Has the recession started? When will it end? Most questions I am getting these days revolve around the idea of whether or not we are in a recession. Rising interest rates, lower GDP, and corporate earnings all point to recessionary times, but it is difficult to know when we enter or when we are done. Read the full article…
Regarding Bear Markets and Recessions I realize that these times are scary. Volatility in the markets is inherently difficult, both on the portfolio and emotional cycle of investors. Recessionary fears are a common party conversation with discussions and debates over Federal Reserve interest rate changes, timetables, inflation, labor participation rates, and unemployment rates. Even, as Read the full article…
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 the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, passed in 2019. Read the full article…
In this month’s recap: Stocks struggled in December on renewed recession fears. U.S. Markets Stocks were under pressure in December on renewed recession fears and concerns that the Fed may keep rates higher than markets anticipated. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 4.17 percent for the month, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell Read the full article…
If your family relies on your income, it’s critical to consider having enough life insurance to provide for them after you pass away. But too often, life insurance is an overlooked aspect of personal finances. In fact, according to a 2019 study conducted by Life Happens and LIMRA, which closely follows life insurance trends, nearly 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…
The SECURE Act, which became effective on January 1, 2021, changed the rules for inherited IRAs. Prior to that, the rules were very beneficial to non-spousal beneficiaries. The act upended the “life expectancy” rule for distributions and, in its place, created the 10-year rule for non-spousal beneficiaries. The act establishes a time period of 10 Read the full article…
A trust is a legal agreement between two parties: the trustee and the trustor (sometimes called the settlor or grantor). The trustor is the person who establishes the trust and transfers assets into it. The trustee is the person or entity responsible for managing those assets according to the trustor’s wishes. Often the trustor will also be the trustee, Read the full article…
In this month’s recap: Stocks rally as early data suggests the health impact of Omicron was less severe than initially feared. Presented by Philip Clark, CPWA®,CFP®, CLU®, January 2022 U.S. Markets Stocks rallied in December as early data suggested that the health impact of the Omicron variant was less severe than initially feared. The Dow Jones Read the full article…
In this month’s recap: Reports of a new COVID-19 variant blindsided markets as a wave of late selling erased the month’s earlier gains. Presented by Philip Clark, CPWA®,CFP®, CLU®, December 2021 U.S. Markets Reports of a new COVID-19 variant in late November roiled markets as a wave of selling erased the month’s earlier gains. The Dow Read the full article…
