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Monday, December 4, 2023

Medicare Open Enrollment is coming to a close, so if you are considering making a change to your plan, it's time to take action. Changes you make during 2023 open enrollment go into effect on January 1, 2024. Here are a few factors...

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

How much do you know about Social Security? Given how layered the topic can be, it’s wise to educate yourself as much as you can about your options. We have a number of resources on our website that can help you take a bite out...

Friday, November 17, 2023

You may have heard the saying, “inflation hurts savers and benefits borrowers.”  The expression suggests that borrowers benefit from inflation because they pay back lenders with dollars worth less than when the money...

Friday, November 3, 2023

When markets fall, it’s easy to forget that downtrends are part of the investing cycle. So when prices slip, it's a good time to review some common terms that you may be hearing that describe today’s financial markets. The...

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

With temperatures falling and the nights growing longer, goblins, ghouls, and ghosts across America are preparing for our second-largest commercial holiday: Halloween. With this frightful day fast approaching, here are some fun facts...

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Friday, October 20, 2023

It’s FAFSA time! As your student prepares for college, they can now fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, for the upcoming school year. Even if your student won’t require help from the government,...

Monday, October 2, 2023

How much are you withholding per paycheck?Is the amount too little? (Or too much?) Find out the answer before the year ends. You may not want to discover next year that your withholding amount for this year was too small. The I.R.S....

Friday, September 29, 2023

Are you already planning for the end of the year? Where did the time go? In this edition, we’ll be looking into navigating Medicare for the first time, particularly if you are under the age of 65. Don’t forget Medicare...

Friday, September 15, 2023

It’s time for your life insurance checkup. September is National Life Insurance Awareness Month, so it’s a great time to review your coverage.1 If you don’t have any life insurance, you’re not alone. Life...

Friday, September 1, 2023

If you've heard CEOs mention "A.I." multiple times during second-quarter conference calls, you're not imagining it. There have been an astounding 1,072 mentions of A.I. (and counting) so far.1 Some believe that A.I. has the potential...

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Are you saving for the future?People often come to me asking for financial guidance. Some want to know how to invest or diversify the money they’ve saved, but others admit to me they’re just not sure how to save. If...

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Rare collectibles can provide an entertaining form of alternative “investment,” and might seem particularly intriguing when markets are wobblier than Aunt Gertrude’s jello salad. Comic books can sell for millions of...

Monday, August 7, 2023

Sometimes, a picture is worth 1,000 words. So I decided to include an image of the June Consumer Price Index (CPI) report to help put inflation in better perspective:Core CPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose just 0...

Friday, July 28, 2023

Ever considered writing your own will? While you can draft a will on your own, there are plenty of reasons why you may not want to go that route. Most people do it to save money, but they may overlook or forget to take care of some...

Thursday, July 20, 2023

Lately, the "Great Resignation" has led many Americans to leave their jobs for other opportunities, while others have chosen a different path: early retirement. We can all understand looking for a more suitable place of work, but some...

Saturday, July 1, 2023

Jerome Powell skipped an interest rate hike at the Fed’s June meeting, but the market isn’t buying what the Fed Chair is selling about what’s next with short-term rates.Powell signaled that two more rate increases may...

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

I wanted to take a moment to update you on the potential changes to Social Security benefits for 2024. As I'm sure you know, the Social Security Administration calculates annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) based on the Consumer...

Thursday, June 15, 2023

Did you know the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is scheduled to sunset in 2026?Here’s what’s at stake if the act is allowed to expire: for wealthy families, the $25.84 million federal estate tax exemption (as of 2023 for a married...

Friday, June 2, 2023

Would it surprise you to hear that investors have moved past worrying about inflation? They have, at least for now.Wall Street has shifted its attention to Washington’s budget negotiations and how the debt ceiling will be...

Monday, May 29, 2023

May is a month to celebrate the older Americans in our country and honor their lives and the accomplishments they still have ahead of them.Older Americans Month was established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy to bring awareness to...

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Recently, you may have seen reports that the so-called “depletion date” for Social Security was adjusted. This refers to the predicted date when the long-running program will no longer be able to pay full benefits.Barring...

Friday, May 5, 2023

From my perspective, we can't hear the word "better" enough in the weeks ahead."Better than expected." "Better than feared." "Better than forecasted."These are winning phrases that can be used by market pundits when they compare a...

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

As the financial markets sort through the banking sector's issues, speculators have adjusted their outlook for interest rates for 2023 and beyond.In the first table, you can see that on March 3, speculators were expecting the Federal...

Friday, April 14, 2023

April marks the start of Financial Literacy Month, a nationally recognized movement to promote and support financial understanding in children and teens. For many, it's a fantastic opportunity to teach and connect with their children...

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

When events like Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank happen, it's natural to wonder how a bank safeguards your funds. Fortunately, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance was designed for this very reason:...

Friday, March 24, 2023

Among the many changes arising from the pandemic, one of the most noticeable was a change in American spending habits.A survey released in March 2021 by Pew Research shows that Americans have increasingly chosen to put away what extra...

Thursday, March 16, 2023

Investors put the economy on recession watch when the Fed started its “higher in a hurry” push with short-term interest rates in mid-2022.After the 10-year/2-year Treasury curve inverted in July 2022, it was “all...

Monday, March 6, 2023

A late-week surge, triggered by reassuring Fed-speak, propelled stocks higher last week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.75%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 advanced 1.90%. The Nasdaq Composite index picked up 2.58% for...

Monday, February 27, 2023

What would you do with a windfall? It’s a question I’ve read or heard a lot lately. Considering the Mega Millions jackpot has now grown to $1.02 billion, it’s safe to say most of us have thought about what it would be...

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Here’s a little-known fact that may help you save money on life insurance: when it comes to underwriting, insurance carriers typically rate clients to their closest birthday.What does that mean? It means that if you are 39 years...

Thursday, February 2, 2023

In the final days of 2022, Congress passed a new set of retirement rules designed to make it easier to contribute to retirement plans and access those funds earmarked for retirement.The law is called SECURE 2.0, and it's a follow-up to...

Monday, January 30, 2023

While you probably already found your notice in the mail, you may be curious about the COLA increase happening for Social Security recipients in the New Year. Starting in January, beneficiaries will see an 8.7% increase to help offset...

Monday, January 16, 2023

What does the bond market know that the Fed isn’t telling us?Fed officials recently have said that short-term rates will need to climb to over 5 percent to bring inflation under control. But in the table below, you can see that...

Friday, January 6, 2023

Congress spent the final days of 2022 on new reforms designed to help Americans save more for retirement.You may hear the changes called SECURE Act 2.0, which is a follow-up to the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement...

Friday, December 30, 2022

Are you saving for the future?People often come to me asking for financial guidance. Some want to know how to invest or diversify the money they’ve saved, but others admit to me they’re just not sure how to save. If...

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

If you have a balance on a credit card or an adjustable rate mortgage, you might be noticing changes in your payments. Higher interest rates are starting to ripple through the personal finance landscape, and it doesn’t look like...

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

The Internal Revenue Service has released new limits for the coming year. After months of high inflation and financial uncertainty, some of these cost-of-living-based adjustments have reached near-record levels.Individual Retirement...

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Stubborn doesn’t seem like a strong enough word, but that’s how Fed officials are describing inflation.Inflation's “stubbornness” has been on full display in recent weeks: First, the Producer Price Index (PPI)...

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

How long has it been since you’ve reviewed your Medicare policy? With open enrollment fast approaching, there are a few questions you may want to ask yourself before you renew, add, drop, or switch coverage.Have you switched...

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Wall Street is always searching for a hero to embrace or a villain to blame. And right now, Fed Chair Jerome Powell is the villain.After the September Fed meeting, Powell said interest rates may be heading higher for longer than...

Monday, October 31, 2022

Lately, "inflation" seems to be the media's favorite word. Everywhere you turn, there's another story about the impact of inflation. For example, many news outlets have reported that confectionary prices have surged over 30% from last...

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

How well do you remember 1981? Harrison Ford had his first bow as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Frogger and Donkey Kong were all the rage at video arcades. Bob Ross left the Air Force and took up painting. On top of that,...

Friday, October 21, 2022

We measure the jobs market in many ways, but the Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey or JOLTS report seems to be of particular interest to Fed Chair Jerome Powell.The JOLTS report tells the Fed how many job openings there are each...

Friday, September 30, 2022

Financial planning is an important part of securing your current lifestyle as well as preparing yourself for what you wish to do in your eventual retirement. And while this importance may look different during each stage of...

Friday, September 30, 2022

As a female entrepreneur, you may face different challenges than your male counterparts. For example, women were disproportionately affected by the COVID pandemic. They also tend to earn less than their male peers—largely in...

Monday, September 19, 2022

A recent survey by Caring.com found that a whopping two in three American adults do not have an estate plan1—an alarming statistic, considering that an estate plan can protect your assets and ensure that they go to the right...

Thursday, September 8, 2022

Matching your tolerance for risk with your investment objectivesEveryone wants a comfortable retirement, but the road you take there will depend on your specific situation. When you invest, you assume a certain level of risk (but like...

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Women often face special challenges when planning for retirement. For example, if they are the primary caregivers in their families, their careers may be interrupted to care for children or elderly parents, which means they may spend...

Sunday, July 31, 2022

Investing for your retirement isn't about getting rich quick. More often, it's about having a game plan that you can live with over a long time. You wouldn't expect to be able to play the piano without learning the basics and...

Wednesday, July 13, 2022

Markets rarely give us clear skies, and there are always threats to watch for on the horizon, but the right preparation, context, and support can help us navigate anything that may lie ahead. So far, this year hasn’t seen a...

Friday, July 1, 2022

The golden rule of financial planning: if you can plan it, you can pursue itOver the past July 4th, we celebrated our country’s history of declaring independence and guaranteeing basic human freedoms. But true freedom includes...

Friday, July 1, 2022

The "sandwich generation" is the descriptive term for adults generally between the ages of 40 and 59 who are raising a minor child (or supporting a grown child) while also caring for a retirement-age or older parent. With financial...

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Work is stressful at times, and anxiety and stress among your employees may lead to performance issues and an overall lower productivity rate. By promoting wellness in the workplace, you may reduce employee burnout and make the work...

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

According to the College Board, the most recently published figures of the average annual cost of tuition and fees at a public university for a school year was $9,970 for in-state students and $25,620 for out-of-state students. The...

Thursday, May 26, 2022

5 Budget Friendly Ways to Beat the Heat This Summer When the mercury rises, it can be tempting to retreat into the air-conditioned indoors. However, running your A/C at full blast day after day can wreak havoc on your summer energy...

Thursday, May 26, 2022

Tax-deferred annuities can be a valuable tool, particularly for retirement savings. However, they are not appropriate for everyone.Five questions to considerThink about each of the following questions. If you can answer yes to all of...

Friday, May 13, 2022

With the S&P 500 Index in correction territory (down more than 10% from the previous peak) while the market faces a number of big threats, including inflation, a hawkish Federal Reserve, soaring yields, and war in Eastern Europe,...

Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Economists and pundits predicted that the baby boomer generation's retirement would be dramatic, and the COVID pandemic sped things along. According to the St. Louis Fed, the number of retirees in the U.S. increased by 7% between...

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Preparing for retirement may be an exciting and stressful time. While the idea of leaving the workforce and enjoying more leisure time may be appealing, the prospect of no longer receiving a regular paycheck might be intimidating for...

Friday, April 22, 2022

Ask your five-year old where money comes from, and the answer you'll probably get is "From a machine!" Even though children don't always understand where money really comes from, they realize at a young age that they can use it to buy...

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

April is not just about tax season and springtime. Since 2004, April has also been Financial Literacy Month throughout the U.S. Some states also recognize it, such as Arkansas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Texas.1  This celebratory...

Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Getting married is a joyous time, but one that comes with numerous considerations. From living arrangements to future goals, marriage may quickly change a lot of things in your life. One thing that may drastically change after your...

Tuesday, March 8, 2022

For decades, women have been making their mark on the business world, overcoming struggles and adversity to be able to get the same recognition as their male counterparts. In the world of finance, the process has been slow, but the...

Monday, February 7, 2022

Not knowing what Congress will do should not stop you from planning One variable that is hard to plan for in retirement is taxes. There are steps you can take, though, despite the uncertain tax landscape. We don’t even know what...

Monday, February 7, 2022

Many IRA and retirement plan limits are indexed for inflation each year. Although the amount you can contribute to IRAs remains the same in 2022, other key numbers will increase, including how much you can contribute to a work-based...

Thursday, January 6, 2022

“Keep it Simple, Stupid” is a great approach to organizing your finances Some folks think financial planning is very difficult. While certain aspects are hard, such as constructing the right asset allocation to meet your...

Thursday, January 6, 2022

Getting ready for retirement is both exciting and daunting. While you are likely looking forward to the enjoyment and relaxation that retirement may bring, you are also cautious about ensuring you have enough money to be able to retire...

Thursday, January 6, 2022

Sometimes we get so caught up taking care of our work, family, and friends that we forget to take care of ourselves. By taking daily mental breaks, you will perform better mentally and physically in your daily responsibilities by...

Thursday, January 6, 2022

Beware Scams at Tax Time Identity theft runs rampant during tax season Here’s what to know and how to protect yourself. Identity thieves often swipe your bank or credit card account numbers, birth date information or Social...

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Thursday, December 2, 2021

In the last quarter of 2021, inflation increased at its highest rate since 1990.1 From gas prices to grocery costs to utility bills; many consumers are experiencing a serious case of sticker shock. Here are some steps you may take to...

Thursday, December 2, 2021

Year-end is approaching and being prepared is the best way to make this tax season your easiest yet. Following are important information and tools to help you get ready: Important Dates and Deadlines Year-End Checklist for Tax Season...

Friday, November 12, 2021

For some, 2021 has flown by—and as we approach the last quarter of the year, it's a good time to begin planning for the next one. Year-end planning is especially important for retirees and those hoping to retire in 2021 or 2022....

Friday, November 12, 2021

A well-structured estate plan can be invaluable to you and your family It is common for people to put off planning their estates. After all, no one wants to anticipate his or her own death. In addition, many people may believe that...

Monday, December 2, 2019

The Week on Wall Street As November wrapped up, U.S. equity benchmarks advanced. Stocks were again aided by a sense of optimism that a preliminary U.S.-China trade deal could be near. For the week, the Nasdaq Composite added 1.87%;...

Monday, November 25, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stocks declined last week as mixed signals emerged about the progress of U.S.-China trade negotiations. The three major Wall Street benchmarks all took weekly losses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0...

Monday, November 18, 2019

The Week on Wall StreetStock benchmarks were little changed for much of last week, but a rally occurred Friday after news broke that the U.S. and China could be closing in on the first phase of a new trade pact. At Friday's close, the...

Monday, November 11, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Domestic and international stocks rose last week. Risk appetite outweighed concerns about the state of U.S.-China trade discussions. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, Nasdaq Composite, S&P 500, and MSCI EAFE...

Monday, November 4, 2019

The Week on Wall Street A better-than-forecast jobs report prompted a stock market rally Friday, two days after traders witnessed another interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve. Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite ended the week...

Monday, October 28, 2019

The Week on Wall Street The S&P 500 came within 0.1% of a record close Friday. Stocks were lifted last week by positive news on U.S.-China trade negotiations, plus earnings announcements. The Nasdaq Composite posted the largest weekly...

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Earnings helped give the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 a slight lift last week, offsetting investor disappointment over the small scope of the preliminary U.S.-China trade deal reached on October 11. Blue chips...