What the experts say
America’s most in-demand job
“Wind-turbine service technician” is the hottest job in the U.S., said Matthew Boyle in Bloomberg Businessweek. Job postings for wind-farm techs have risen sixfold since 2018, and employment is expected to continue to grow by almost 45 percent over the next decade, “faster than any other occupation,” according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nurse-practitioner jobs are right behind in terms of expected growth, with data scientists and statisticians coming next. All those are less likely to cause vertigo. Experienced turbine techs can make $80,000 a year, and a college degree is not a requirement. But “those with a fear of heights need not apply.” Training for the job can “include rappelling off water towers,” and candidates must be able to “lug 50 pounds of gear up long ladders to confined spaces” up to 300 feet in the air.
Higher interest for late taxes
The IRS is raising the interest rate on estimated-tax underpayments, said Ashlea Ebeling in The Wall Street Journal. As of Oct. 1, taxpayers who under-withhold, or small-business owners who fail to make payments on a quarterly basis, will be charged 8 percent interest. That’s up from 3 percent two years ago. The change is “particularly relevant for gig workers and consultants who don’t have taxes withheld” in their paychecks. Another “common scenario in which taxpayers get tripped up is when wage earners” decide midyear to start a business and might not be aware that they “are subject to quarterly estimated tax payments.” The change could also affect other taxpayers with bonuses, stock options, or significant dividend income. The IRS “assessed more than $1.8 billion in penalties for underpaying estimated taxes on 12.2 million individual returns” last year.
Lower EV subsidies for 2024
Several EVs will get much more costly starting on Jan. 1, said Andrew Hawkins in The Verge. “Electric vehicles with batteries that contain minerals and materials sourced from China won’t be eligible for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit,” starting in 2024. That means “a lot of EVs are about to lose their” financial appeal. Ford confirmed last week that its electric Mustang Mach-E is one of them. The Nissan Leaf and Volkswagen ID.4 are affected as well. “Tesla is also warning customers that certain version of its Model 3—the RearWheel Drive and Long Range trim—will only be eligible for half of the $7,500 tax credit.”