With the holiday season upon us and the end of the year approaching, we pause to give thanks for our blessings and the people in our lives. It is also a time when charitable giving often comes to mind. The tax benefits associated with charitable giving could potentially enhance your ability to give and should […]
Year-End Charitable Giving Read More »
According to data from the International Monetary Fund, the United States received almost one-third of all global foreign investment from 2021 to 2023. This compares with an average of just 18% before the pandemic. The dramatic increase is even more remarkable considering widespread concern about the dominance of the U.S. dollar as a global currency.1
High Foreign Investment in the United States Read More »
Zombie debt is old and often expired debt that could be revived after being purchased by a collection agency for pennies on the dollar — or less. These “debt scavengers” have plenty of incentive to cast a wide net and take aggressive steps to collect even a small portion of the original debt. If you
Zombie Debt: Is It Coming for You? Read More »
During the week of June 10, 2024, French markets were rocked by a government bond sell-off after a strong showing by the far-right National Rally party in the European Union election. With polls suggesting the party might win a plurality of seats in the upcoming French parliamentary election, investors feared a promised social spending program,
The Economic Impact of an Aging World Read More »
Medicare’s Open Enrollment period began on October 15 and runs through December 7. If you are covered by Medicare, it’s time to compare your current coverage with other available options. Medicare plans can change every year, and you may want to switch to a health or prescription drug plan that better suits your needs or
Medicare Open Enrollment Kicks Off Read More »
If you have been affected by Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, or another recent federally declared major disaster, you may be relieved to hear that over the past few years, it has become easier to access your work-based retirement plan and IRA money. Following is a brief summary of the rules for qualified disaster recovery distributions
Can You Access Your Retirement Plan Money After a Disaster? Read More »
National Public Data, a consumer data broker, confirmed last week that a hacker had targeted the company in December 2023, “with potential leaks of certain data in April 2024 and summer 2024.”1Other reports indicate that this leaked data had been found on the dark web and could include the names, addresses, phone numbers, and Social
After a Massive Breach, Is Your Data in Danger? Read More »
Each year, the Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds provide detailed reports to Congress that track the programs’ current financial condition and projected financial outlook. These reports have warned for years that the trust funds would be depleted in the not-too-distant future, and the most recent reports, released on May 6, 2024,
What Does the Future Hold for Social Security and Medicare? Read More »
Here are some things to consider as you weigh potential tax moves between now and the end of the year. 1. Defer income to next year Consider opportunities to defer income to 2025, particularly if you think you may be in a lower tax bracket then. For example, you may be able to defer a
2024 Year-End Tax Tips Read More »
On September 18, 2024, the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) lowered the benchmark federal funds rate one-half percentage point to a range of 4.75% to 5.0%. It was the first rate cut since the Fed raised the funds rate aggressively from March 2022 to July 2023 to help control inflation.1 The long-awaited policy
The Fed Finally Cut Interest Rates. What Could It Mean for Your Finances? Read More »
It’s easy to see how inflation affects your daily life. Gas prices are higher. Electric bills are steeper. Wallets are thinner. But what inflation does to your investments isn’t always as obvious. Let’s say your money is earning 4% and inflation is running between 3% and 4% (its historical average). That means your so-called “real
Inflation-Fighting TIPS Read More »
On August 5, 2024, the S&P 500 Index dropped 3% from its previous close, the largest single-day loss in almost two years. This continued a three-week slide that saw the benchmark index — generally considered representative of the U.S. stock market — decline by 8.5%. The tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite Index dropped even further, losing 3.4%
Should You Worry About Market Volatility? Read More »
On September 18, 2024, the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) lowered the benchmark federal funds rate one-half percentage point to a range of 4.75% to 5.0%. It was the first rate cut since the Fed raised the funds rate aggressively from March 2022 to July 2023 to help control inflation.1 The long-awaited policy
The Fed Finally Cut Interest Rates. What Could It Mean for Your Finances? Read More »
To download a six-page summary explaining risk capacity, click on the following link: Risk Capacity Link Have you ever heard the term “Risk Capacity”? Chances are very high that you have not. Why is that? Most financial professionals focus on the more commonly known term of “Risk Tolerance.” Risk Tolerance is someone’s personal attitude about
Do You Know Your Investment Risk Capacity? Read More »
Protect IRA Assets from Your Children’s Poor Decisions More and more wealth over the coming years will transfer between generations as our population ages. Investment News stated recently that there will be more wealth transferred from one generation to the next over the next 20 years than in any time in our country’s history. Much
Controlling Your IRA Assets from the Grave Read More »
Let me start by saying that I’m not a prognosticator of what will happen in the stock market at any given time. Before the Trump election I was certain that we’d have a major correction. I was wrong. After the Trump election I really wasn’t sure, but it seemed logical that we’d have a period
Very Interesting Stock Market Crash Chart Read More »
