Timely newsletters to help you stay current on the markets, tax rules, retirement planning and the wider economy.
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What Is Diversification?
Virtually every investment has some type of risk associated with it. The stock market rises and falls. An increase in interest rates can cause a decline in the bond market. No matter…
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Community Property Laws: Yours, Mine, and Ours
The question of asset ownership can be contentious in the event of a divorce, but even in the happiest marriage it may be helpful to understand the laws regarding ownership of property…
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When Must Taxes Be Paid on IRA and Employer-Sponsored Retirement Funds?
Traditional IRAs and most employer-sponsored retirement plans are tax-deferred accounts, which means they are typically funded with pre-tax or tax-deductible dollars. As a result, taxes are not payable until funds are withdrawn,…
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The Fed Hits the Brakes: No Rate Hikes Projected in 2019 At its meeting on March 20, 2019, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) maintained the benchmark federal funds rate at the…
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March 17th 2014
Market Commentary – 3.17.14 Just Like Your NCAA Bracket, Make Sure You Seek Some “Cinderella Stories” for Your Portfolios March Madness has officially begun : that time of year when we complete…
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Annual Market Recap – 2014
Annual Market Recap – 2014 Market Indices1 December 4th Quarter 2014 Dow Jones Industrial Average +0.12% +5.20% +10.04% S&P 500 -0.25% +4.93% +13.69% NASDAQ Composite -1.09% +5.70% +14.75% Barclays U.S. Government +0.13%…
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How Can You Insure Your Future?
Long ago, people realized that there is strength in numbers. For hundreds of years, we have been joining forces against all kinds of calamities : including financial troubles.
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How does inflation affect me?
Are you saving for retirement? For your children’s education? For any other long-term goal? If so, you’ll want to know how inflation can impact your savings. Inflation is the increase in the…
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American Tax Burden
Are you concerned about your tax situation?
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What Is An Annuity?
Immediate or deferred annuity: there’s no right answer.
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Keeping an Eye on Heavy Corporate Debt
The opportunity to borrow at low interest rates has enticed corporations to issue more than $1.0 trillion in bonds every year since 2010. By the end of 2018, corporate balance sheets were…
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How Can I Benefit from Tax-Advantaged Investments?
For many people, tax-advantaged investing is an excellent way to reduce their income tax liability. And while many of the traditional tax-advantaged strategies have been eliminated, there are still alternatives left that…
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Are Your Designated Heirs Up-to-Date?
The end of the year is a time when families often gather together. Although these gatherings may keep you busy, this could be a good time to think about the future and…
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September 9th 2013
Market Commentary – 9.9.13 What’s Developing in Emerging Markets Despite the strong returns of U.S. equity markets, it has been a different story for emerging markets. The MSCI Emerging Market Index, a…
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What is the difference between a fixed annuity and a variable annuity?
An annuity is a contract with an insurance company in which you make one or more payments in exchange for a future income stream in retirement. The funds in an annuity accumulate…
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Know Your Mutual Funds
An estimated 100 million Americans : representing almost 45% of U.S. households : owned mutual funds in 2017. These individual retail investors held about 90% of the $18.7 trillion in assets invested…
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What Is a Mutual Fund?
Since the creation of the first modern-day mutual fund, the Massachusetts Investors Trust, in 1924, there has been a steady growth of mutual funds. Today there are around 8,000 mutual funds.1 Because…
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March 3rd 2014
Market Commentary – 3.3.14 Tensions between Russia and Ukraine Worry Investors Over the weekend, tensions escalated between Russia and Ukraine as Russian forces invaded and took complete operational control of the Crimean…