The rating agency “Fitch Ratings” has downgraded US Federal Government Credit Rating to AA+ from AAA late Tuesday evening. A couple of things to note: Credit rating is similar to bonds, as it is to personal credit rating. The higher the rating, the lower interest the borrower has to pay because it is seen as Read the full article…
The city of Detroit emerged from bankruptcy in 2014. Still, its previous inability to pay investors left some questioning their long-held assumption about the relative safety of municipal bonds. Without question, in the wake of Detroit’s troubles, gaining a better understanding of municipal bonds makes more sense than ever.1 At their most basic level, there Read the full article…
According to Yale University’s Crash Confidence Index, only about 27% of investors are confident the stock market will not crash sometime during the next six months.1 But if fear leads investors to avoid the entire investment class, they may limit their potential returns. For example, during the 20-year period ended December 31, 2018, stocks had Read the full article…
Recent years have witnessed the mainstreaming of alternative investments for certain accredited investors. In fact, alternative investments are expected to grow from $13.9 trillion in 2020 to $21.1 trillion in 2025.1,2 The impetus behind this projected growth is the belief that alternative investments offer the potential to enhance the risk/reward characteristics of a traditionally diversified Read the full article…
Markets are known to be volatile and will continue to change rapidly in unpredictable ways. This may be a concern to many people, but let me reassure you that it is okay. In fact, this may be used to your advantage as it may give long-term investors an opportunity to rebalance into investments. I have Read the full article…
As we approach the end of this extraordinary year, it is a perfect time to take account of the year and begin to plan for the future. Whether it is economic models, capital market assumptions, or political headwinds, we must consider year-end planning techniques that may protect and increase your net worth and possibly modify Read the full article…
Presented by Philip Clark, CFP®, September 2020 Are women saving and investing enough today? How about you? Do you feel financially prepared for the future? Taking control of your financial future is so important, and it starts with saving and investing actively. Here are some of the reasons this is crucial. The earnings gap. Men Read the full article…
In support of breast cancer awareness month, we are focusing the next few articles on wealth issues impacting women. This article will cover retirement must-haves. We encourage you to donate to charitable organizations of your choosing. Not only it is a great tax saving strategy, it also just makes you feel good. If you would Read the full article…
Shelley Schexnayder, Communications, Senior Advisor at 1st Global It’s impossible to time the market perfectly or completely avoid market fluctuations, and every year, there is significant rotation on which of the asset classes at right perform well or poorly. So how can long-term investors not only endure market fluctuations but plan for them in their Read the full article…
Look beyond this moment and stay focused on your long-term objectives. Volatility will always be around on Wall Street, and as you invest for the long term, you must learn to tolerate it. Rocky moments, fortunately, are not the norm. Since the end of World War II, there have been dozens of Wall Street shocks. Read the full article…
