Losing a spouse, whether through death or divorce, can be devastating both emotionally and financially. The loss can take months or even years to adjust to since there is no way to prepare for death or divorce despite having discussed contingencies with each other or their financial professional. When it comes to financial decisions, some things need … Read more
On May 27, 2021, a couple of events in the energy sector occurred that demonstrated the continued mainstreaming of sustainable investing and underscored the risks and opportunities available to investors. While primarily thought of as equity-oriented, sustainable investing is becoming more mainstream in fixed income markets—and companies that fail to acknowledge changing dynamics may potentially … Read more
Fiscal stimulus, which was central to the market rebound in the last year, may start moving to the sidelines over the rest of 2021 and into 2022 as the recovery continues. Economic growth can compensate for the loss of government checks to households and businesses, but potential tax increases may be more challenging for markets … Read more
For many Americans, the home is the single biggest purchase made during their lifetime.[1] As a result, it’s important to do everything possible to keep it in good condition. Even moderate or short-term neglect can be dangerous, as small problems can quickly snowball into larger and more expensive ones. But homes don’t come with an instruction … Read more
Due to the shift to online classes over the past year, 2020 saw the lowest tuition increase in the last four decades. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the highest year-over-year change in college tuition and fees was recorded in June 1982 at 14.2%, while overall inflation was up 6.6% over that same time period. … Read more
After one of the best starts to a bull market in history, the rally has started to show signs of fatigue. A strong economic recovery lies ahead as the roepening continues, bolstering a very strong earnings outlook that is helping stocks grow into elevated valuations. However, in the second half of the year, as inflationary … Read more
If you have a child in kindergarten, you may want to dust off a report from 2015 that explains just how expensive raising kids can be. And it’s downright frightening. Back in 2015, the US Department of Agriculture released the Expenditures on Children by Families Report with the scary title: “The Cost of Raising a … Read more
It’s embarrasing to admit this but in our earnings season preview on April 12, when the consensus estimate reflected a nearly 24% increase, we wrote that S&P 500 Index earnings growth for the first quarter could potentially exceed 30%. Fast forward to today and earnings growth for the quarter is on pace to double—yes, double—that 24% … Read more
If retirement is on your horizon, you may not expect to be able to withdraw any funds from your 401(k), 403(b), or other tax-deferred plan until you reach age 59.5—unless you want to pay a 10 percent penalty.[1] However, one little-known IRS rule allows you to begin making penalty-free withdrawals from a tax-deferred account at age … Read more
If you’re a small business owner, many of the best practices employed by individual investors are also available to you (of course!), but you also have some additional options and factors to weigh while creating your investment plans. We’ve outlined five key differences for your consideration: 1. DIVERSIFYING OUTSIDE YOUR OWN INDUSTRY Small business owners … Read more
Last week we discussed whether stock prices might be reflecting peak optimism. In that commentary we noted that while sentiment may be overly optimistic and a pickup in volatility would be totally normal, strong breadth measures suggest stocks still may have more upside. This week we tackle that same topic of peak optimism, but by … Read more
When saving for retirement, it often makes sense to contribute to employer-sponsored retirement plans to take advantage of any available employer match opportunities. However, not everyone has access to an employer-sponsored plan. Even if you do, there are reasons you may want to consider using Traditional and/or Roth IRAs to supplement your retirement savings. There … Read more
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