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Being named as the executor of a friend’s or family member’s estate is generally an honor, but settling an estate can be a difficult and time-consuming job. Each state has specific laws detailing an…

The Federal Reserve’s rapid series of interest rate hikes throughout 2022 and 2023 : initiated in an effort to bring down red-hot inflation : rippled throughout financial markets and the broader economy. People pay…

One challenge faced by family-run businesses involves transitioning both the ownership and operations from one generation to the next. A family limited partnership (FLP) is a legal agreement that enables business owners and their…

Couples who have opposite philosophies regarding saving and spending often have trouble finding common ground, and money arguments frequently erupt. But you can learn to work with : and even appreciate : your financial…

On April 10, 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for March, and the increase in CPI : the most commonly cited measure of inflation : was higher…

In an unusual twist, U.S. home values climbed to an annual record of $389,800 in 2023, even as mortgage rates rose to the highest levels in a generation. The median price of existing homes…

Many people would rather not think about the consequences of aging in general, much less the possibility that they might need help meeting their daily medical or personal needs in the future. Yet recent…

When you hear or read that the market is up or down, what does that really mean? More often than not, it reflects movement in the two best-known stock market indexes, the Dow Jones…

Every year, the Internal Revenue Service announces cost-of-living adjustments that affect contribution limits for retirement plans and various tax deduction, exclusion, exemption, and threshold amounts. Here are a few of the key adjustments for…

It’s probably safe to say that most people choose an investment with an eye toward adding financial value to their portfolio. Over the past two decades, however, many investors have added another layer of…

The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed markets outside of the United States, advanced 15% in 2023, while U.S. stocks in the S&P 500 Index returned 24%.1 One of the world’s hottest developed stock…

The SECURE 2.0 Act, part of the federal spending bill passed in late 2022, ushered in new rules for workplace retirement accounts. For instance, starting in 2026, workplace plan participants with $145,000 or more…

Given the potential for stock and bond markets to fluctuate widely, it’s easy to see why many near-retirees come to appreciate fixed annuities : insurance contracts that guarantee a specified rate of return. A…

Individual bonds and bond funds can both provide an income stream, but there are important differences. An individual bond can offer more certainty and stability than a fund, while a fund can offer diversification…

Can Productivity Keep Driving the U.S. Economy? Productivity of U.S. workers increased by 2.7% in 2023 : well above the average annual rate of 2.1% since the end of World War II, and a…

Life insurance has long been recognized as a useful way to provide for your heirs and loved ones when you die. While naming your policy’s beneficiaries should be a relatively simple task, there are…

Academic researchers have been exploring how investors’ personalities might affect their financial decisions and wealth outcomes. In one study, three finance professors (Dr. Zhengyang Jiang from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, Cameron Peng…

In July 2023, the Department of Education launched a new income-driven repayment (IDR) plan for federal student loans called the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan. The SAVE Plan is the most generous…

Economists and investors pay attention to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) not only for information about the health of U.S. factories but also for clues about demand in…

Estate planning is the process of managing and preserving your assets while you are alive, and conserving and controlling their distribution after your death. There are four key estate planning documents almost everyone should…

It’s difficult to reach a destination unless you know where you’re heading. Yet only 51% of workers or their spouses have tried to estimate the savings they would need to live comfortably in retirement.1…

The start of a new year is typically a time when people resolve to implement or recommit themselves to a personal financial goal. This year, why not consider opening a 529 plan account, or…

The end of the year is a time for holiday shopping, and many consumers face the new year with high credit card bills. If that sounds familiar, you might wish you had bought some…

Your most valuable asset may be your ability to earn an income. Over the course of your lifetime, you could earn several million dollars : money that helps support you and your family. If…

As you plan for retirement, you might not give credit a second thought, especially if your plan includes paying off your mortgage and other debts, and relying more on cash than credit. But retirement…