Tremendous Gains Since 2009 A look at where stocks were in 2009 and how they have performed since. Where were you on March 9, 2009? Do you remember the headwinds hitting Wall Street? When the closing bell rang at the New York Stock Exchange that Monday afternoon, it marked the [...]
The SECURE Act As we welcome in a new year, we are also welcoming in one of the largest changes to U.S. Retirement legislation in the last decade. The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act is now law. While the new rules don’t appear to amount to [...]
A Retirement Fact Sheet Some specifics about the “second act.” Does your vision of retirement align with the facts? Here are some noteworthy financial and lifestyle facts about life after 50 that might surprise you. Up to 85% of a retiree’s Social Security income can be taxed. Some retirees are [...]
Measuring the Value of Advice One study asserts that these relationships can make a difference for investors. What is a relationship with a financial advisor worth to an investor? A 2019 study by Vanguard, one of the world’s largest money managers, attempts to answer that question. Vanguard’s whitepaper concludes that [...]
The Sequence of Returns A look at how variable rates of return do (and do not) impact investors over time. What exactly is the “sequence of returns”? The phrase describes the yearly variation in an investment portfolio’s rate of return. Across 20 or 30 years of saving and investing for [...]
Annual Financial To-Do List What financial, business, or life priorities do you need to address for the coming year? Now is a good time to think about the investing, saving, or budgeting methods you could employ toward specific objectives, from building your retirement [...]
That First RMD from Your IRA When you reach age 70 1/2, the Internal Revenue Service instructs you to start making withdrawals from your traditional IRA(s), 401(k)s and other certain retirement accounts. These withdrawals are also called Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). You will make them, annually, from now on. If [...]
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 tend to [...]
Global vs. International: What's the Difference? For investors who are looking to diversify their portfolio with exposure to companies located outside the U.S., there exist two basic choices: a global mutual fund or an international mutual fund. By definition, international funds invest in non-U.S. markets, while global funds may invest [...]
Living Trusts Explained Everyone should have a will. If you die without a valid will in place, state law will determine how your assets are distributed to your heirs. The question is, when do you need more than just a will? You see the ads all the time: “Should [...]
