First and foremost, this week’s commentary should not be construed to suggest that we are saying stocks will go up forever. We are also not saying that stocks are immune from a pullback in the final four months of 2021. Corrections are a normal part of investing and the S&P 500 Index has yet to … Read more
QUANTITATIVE EASING AND SHORT-TERM RATES NEAR ZERO COULD BE ENDING SOON Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell seems to have capitulated on plans to taper the Fed’s stimulus program as of mid-July, causing the bond market to rally and the stock market to hit new highs. But economic data sets are still disappointing and rising interest … Read more
The student loan landscape has changed dramatically since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. From the suspension of interest payments on federal student loans to tax incentives for employers who pay their employees’ student loans, there are a number of new programs available to help make student loan repayment cheaper and simpler. Below, learn more … Read more
Corporate America did it again. Companies blew by estimates and made strategists and analysts look silly (though we humbly suggest that we may have looked less silly than most in our earnings preview on July 12). S&P 500 earnings growth did not surprise by quite as much as in the first quarter, but came pretty close—boosted by … Read more
What is Net Investment Income Tax? If you have taxable income over $200K, you may need to calculate net investment income tax when you prepare and file your tax return. This tax, which is a 3.8% surtax on the lessor of the total net investment income or the excess of modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) … Read more
The highly transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19 now makes up an overwhelming majority of the new cases in the U.S., bringing with it a rise in cases and hospitalizations. Widespread vaccine distribution and distancing measures have helped limit the variant’s impact, but we could still see some drag on economic growth as some restrictions are … Read more
Monday’s big down day was a harsh reminder of how markets actually can produce volatility. It was the worst day of the year for the Dow and only the second drop of 1% or more for the S&P 500 Index in just over two months. As we noted recently in Three Things That Worry Us, there … Read more
Markets are off to a strong start this year, with the S&P 500 Index up about 14% so far. However, most of those gains came early in the year, and many stocks have stagnated over recent months. While we remain overweight on stocks relative to bonds, this week we explore three things that worry us—and … Read more
Starting a family is one of life’s most rewarding experiences. However, it will also profoundly impact your financial picture, with a list of expenses that grows by the year. (One estimate pegs the total expenses for a child’s first 18 years at $233,610.)[1] As you begin planning for your first child, consider these key areas … Read more
As the U.S. population continues to age, the “sandwich generation” is caught in the middle, supporting both their parents and their children, whether financially, physically, or emotionally. This generation is the middle-aged generation supporting the baby boomer generation—now the largest generation ever. By 2035, one in three heads of households will be someone age 65 and older. The American population will have … Read more
Rock legend and Black Sabbath front man Ozzy Osbourne revealed that he’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In an appearance on Good Morning America, the now 71-year-old musician said he was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disorder last February. “I feel better now that I’ve owned up to the fact that I have a case of … Read more
Even if you’re saving money in a 401(k), IRA, or another type of retirement account, you may not be paying much attention to the specific rules and regulations governing these accounts. After all, if you’re years away from retirement, many of these regulations are likely to change. But a major part of retirement planning involves … Read more
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