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Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Markets moved in sync last week with perceived movement in debt ceiling talks, weakening early in the week and then surging on news of progress. A solid quarterly report and guidance from a mega-cap technology company helped with...

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Estate management can be a complex and daunting task for many people, but it’s a critical step in helping your assets get managed and distributed according to your wishes.One popular tool that can be used in estate strategies is...

Monday, May 22, 2023

Stocks rallied last week, propelled by growing optimism over reaching a deal on raising the debt ceiling and avoiding a technical debt default by the U.S.The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged 0.38% higher, while the Standard &...

Monday, May 15, 2023

Stocks were mixed last week as good inflation news was offset by mounting debt ceiling concerns and rekindled regional banking fears.The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.11%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 slipped 0.29%. The...

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Economies move in cycles – always have, always willThe Federal Reserve has been steadily increasing interest rates in an attempt to slow the rate of inflation. Its efforts are yielding some results, although inflation remains...

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Monday, May 8, 2023

A Friday rebound, triggered by a big tech company’s earnings beat and a strong jobs report, shaved much of the week’s accumulated losses.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.24%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500...

Monday, May 1, 2023

Strong earnings from several mega-cap technology companies offset renewed regional banking jitters and weak economic data, leaving stocks higher for the week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.86%, while the Standard &...

Friday, April 28, 2023

Fun fact: You probably have dozens of credit scores out there, and each one might be a different number.You’re probably familiar with a credit score, why it’s essential, and what it’s used for, but do you know how...

Monday, April 24, 2023

Stocks remained resilient last week amid mixed earnings reports, hawkish Fed-speak, and lingering recession fears, closing out the five trading days with small losses.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.23%, while the Standard &...

Monday, April 17, 2023

Discussing personal finances is important for any couple preparing for marriage. However, this topic can be more complicated for those who remarry later in life.If you’re remarrying later in life, one of your goals should be to...

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

As we get older, it’s important that our adult children are prepared to manage any aging-related situations that may arise. This includes everything from having to make medical and financial decisions to determining assisted...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Your asset allocation strategy represents your personal decisions about how much of your portfolio to allocate to various investment categories, such as stocks, bonds, cash, and other alternatives. When stock market returns were above...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Are you an investor or a trader? If you’re a trader, looking to build your wealth through a long series of profitable short-term transactions, then knowing what the indicators are showing month-to-month can be critical to your...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

A general retirement planning rule of thumb indicates that you’ll need 70% to 80% of your preretirement income. Many estimates now indicate that may be too little for those who want to live an active retirement lifestyle. But...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Often, spouses don’t retire at the same time. Frequently, one spouse may retire before the other due to health problems or a layoff, not necessarily because the spouse chooses to retire early. No matter what the reason, keep...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

On a broad basis, there are a few main investment objectives to help you accomplish your goals. Understanding these objectives is important because certain investment strategies and products are appropriate for one type of goal but...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

There are two primary factors that affect bond prices — interest rate changes and credit rating changes. Interest rate changes typically will cause a bond’s value to fluctuate more than credit rating changes. As interest...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

If you find that you’re not living within your budget every month, it’s time to take a step back to understand why. The following questions can help you find the issues that may be wreaking havoc on your budget and figure...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Tax-advantaged savings plans, like 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs), help your money grow faster than taxable investments, but they’re not always the right place for all of your savings. Here is a rundown on...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

A great many investors are aware of only one way to manage their bonds: buy them and hold them until they mature, reinvesting the redeemed funds in more bonds to hold until they mature. Not surprisingly, this is called a buy-and-hold...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Signed into law by President Trump on December 20, 2019, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, also known as the SECURE Act, is intended to increase access to tax-advantaged retirement accounts, helping older...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Many people confuse tax planning with tax preparation and only think about it when preparing their annual tax return. However, there is little you can do to actually lower your tax bill when preparing your return. If your goal is to...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Financial rules of thumb are designed to provide quick guidelines for your finances. However, you shouldn’t blindly follow them without giving thought to your personal circumstances. Some of the more common financial rules of...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

One of the most basic investment principles is that returns reward you for the risks that you take. While investors are often uncomfortable with the concept of risk, it is this uncertainty that makes higher rates of return possible....

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

You may think that after retirement you can sit back and stop worrying about money…after all, you scrimped and saved for decades. You’re comfortable with what you’ve put away and now it’s time to relax....

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

The fact is, investing isn’t just about making your money work for you. It’s about making your money work for you for a particular purpose. In other words, you need a goal. Here are four specific reasons why a goal-focused...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Of the three main asset classes, bonds often appear the least exciting. Perhaps the combination of their stable and seemingly turtle-paced growth decreases their likelihood of crossing investors’ minds when it comes to any goal,...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Avoid these common investor mistakes when making investment portfolio decisions: Chasing performance. Investors often pull out of sectors that are not performing well, moving that money to high performing investments. But the market is...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Although you’ll have to wait a good while before they’ll thank you for it, teaching your children to be financially responsible is one of the best gifts you can give them. Of course, the earlier they start to learn about...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

To gain a better understanding of how we’re affected by risk when building a retirement portfolio, it’s important to learn about risk tolerance and what it means for you as an investor. What Is Risk Tolerance? Risk...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Market timing involves making market buy and sell decisions based on your prediction of the future performance of the market. A buy-and-hold investment strategy, in contrast, involves buying in to the market on a regular basis and...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Don’t have a calculator handy, but need a quick answer to a financial question? Here are three shortcuts: How long will it take to double your money? Divide 72 by your annual investment return. If you are earning 8% annually on...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

You’re off to college. It’s an exciting time filled with firsts — the first time living away from home, the first time you’re on your own for meals and laundry, and the first time you have to manage your own...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Millions of Americans are stay-at-home parents. While they may not get paid a regular salary, they perform vital work caring for children and managing the household. Unfortunately, since this work doesn’t come with a paycheck, it...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

In addition to starting the company that publishes The Wall Street Journal, Charles Dow (1851–1902) also lent his name to one of the most popular U.S. stock market indexes (the Dow Jones Industrial Average) and created a theory...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Though it’s typical for parents to underscore the value of a college education from the time their children are in grade school, what’s more commonly overlooked are the benefits of encouraging them to save for their...

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Bonds have a reputation as safe, stable investments. But writing off bonds as boring investments best for the risk-averse could be a mistake. While it’s true that investing in bonds tends to lack the dramatic highs (and the lows)...