Insights

How to Put the Hard Financial Lessons of Quarantine to Work for You

Wait – gas cost how much?!  This is a question we may ask our parents or hear from our kids with some incredulity. This intergenerational conversation has a humorous side: gas was a quarter a gallon – how? You must have filled up everyday!

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Market Commentary: S&P Climbs Despite Record Decline in Consumer Spending

Coronavirus actions and reactions continued to swing economic data in the U.S. Consumer spending dropped 13.6% in April. It was the sharpest decline on record dating back to 1959. Income moved in the other direction last month.

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Teaching Kids about Money from Childhood Through Adulthood

Teaching kids about money is especially complex – you aren’t just passing on a few bucks to go to the movies, but an array of attitudes, values and assumptions regardless of whether you mean to. Your kids watch, in a way not even they are aware of, how you interact with finance and how you model it for them. 

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Market Commentary: Economy Slightly Improves as Restrictions Loosen

Another 2.4 million people filed initial unemployment claims last week. The number has declined for seven straight weeks. Unfortunately, 2.4 million is more than three times higher than the pre-COVID-19 record, and the pace of decline remains slow. Because the number remains stubbornly high, optimism for a sharp economic recovery is dropping.

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Roth Planning Opportunities in 2020

Tax brackets are positioned well, interest rates are favorable and RMDs are on hold. So you’re probably asking yourself if now is a good time to convert your IRA into a Roth account. In this webinar, we look at the advantages of a Roth conversion in a down market and how you can save big on taxes down the road by investing in a conversion now. The CARES Act, the SECURE Act and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are all affecting this part of retirement finances, and the benefits they offer won’t last forever. Click Here to Watch the...read the full article

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Market Commentary: Coronavirus Takes Toll on Retail, Manufacturing

The global economy continues to slow rapidly, based on key data released last week. In the U.S., retail sales dropped 16.4% from March to April. Individuals cut back on purchases due to risks from the coronavirus, lockdowns, and declining income from job losses. The drop increases to 21.6% when compared to one year ago. Industrial production showed similar weakness, falling 13.7%. 

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10 Questions to Determine if Your Advisor Meets Standards

You may be in isolation, but that doesn’t mean you’re alone. Your team of professionals – from your advisor, to your insurance providers, to your bank – should be going to work for you in these unprecedented times.

But how do you know if you’re receiving the value you should from your financial advisor? We put together 10 questions to help you determine how much value you’re receiving from your advisor.

Download the questions today to get started.

 

Market Commentary: Only Half of U.S. Population is Classified as Employed

The U.S. jobs report confirmed what was already known: millions of Americans are losing their jobs. The monthly payrolls report estimated a decline of 20.5 million jobs last month. The unemployment rate rose to 14.7%, which is estimated to be the highest since the Great Depression. A broad measure of employment estimates 51.3% of Americans have a job.

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RMD Planning in 2020 After the CARES and SECURE Acts

Have you considered skipping your required minimum distributions (RMDs) in 2020? The CARES Act – a relief package passed as the coronavirus pandemic shakes the economy – gives you that opportunity. Before you waive your RMDs, you need to know what you stand to gain and how the CARES Act and another piece of landmark retirement legislation, the SECURE Act, play together. Click Here to Watch the Webinar

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How to Use a 529 Plan to Help 2020 Grads Celebrate-In-Place During Coronavirus Quarantine

Warmer weather comes with a few traditions: well-kept lawns, baseball stadium lights, open windows. And every year in May and June you’ll see the balloons on stop signs and borrowed folding tables in the open garage, proud parents snapping pictures. The graduation party is a universal rite of passage.

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