How to game next year’s taxes

History, demographics and the national mood are pointing to one conclusion about the 2018 congressional races: Democrats are well-positioned to bring one-party government in Washington under Donald Trump’s presidency to a screeching halt. But it's the House, not the Senate, that's most in play.

With a little strategizing, you can avoid surprises when the Republican tax overhaul hits. We are a nation divided by partisanship, but united by befuddlement over the new tax code. Here's some early thoughts from wealth managers on strategies taxpayers can use to avoid unpleasant surprises in 2019.

FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe has stepped down and will be on leave until he retires sometime in the spring, a person familiar with the matter said Monday. Trump and some Republican lawmakers have alleged that past officials at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, including McCabe, were biased in favor of Democratic Party presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in the run-up to the 2016 election. They have sought to throw doubt on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of potential collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government or potential obstruction of justice by the White House.

Keurig agreed to take control of Dr Pepper Snapple Group in an $18.7 billion deal. The agreement inked Monday vaults Keurig parent compnay JAB into competition with the likes of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, bringing a stable of brands that includes 7Up lemon-lime soda, A&W root beer and Mott’s apple juice. Keurig Dr Pepper, as the new company will be known, will have pro forma 2017 revenue of about $11 billion.

United's new hub plan may spur lower airfares. Scott Kirby has managed two of the three U.S. hub-and-spoke airlines, leaving him with a very specific view about how such companies work best. In his new role overseeing United, Kirby plans a broad restructuring of its three domestic-focused hubs in Chicago, Denver and Houston. If it works, you could see lower ticket prices from many airlines, including United. But the plan calls for patience, which investors may lack.

Here's how Apple turned itself into a chip superpower. Steve Jobs long believed his company should own the technologies inside its products rather than rely on mashups of components from other chip makers. Today, Apple packs its devices with custom components that process artificial intelligence tasks, track your steps, power game graphics, secure Face ID or Touch ID data, run the Apple Watch, pair AirPods to your phone and help make Macs work the way they do. The result: a chip powerhouse that could one day threaten the dominance of Qualcomm and even, eventually, Intel.

It’s to be expected that Elon Musk and his colleagues will drink to the first launch of SpaceX’s new rocket, the Falcon Heavy, after more than five years of delays. But excitement for the long-awaited launch has gone far beyond space nerds and Musk enthusiasts: NASA has sold out $195 tickets to a viewing party featuring a champagne toast and a commemorative glass.