork chops (-4.1%), while coffee (+18.3%) and beef (+15%) continued to climb.

As everyday expenses fluctuate, a percentage-based budget — like the 50-30-20 approach — can help bring structure to spending while still allowing for flexibility.

Spring break plans

Booking spring break travel sooner rather than later may be a wise money move: The price of airfare zoomed 6.5% higher just from December to January.

Online search trends show people are eyeing Florida* as this year’s most popular U.S. spring break destination, while Greece is catching attention for international getaways.

Empower research found that around half of Americans (51%) schedule their paid time off around national holidays. A break in routine also boosts spirits: 85% say using PTO to go on a vacation adds to their happiness.

In case you missed it – read more:

• How the “sandwich generation” can minimize taxes

• Money matters for newly married couples

• Digital assets 101: Types of cryptocurrency