Timely newsletters to help you stay current on the markets, tax rules, retirement planning and the wider economy.
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November 2014
Monthly Market Monitor – November 2014 Recap Market Indices1 November Year-to-Date S&P 500 2.69% 13.98% Russell 3000 2.42% 12.56% MSCI EAFE 1.36% -1.49% MSCI Emerging Markets -1.06% 2.54% Barclays US Aggregate Bond…
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What Is Stock?
Most people know something about the stock market, but many investors who see stock as a way to get rich quick might not understand exactly what stock is and how it works.…
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Taking a Team Approach to Retirement Savings
Now that it’s common for families to have two wage earners, many married couples accumulate assets in separate accounts. They might each have savings in an employer-sponsored plan and perhaps one or…
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November 26th 2014
Market Commentary – 11.26.14 The Only Certainly for the Rest of 2014: More Uncertainty Since the Great Recession, U.S. equities have risen dramatically higher with only the occasional bout of volatility. However,…
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Reward Workers and Fund Retirement with a Cash Balance Plan
Cash balance plans are technically defined benefit plans that share some key characteristics with defined contribution plans. IRS regulations finalized in 2010 and 2014 clarified some legal issues and made these plans…
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Chained CPI and Your Taxes
Tax legislation signed at the end of 2017 made dramatic changes to the U.S. tax code for corporations and individuals. One of the most fundamental changes : a new way of measuring…
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Tracking the Market with Index Funds
Index funds have become a popular way to invest because of their simplicity, lower fees, and tax efficiency. At the end of 2014, they accounted for 35% of all assets invested in…
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Below Zero: The World Experiments with Negative Interest Rates
As of late April 2016, six central banks in Europe and Asia have adopted negative interest rates in an effort to stimulate their national economies. The experiment began in Denmark in 2012,…
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The Spousal IRA Opportunity
The Spousal IRA Opportunity Tax-friendly IRAs were devised as an incentive for workers to set aside money for retirement, so the maximum an individual can contribute annually is limited to the amount…
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Putting Your Kids on the Payroll
If you could use a little help for your business this summer, there are some good reasons to recruit your own offspring. First and foremost, it’s a good opportunity for teens and…
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Turbulent Times in Emerging Markets
Turbulent Times in Emerging Markets The term “emerging markets” refers to developing nations that show signs of progress, such as significant growth in gross domestic product (GDP) and infrastructure. Altogether, developing nations…
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Meet the Greeks: Alpha and Beta
Meet the Greeks: Alpha and Beta As with any purchase, it would be wise to learn as much as you can about a stock or mutual fund before investing. Two measures that…
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IRS Flips on Rollover Rules
IRS Flips on Rollover Rules A 2014 U.S. tax court ruling related to IRA rollovers caught IRA owners and experts by surprise. In the case of Bobrow v. Commissioner, the court’s new…
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Health-Care Update
Health-Care Update Starting in 2015, large companies with 100 or more full-time employees must provide affordable health coverage that meets minimum standards, or pay a fine. This requirement will expand to include…
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October 2014
Monthly Market Monitor – October 2014 Recap Market Indices1 August Year-to-Date S&P 500 2.44% 10.99% Russell 3000 2.75% 9.90% MSCI EAFE -1.45% -2.81% MSCI Emerging Markets 1.18% 3.63% Barclays US Aggregate Bond…