KCU Investment & Retirement Services

08/31/2026

The price of a first-class Forever stamp rose from 78 cents to 82 cents on July 12.

The increase is part of a series of price hikes from the U.S. Postal Service, which has raised the cost of a first-class stamp several times in recent years.

USPS has cited financial losses, rising operating expenses, and declining mail volume as reasons for the latest increase.

Other postage costs also increased. Domestic postcards rose to 65 cents, while international postcards and letters rose to $1.75.

One important reminder: Forever stamps purchased before the increase still work after the price change. They continue to cover the current cost of one ounce of First-Class Mail postage.

For households and small businesses, postage may seem like a small expense — but recurring cost increases can add up over time, especially for anyone who still relies on mailed bills, invoices, cards, or client communications.


Source:

The cost of a first-class Forever stamp has climbed 41% since 2021, and postal officials have signaled they want prices to rise even more.

08/27/2026

Living longer doesn’t automatically mean living better.

Healthy Aging Month is a reminder that how we age is shaped by more than just time. Staying active, mentally sharp, and socially connected all play a role—and so does the ability to support those lifestyles over time.

Small, consistent habits—both physical and financial—can influence what those years look like.



Sources
World Health Organization, Ageing and Health, October 2025
American Medical Association, What Doctors Wish Patients Knew About Healthy Aging, September 2025
Stanford Medicine, Five Healthy Habits for Successfully Aging, January 2026
EBRI/Greenwald, 2025 Retirement Confidence Survey, April 2025

08/24/2026

There are so many reasons to create a will this month, but here are three big ones to consider:

Direct Your Property: Creating a will tells the courts how you want your property distributed. Without a will, state laws will determine how your estate is divided, which may not align with your intentions.

Provide instructions to the probate court: A will can help manage the probate process, providing instructions to the court.

Designate Guardianship for Minor Children: If you have minor children, a will allows you to appoint a guardian to care for them. This crucial step directs that your children are raised by someone you trust, rather than leaving the decision to the courts.

08/20/2026

Online scams are becoming more sophisticated, and new technology is helping criminal networks operate at a larger scale.

An AP investigation found that scam operations have used artificial intelligence, cloud services, internet infrastructure, satellite connections, and social platforms to target people around the world.

Some scams now involve automated messages, real-time translation, fake identities, and carefully scripted conversations designed to build trust quickly.

The financial damage can be devastating. The Federal Trade Commission estimated that scams cost Americans nearly $200 billion in losses in 2024.

The human impact is also serious. Some people working inside scam compounds have been trafficked or forced to participate under threat of violence.

For consumers, the warning signs still matter: pressure to act quickly, requests to keep conversations secret, sudden talk of money or investments, and relationships that move unusually fast.

As scams become more advanced, skepticism can be a form of protection. Slowing down, verifying details, and talking with someone trusted before sending money can make a meaningful difference.


Source:

Technology from American companies is being used to power a revolution in the scam industry, playing a key role in the industrialization and globalization of fraud in ways that have not been clear until now, an AP/“FRONTLINE” investigation has found.

08/17/2026

The Fed’s benchmark rate stayed in the 3.50% to 3.75% range, with all 12 members of the Federal Open Market Committee voting in favor of holding rates unchanged.

The decision comes as inflation has climbed above 4% for the first time in three years, driven in part by higher energy costs and supply disruptions.

Fed officials described inflation as elevated and noted that price increases in certain sectors, including energy, have been affected by supply shocks.

For households and businesses, the decision matters because interest rates can influence borrowing costs, credit cards, auto loans, mortgages, business financing, and savings yields.

Even when rates do not move, the Fed’s language can offer clues about how officials are weighing inflation, employment, energy prices, and future economic conditions.



Source:

Futures markets overwhelmingly expected the Fed to keep rates unchanged.

08/13/2026

A bipartisan housing bill is drawing attention for its potential impact on home prices and housing supply.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act would aim to boost housing availability by reducing certain construction barriers, encouraging zoning reforms, supporting factory-built homes, and creating incentives for localities that increase housing supply.

It would also restrict large institutional investors from buying additional existing single-family homes once they exceed certain ownership limits.

Housing affordability has become a major challenge in many communities. One reason is that the U.S. has built fewer homes than needed for years, helping push prices and rents higher.

Experts say the bill could help support new construction over time, especially for townhomes, multifamily housing, and smaller condo buildings.

However, any impact on prices would likely take time, and the legislation was still awaiting final action after a scheduled signing ceremony was canceled.

For buyers, sellers, and homeowners, the broader takeaway is that housing affordability often depends on more than mortgage rates. Supply, construction costs, local rules, investor activity, and policy decisions can all shape the market.


Source:

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which has rare bipartisan support, would make it harder for major investors to hoard homes.

08/10/2026

Despite a powerful Q2, individuals are hesitant.

08/06/2026

The Common Cents Act has passed the House and now moves to the Senate for consideration.

The bill is tied to the phase-out of the penny and would create a national rounding standard for cash transactions.

Under the proposal, cash purchases would be rounded up or down to the nearest five cents when exact change is not available.

For example, a purchase totaling $10.02 would round down to $10.00, while a purchase totaling $10.04 would round up to $10.05.

Pennies would still retain their value under the act, even as the Treasury stopped minting them.

The bill is especially relevant for businesses that handle cash, including restaurants and retailers, because it could reduce confusion and legal risk around exact change.

For consumers and businesses, the broader takeaway is that even small changes in currency rules can affect daily transactions, checkout systems, and cash-handling practices.


Source:

New law aims to address how businesses and consumers should transact amid the phase-out of the penny.

08/04/2026

Heat waves can affect more than daily comfort and public health. They can also create real economic costs.

Extreme heat can reduce productivity among outdoor workers, increase utility bills, strain power grids, reduce crop yields, and keep some consumers closer to home.

One federal climate assessment found that the average number of heat waves in major U.S. cities each year has doubled since the 1980s.

Researchers have also found that more frequent extreme heat and severe droughts can weigh on gross domestic product, while heat-related economic losses have reached trillions of dollars globally in recent decades.

The impact can be especially significant for heat-exposed industries such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing, transportation, and mining.

For households and businesses, extreme heat is a reminder that weather risk can affect budgets, supply chains, labor productivity, food prices, and energy costs.


Source:

Heat waves threaten costs for the economy, sapping workers' productivity, shutting shoppers inside their homes and driving up utility costs, analysts told ABC News.

07/30/2026

One of the most overlooked questions in building a retirement strategy isn't "How much do I have?" It's "When do I need it?"

That's exactly what a bucket strategy does. It matches your assets to your timeline, so every dollar is working as hard as it can for as long as it can.

Do your buckets match your time horizon?