What’s on my mind? You can read about it in my blog. Whether it’s ideas from the industry or emerging trends, you can read about it here. And once in a while, I may throw in a movie review or some other surprise. So keep checking in. I'm glad to have you reading along.
The Week on Wall StreetIn a holiday-shortened week, stock prices turned higher as encouraging economic data outweighed an increase in COVID-19 cases and a rollback in economic re-openings.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 3.25%,...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetA jump in COVID-19 cases dampened investor enthusiasm last week, sending stock prices lower on worries that rising infections could derail the economic recovery. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slumped 3.31%,...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetInvestor sentiment turned negative last week, amid an increasing number of COVID-19 cases in states where reopening has been underway as well as a subdued economic forecast from the Federal Reserve. The Dow Jones...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetA positive jobs report sent stocks soaring last Friday, capping a solid week as evidence of a global economic recovery outweighed concerns over civil unrest and tensions with China.The Dow Jones Industrial...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetThe shortened week, which began with a powerful two-day rally of trading, was enough to drive the markets into another week of solid gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 3.75%, while the Standard &...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetStocks drifted lower last week, weighed down by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's unsettling comments on the economy and signs of renewed tensions with China.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2.65%,...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetDespite a historic downturn in employment, stocks managed to climb higher last week as investors were emboldened by the pace of economic re-openings, both here and abroad.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 2...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetStock prices ended the week slightly lower, despite news of positive results from a test trial of a COVID-19 drug treatment and several states easing their economic lockdowns. The Dow Jones Industrial Average...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetStock prices bounced around last week as investors reacted to wild swings in the price of oil and reports that called into question the efficacy of two potential virus treatments.The Dow Jones Industrial Average...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetStock prices pushed higher last week as news of a White House plan to reopen the economy and reports of a potential COVID-19 treatment helped the market overcome weak economic data and an ugly start to the...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetThe stock market staged a broad rally this week, buoyed by the prospect that COVID-19's grip on the nation may be easing and news of another Federal Reserve program to help stabilize businesses.The Dow Jones...
Read MoreAn open-ended commitment by the Federal Reserve to support American businesses and capital markets along with the passage of a $2 trillion aid package improved investor sentiment and drove a strong rally in stock prices. The Dow Jones...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetThe stock market suffered through another volatile week as it wrestled with the health and economic fallout of the domestic spread of the coronavirus. Swift and decisive actions by the Federal Reserve and policy...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetMarkets remained exceptionally volatile, buffeted by the spreading impact of coronavirus, uncertain responses from federal policymakers, and the sudden drop in oil prices.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 10...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetHeightened coronavirus fears, falling yields, and Super Tuesday primary results sent stocks on a rollercoaster ride of sharp price swings, leaving stocks marginally higher for the week.The Dow Jones Industrial...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetStocks fell sharply last week as Wall Street considered how the coronavirus outbreak might influence global business activity and household spending.The selloff became a correction for the U.S. markets. The S&P...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetTraders paid close attention to coronavirus developments and earnings last week, while wondering how the former might eventually impact the latter. Concern over updated infection numbers moderated risk appetite.A...
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Monday, February 24, 2020
In recent weeks, we’ve seen several major stories in the news. On the political front, in addition to the arrival of the presidential election through the 2020 caucuses and primaries, we have just experienced the third...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetDaily headlines about the coronavirus had little impact on stock market averages last week. Earnings and mergers had more influence. All three Wall Street benchmarks improved. The Nasdaq Composite rose 2.21%,...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetStocks advanced four days out of five during the past market week, erasing the losses of the week before. The Nasdaq Composite surged 4.04%, the S&P 500 3.17%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average 3.00%. Foreign...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetStock benchmarks declined for a second straight week as coronavirus news tempered risk appetite.The S&P 500 fell 2.14% on the week. The Nasdaq Composite dipped 1.76%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 2.55%....
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetStock prices fell last week as investors considered the potential health and economic risks of the flu-like coronavirus.Foreign stock markets, as tracked by the broad MSCI EAFE index, fell 1.03% for the week....
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetTraders were in an upbeat mood last week, reacting to news out of Washington: the signing of the phase-one trade deal between the U.S. and China as well as the Senate passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall StreetThe market had a choppy five days, with traders reacting to geopolitical developments and weaker-than-expected jobs data. Even so, the three major U.S. equity indices posted weekly gains and continued their...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall Street Stocks descended from record highs Friday, as traders reacted to a U.S. drone strike that killed Iran's top military officer. Oil prices rose more than 3% following the breaking news.[1] Wall Street benchmarks...
Read MoreWhat Drove the Markets? Four factors influenced investment performance in 2019: a shift in U.S. monetary policy, the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and China, earnings, and the economy. Stocks reached record highs in 2019. The...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall Street The U.S. and China announced a limited trade agreement last week. That news lifted U.S. and foreign stocks, leading to weekly gains. Advancing 0.91% on the week, the Nasdaq Composite outperformed the S&P 500...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall Street Key Wall Street benchmarks were up and down last week – or rather down and then up. A Tuesday retreat was offset by a Friday rally spurred by the Department of Labor’s November jobs report. While the S&P 500...
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Monday, December 9, 2019
Some people approach buying a car like they approach marriage, “‘til death do us part.” Others prefer to keep their options open, trading in every few years for the latest make and model, the most cutting-edge...
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Monday, December 2, 2019
Chris Rock once remarked, “You don’t pay taxes – they take taxes.” That applies not only to income, but also to capital gains...
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Monday, November 18, 2019
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,...
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Monday, November 11, 2019
Caring for Aging Parents Thanks to healthier lifestyles and advances in modern medicine, the worldwide population over age 60 is growing. The United Nations estimates that by 2050 the number of people aged 60 and older will have more...
Read MoreThe U.S. labor market stood strong against headwinds in October. Nonfarm payrolls increased 128,000 last month, higher than consensus estimates for an 85,000 gain. October’s payrolls beat expectations despite a 42,000 slide in...
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Monday, October 28, 2019
Everyone loves a winner. If an investment is successful, most people naturally want to stick with it. But is that the best approach? It may sound counter intuitive, but it may be possible to have too much of a good thing. Over time,...
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Monday, October 21, 2019
The reason withdrawals from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) prior to age 59½ are generally subject to a 10% tax penalty is that policymakers wanted to create a disincentive to use these savings for anything other than...
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Monday, October 14, 2019
Pursuing your retirement dreams is challenging enough without making some common, and very avoidable, mistakes. Here are eight big mistakes to steer clear of, if possible. No Strategy: Yes, the biggest mistake is having no strategy at...
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Monday, October 7, 2019
This modern twist on the Ben Franklin maxim reflects the multiplicity of taxes to which earnings are subject in today’s world.¹ Finding ways to manage expenses is one of the cornerstones of a sound financial strategy. Here...
Read MoreSpeaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced last week that she would support an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump...
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Monday, September 30, 2019
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.¹ Without question, in the wake of...
Read MoreEconomic BlogSeptember 19, 2019 U.S. leading indicators were unchanged in August, following a 0.4% increase in July. The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index (LEI) was flat month over month, beating Bloomberg estimates of a...
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Monday, September 16, 2019
Immediate vs. Deferred Annuities Despite not being as well known as some other retirement tools, annuities account for 8% of all assets earmarked for retirement. With about $2.3 trillion in assets, annuities hold more funds than Roth...
Read MoreU.S. consumers are feeling especially empowered these days, despite growing pessimism about the economic outlook. As shown in the LPL Chart of the Day, Consumer Confidence Pushes Through Trade Uncertainty, the Conference Board’s...
Read MoreU.S. leading indicators rebounded in July, a good sign for the durability of the expansion. The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index (LEI) rose 0.5% month over month, the biggest gain since September 2018, and above...
Read MoreWe’re a week into August, and trade tensions have been the biggest driver of U.S. stocks...
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Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Most portfolios are constructed based on an individual's investment objective, risk tolerance, and time horizon. Using these inputs and sophisticated portfolio-optimization calculations, most investors can feel confident that they own...
Read More“Prediction is very difficult, especially if it’s about the future.” Niels Bohr, A Danish physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922 Hardly a day goes by that we don’t get a question regarding the...
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Monday, July 22, 2019
The baby boomers have re-defined everything they’ve touched, from music to marriage to parenting and, more lately, to what “old” means—60 is the new 50! Longer, healthier living, however, can put greater stress...
Read MoreAfter Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell’s congressional testimony this week, it appears at least a 25 basis point (.25%) cut is in the cards on July 31. This...
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Tuesday, July 9, 2019
If you live in or have visited a big city, you’ve probably run into street vendors—people who sell everything from hot dogs to umbrellas in carts—on the streets and sidewalks. Many of these entrepreneurs sell...
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Monday, July 1, 2019
Insurance is meant to protect you against financial loss...
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Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Social Security’s been a fact of retirement life ever since it was established in 1935. We all think we know how...
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Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Of those aged 65 and older, 10 to 20 percent have mild cognitive impairment...
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Tuesday, June 11, 2019
A power of attorney is a legal document that authorizes someone to act for you...
Read MoreWell, it finally happened. The S&P 500 Index pulled back more than 5% from its all-time high...
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Monday, May 20, 2019
There's no right time to begin collecting Social Security benefits...
Read MoreTrade fears drove stocks to their worst week of the year...
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Monday, May 6, 2019
There are many factors to consider when deciding whether to roll over a distribution from a 401(k)...
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Monday, April 29, 2019
If you're receiving benefits based on your own work record, your benefits will continue...
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Monday, April 22, 2019
As we get older and our health declines, the greater the chances are....
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Monday, April 15, 2019
A living trust is a popular estate planning tool that lets you...
Read MoreWhat a start to 2019! The S&P 500 Index had its best first quarter since 1998....
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Thursday, April 4, 2019
To qualify for an income tax deduction for home office expenses...
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Monday, April 1, 2019
One way to get an estimate of...
Read MoreThe Federal Reserve (Fed) has doubled down on its patient stance...
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Monday, March 18, 2019
Answer: The federal government insures certain pension benefits. Specifically, it insures defined benefit plans..
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Monday, March 11, 2019
Answer: Generally speaking, as much as possible. You need to build a fund that you'll be able to draw on for much of your retirement income. Believe it or not...
Read MoreThis Saturday, March 9, 2019, marks the 10-year anniversary of the end to the worst bear market for U.S. stocks since the Great Depression. Although at that time no one could have imagined we’d be looking at the longest bull...
Read More“March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb."What a start to 2019...
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Monday, February 25, 2019
It depends on what kind of IRA you're talking about. Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs are each subject to different contribution rules. You're allowed to contribute up to $5,500 to a traditional IRA in 2018 (unchanged from 2017)...
Read MoreInvestors have been especially patient during the S&P 500 Index’s 93-day drought of record highs, especially considering the gauge has posted a new high every 12 days on average in this bull market. However, history shows the S&P...
Read MoreThe Federal Reserve (Fed) just delivered a widely expected, but important monetary policy decision. On January 30, policymakers decided to leave interest rates unchanged, removing the “some further gradual (rate) increases”...
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Monday, February 4, 2019
Every year the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) releases its list of tax scams, spotlighting the myriad ways that people try to separate you from your money.¹ The “Dirty Dozen” Identity Theft Using your personal...
Read MoreThe Super Bowl indicator suggests that stocks rise for the full year when the Super Bowl winner comes from the original National Football League (now the NFC), but...
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Tuesday, January 22, 2019
The right answer in your case will depend on a number of key factors. These include, among others, your income and assets, your attitude toward risk, whether you have access to an employer-sponsored plan at work,...
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The U.S. government is in Day 27 of a partial government shutdown, now the longest in history.
Read MoreThe S&P 500 Index is off to its best start in years, but this is on the heels of the worst year for stocks since 2008. The trifecta of crashing oil prices, confusion from the Federal Reserve (Fed), and trade issues with China all...
Read MoreThe results may surprise you...
Read More(Fed) rhetoric has spooked financial markets, especially as uncertainty has clouded investors’ horizons. But we still believe the fundamental U.S. economic landscape is compelling,...
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Thursday, January 3, 2019
Retirement can have many meanings. For some, it will be a time to travel and spend time with family members. For others, it will be a time to start a new business or begin a charitable endeavor. Regardless of what approach you intend...
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Saturday, October 7, 2017
Answer: Asset allocation is the process of deciding how to divide your investment dollars across several asset categories. Stocks, bonds, and cash or cash alternatives are the most common components of an asset allocation strategy....
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Saturday, September 30, 2017
Answer: It depends. The right answer in your case will depend on a number of key factors. These include, among others, your income and assets, your attitude toward risk, whether you have access to an employer-sponsored plan at work,...
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Saturday, September 23, 2017
Answer: The right answer for you will depend on your situation. First of all, don't underestimate the psychological impact of early retirement. The adjustment from full-time work to a more leisurely pace may be difficult for you. So...
Read MoreHealth Care Costs Can Add Up In Retirement Tip: Medicare beneficiaries spent an average of $4,734 out of pocket on health care in 2010, the most recent year for which figures are available. Forty-two percent of that went to premiums,...
Read MoreTip: Still Selling Strong. In 2015, investors purchased $236.7 billion in annuity contracts. Most of this capital—$133 billion—went into variable annuities. Source: LIMRA, 2016 Individuals hold more than $2.0 trillion in...
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