👁️ US government's surprising new social security tracking rule

Good morning. Famous rock climber Alex Honnold says he was paid an ‘embarrassing’ sum for his ascent of the Taipei 101 skyscraper this past weekend. With media reports putting the number at 900 million Korean won (about $624,000), we’d be happy to relieve him of some of that shame and discomfort.

Here’s what we’re covering today:

After years of volatility in the housing market, Americans are eager to time their next move correctly. But, while buying into a hot market can help build wealth, it can also lock you into higher prices, taxes and insurance premiums.

Home prices are expected to rise modestly by 2.2%, according to Realtor.com’s 2026 housing forecast. Although it’s believed the market “will remain in balanced territory”, some cities are expected to see prices climb much faster.

Some markets may look attractive on paper, but it’s important to understand the risks behind headline growth before committing to buying a new house, especially if it’s going to require a major move across the state or country.

A quick daily check-in of your accounts can show you exactly where your money is going.

An app like Rocket Money can easily flag recurring subscriptions, upcoming bills and unusual charges by pulling in transactions from all your linked accounts.

This can help you cut unnecessary costs, and then you can manually redirect savings straight into your retirement fund. No spreadsheets, no guesswork, no stress. Small habits like this can make a big difference over time.

Rocket Money’s intuitive app offers a variety of free and premium tools. Free features include subscription tracking, bill reminders and budgeting basics, while premium features — like automated savings, net worth tracking, customizable dashboards, and more — make it easier to stay on top of your retirement contributions and overall financial goals.

Shannon Gerdauskas thought she was going in for a routine oil change. Instead, the DeLand, Florida resident was left with a repair bill of nearly $20,000.

Gerdauskas took her Mercedes to a Take 5 Oil Change location in October, expecting to be in and out quickly.

After she drove away, the trouble started within minutes.

“It was shifting by itself. So, it was like trying to go into reverse and neutral as I’m driving down the road,” she told WFTV’s Action 9 Consumer Investigator.

Gerdauskas immediately took the car back to the shop, where workers acknowledged a major error.

What followed was a familiar and often pricey consumer dispute: Who’s responsible when routine maintenance goes wrong?

A quiet regulatory update by the Social Security Administration (SSA) could spark fresh concerns about the government’s increasing use of surveillance tools to monitor ordinary Americans.

The change, which went into effect earlier this month, could affect millions of people receiving retirement benefits or disability support, and it comes at a time when the government's data-handling practices are under increased scrutiny.