Weekly Newsletter
A Different Degree of Wealth
Series I Bonds
What Are They and Should You Consider Them? As many of you are aware, inflation is at a multi decade high. So, what are your
Eight Mistakes That Can Upend Your Retirement
Pursuing your retirement dreams is challenging enough without making some common, and very avoidable, mistakes. Here are eight big mistakes to steer clear of, if
Baseball Lessons That Might Help Change Up Your Finances
Baseball stadiums are filled with optimists. Fans start each new season with the hope that even if last year ended badly, this year could finally
A Decision Not Made is Still a Decision
Whether through inertia or trepidation, investors who put off important investment decisions might consider the admonition offered by motivational speaker Brian Tracy, “Almost any decision
Managing Bond Risks When Interest Rates Rise
After dropping the benchmark federal funds rate to a rock-bottom range of 0% – 0.25% early in the pandemic, the Federal Open Market Committee has
Are We on the Brink of a Volatile Time?
Short answer: Nobody knows! I hate to burst anyone’s bubble, but good news doesn’t sell. In the words of a mentor, the next apocalypse dejour
Traditional vs. Roth IRA
Traditional Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), which were created in 1974, are owned by roughly 36.1 million U.S. households. And Roth IRAs, created as part of
Filing Final Tax Returns for the Deceased
When a family member passes away, there are many decisions that need to be made and many emotions to handle. The last thing anyone thinks
What Do Rising Interest Rates Mean for Your Money?
On March 16, 2022, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the Federal Reserve raised the benchmark federal funds rate by 0.25% to a target
Global Finance: Kicking Russia Out if SWIFT
Recently, the United States and other countries have imposed various sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. One sanction that was discussed initially but
Colliding Forces: Russia, Oil, Inflation, and Market Volatility
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has drawn condemnation and punitive sanctions from the United States, Europe, and their allies. The humanitarian cost of war cannot
Ukraine – What Might it Mean to the Long-Term Investor
As we close this week out, it has been one filled with news of Ukraine. Perhaps as recently as the start of this month most
Caring for Aging Parents
Thanks to healthier lifestyles and advances in modern medicine, the worldwide population over age 65 is growing. In the past decade, the population of Americans
Tax Deductions You Won’t Believe
While Americans are entitled to take every legitimate deduction to manage their taxes, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) places limits on your creativity. Here are
Common Factors Affecting Retirement Income
When it comes to planning for your retirement income, it’s easy to overlook some of the common factors that can affect how much you’ll have
!!TAX SEASON!!
Tax season will soon be here. We often get questions about filing taxes and paperwork, so we wanted to provide some guidance to consider in preparing
Taxation of Investments
It’s nice to own stocks, bonds, and other investments. Nice, that is, until it’s time to fill out your federal income tax return. At that
Retirement Plan Limits on the Rise in 2022
Many IRA and retirement plan limits are indexed for inflation each year. Although the amount you can contribute to IRAs remains the same in 2022,
The Fed Pivots to Fight Inflation
On December 15, 2021, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the Federal Reserve System made a significant shift in monetary policy in response to
Here Comes 2022: Will History Repeat Itself?
Whether we’re ready for it or not, 2022 will be here soon. Another year will have passed. You’ll look at your schedule, your finances, maybe
Holiday Charitable Giving – One of the Most Enjoyable Things You Can do With Your Money
Imagine it’s the height of the holiday gift buying season and you’re walking with many other shoppers toward the entrance of a major retailer. Above
Supply-Chain Chaos: Holiday Edition
The supply chain is the network by which products flow from the factories of suppliers to the inventories of retailers so they can ultimately be
Before You Can Create Good Financial Habits, You Need This
In 1989 Steven Covey published The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Having sold more than 25 million copies, it remains one of the most
RMD Roundup: A Few Key Updates About Required Minimum Distributions
As we approach the end of 2021, now might be a good time to take a closer look at a few developments surrounding required minimum
Don’t Let Your Retirement Savings Goal Get You Down
As a retirement savings plan participant, you know that setting an accumulation goal is an important part of your overall strategy. In fact, over decades
Charitable Giving
Charitable giving can play an important role in many estate plans. Philanthropy cannot only give you great personal satisfaction, it can also give you a
What’s the Difference Between Investing and Speculating (and Does it Really Matter)?
The words “speculating” and “investing” often get used interchangeably. And that’s not surprising, since they describe somewhat similar concepts. In both cases, you are laying
Gaming is No Fun When You’re Losing Lots of Money
One of the oldest tricks in the arsenal of the professional card shark is to let the “mark” win. It might be just a few
Free Trade Among the Ghosts and Goblins: The Economic Principles You Can Learn From Halloween
Halloween, as comedian Jerry Seinfeld pointed out, is the best possible holiday a child can imagine.1 You simply go door-to-door, and the neighbors give you
Following the Inflation Debate
During the 12 months ending in June 2021, consumer prices shot up 5.4%, the highest inflation rate since 2008.1 The annual increase in the Consumer
Medicare Open Enrollment for 2022 Begins October 15
Medicare beneficiaries can make new choices and pick plans that work best for them during the annual Medicare Open Enrollment Period. Each year, Medicare plan
Is the Housing Market Crash Right Around the Corner?
In 2007 housing prices did something that was unthinkable at the time. They started to go down. And by the end of 2008 the Case-Shiller
Rising Inflation: Should You Be Concerned?
Inflation has been increasingly in the headlines lately. Some pundits say it’s temporary. Others say it could lead us back to the economic doldrums of
Skip the Movie: Why This Year’s Top-Performing Stock is a Good Example of Misguided Speculation
Crime novelist Catherine Aird observed, “If you can’t be a good example, then you’ll just have to be a horrible warning.”1 This seems to be
Where are They Now? Creative Destruction and a Healthy Economy
As the 2021 pro football season kicks off, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will start at quarterback a man who by all standard football measures is
Saving is Satisfying, but Could it be Hiding a Fear of Running Out of Money?
Saving money for the future is a good habit. To do it means exercising the virtue of delayed gratification. So, it’s only natural that disciplined
Labor Day: The Tumultuous History of the Last Weekend of Summer
This coming Labor Day will be characterized by backyard barbecues, back-to-school sales, and many employees enjoying the federal holiday. But few people will stop to
Tax Planning for Income
You don’t want to pay more in federal income tax than you have to. With that in mind, here are five things to consider when
A Warning to Younger Investors: Be Wary of “Pop Finance”
When you’ve lived a few years, you come to appreciate the truth of statements like: “The house always wins.” “In a gold rush, the only