Category: Newsletters

Although student loans are usually associated with young people, about 23% of the $1.5 trillion total student loan debt in the United States is owed by people ages 50 and older :…

The winter months are a great time for entertaining. In many areas of the country, they can also be a time for icy sidewalks and slippery steps. Naturally, you should make every…

In 26 states (and Puerto Rico), laws generally hold children financially responsible for certain debts of their parents. These laws are referred to as filial responsibility laws (or filial support or filial…

Even in normal times, it can be challenging for families to cover college expenses without borrowing money and/or risking their own retirement security. For the 2019–2020 academic year, the cost of in-state…

Choosing a traditional or Roth structure for your IRA or employer-sponsored retirement plan : such as a 401(k), 403(b), or 457(b) plan : is a key decision in your retirement saving and…

After losing ground in 2018, U.S. stocks had a banner year in 2019, with the S&P 500 gaining almost 29% : the highest annual increase since 2013.1 It’s too early to know…

Defensive stock strategies can help a portfolio better weather an economic downturn or bouts of market volatility without sacrificing all the growth potential of equities. If you are nearing retirement or just…

The Roth “five-year rule” typically refers to when you can take tax-free distributions of earnings from your Roth IRA, Roth 401(k), or other work-based Roth account. The rule states that you must…

On August 18, 2020, the S&P 500 set a record high for the first time since COVID‑19 ushered in a bear market on February 19. The cycle from peak to peak was…

In the spring of 2020, unprecedented steps taken to help slow the spread of COVID-19 caused millions of Americans : including heavily impacted small-business owners and workers : to suffer a sudden…

Statistics are essential for making decisions on economic policy, but numbers may not tell the whole story. That’s why the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee also looks at a more informal report…

Under new rules released by the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury, employers can offer a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) instead of a traditional group health plan starting…

A recent survey found that more than half of retirees have retirement planning regrets. Unfortunately, many of these retirees had to cut back on their lifestyles to compensate for financial shortfalls.1 Considering…

The first part of 2020 was rocky, but there should be better days ahead. Taking a close look at your finances may give you the foundation you need to begin moving forward.…

The decisions you make when claiming your Social Security retirement benefit could make a big difference to survivor benefits that might be available to your spouse. That’s why it is important to…

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act roughly doubled the standard deduction and indexed it for inflation through 2025. (The standard deduction is $12,200 for single filers and $24,400 for married taxpayers filing jointly…

The field of behavioral finance focuses on the emotional and cognitive aspects of investing. In recent decades, well-known economists have advanced the theory that investors’ decisions can be driven by human emotions…

In the fall of 2019, wildfires fueled by high winds erupted in parts of Northern and Southern California, threatening structures in multiple communities. Wildfires have long been a concern in this sunny…

Scientific research suggests it really is better to give than to receive : that spending money for the benefit of others may lead to longer-lasting happiness than spending money on yourself.1 However,…

Americans use debit cards more often than credit cards, but they tend to use credit cards for higher-dollar transactions. The average value of a debit-card transaction in 2018 was just $36, while…