2020 was a good year for stock investors despite unprecedented challenges. After being down more than 30% at the March 2020 lows, the S&P 500 Index ended the year with a solid 18.4% total return. Last year marked the first time the index ended a year positive after being down at least 30% during that … Read more
The Federal Reserve (Fed) demonstrated Wednesday in its final policy meeting of the year—again—that it has not exhausted the tools it has for supporting the economy and still holds plenty in reserve. The Fed kept its target policy rate at 0–0.25% but sharpened its guidance on how long it would continue its bond purchase program, also … Read more
2020 has been one of the most unprecedented years in recent history, but some things—like tax contributions and retirement deadlines—don’t change much, if at all. And with the uncertainty surrounding just about everything, meeting these deadlines and getting tax efficiencies in place now may help the rest of the year run more smoothly. Read on for … Read more
With the end of the tax year fast approaching, you may want to find ways to minimize your tax liability. Implementing one or more of the simple strategies discussed below may allow you to hold on to more of your earnings, potentially grow your wealth, and help lessen the taxes owed on your annual return. … Read more
COVID-19 cases have been on the rise in the US, particularly in the Midwest. This latest wave of the virus and related restrictions have begun to hamstring economic growth at a time when momentum was already fading as we entered the fourth quarter, based on the December iteration of the Federal Reserve (Fed)’s Beige Book. … Read more
Stimulus talks in Washington, DC, are getting a lot of attention from investors—and for good reason. The midpoint of the two offers—roughly $1.6 trillion from the White House and $2.2 trillion from US House Democrats—is about 9% of last year’s US gross domestic product (source: Bureau of Labor Statistics). That’s a big deal in terms … Read more
When the markets are shaky, it can be tempting to rely on political headlines or pending legislation to time your entry or exit points. However, letting politics drive your investment decisions can be a costly mistake. Learn more about what helps market trends endure beyond political administrations and why you should ignore the noise and … Read more
In recent months, we have warmed up to Europe as a destination for equity investments in global portfolios. Through July, Europe had done a relatively good job containing the first wave of COVID-19, and cases were plummeting to multi-month lows. Meanwhile, the United States was struggling with its second wave—or perhaps the second phase of … Read more
Life insurance can be an excellent tool for charitable giving. Not only does life insurance allow you to make a substantial gift to charity at relatively little cost to you, but you may also benefit from tax rules that apply to gifts of life insurance. WHY USE LIFE INSURANCE FOR CHARITABLE GIVING? Life insurance allows … Read more
Like anyone else, you want a life insurance policy that meets your needs and budget. But how do you find the right policy when there are so many to choose from and many of them seem so similar? The key is knowing how to compare policies and evaluate the results. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT–AND COMPARE … Read more
US Stocks opened slightly lower. The modest selling pressure that followed the somewhat downbeat economic commentary from Wednesday’s Federal Reserve (Fed) meeting minutes has carried over this morning. Futures pared losses overnight on reports that US and China trade officials have agreed to meet in the coming days, but an increase in jobless claims dampened sentiment ahead of … Read more
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