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
Whether you’ve been investing for years or just made your first stock purchase, you may find that the more you learn, the more you realize you don’t know. From capital gains taxes to dividends, how well do you know investing? Test your investment IQ with our five-question quiz. True or False: Dividends are taxed differently … Read more
“Sell in May and go away”1 is probably the most widely cited stock market cliché in history. Every year a barrage of Wall Street commentaries, media stories, and investor questions flood in about the popular stock market adage. We tackle this commonly cited seasonal pattern and why some seasonal weakness could make sense in 2021. THE … 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
So you’re getting married in 2021? Congratulations. And when you add up all your income (yours and your spouse’s), you’ll earn more than the limit to contribute to a Roth IRA. But since you’re below the income limit now, you want to contribute to a Roth before the wedding. Sounds like a good idea. But … Read more
The outstanding fourth-quarter earnings season we had in 2020 is a tough act to follow, but 2021’s first quarter has the makings of another potentially great earnings season. The reopening of the economy continues to move forward, and corporate America has done an excellent job managing through the pandemic. In fact, it won’t take much … 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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