October is Financial Planning Month. As we enter the final months of 2021, now is a great time to make sure you are up to date and taking advantage of year-end opportunities.
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We continue with an assortment of helpful tips and strategies you can teach your children, grandchildren, and other loved young people that could pay off dividends for them in the future.
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For eligible individuals and families, health savings accounts can offer benefits beyond tax-free qualified distributions, but there are a few factors to consider before investing.
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Many people focus on their incomes as a gauge of how well-off they will be in retirement, but there is an even more important and often overlooked factor, everyone’s most precious commodity: time.
Initial indications of credit stress have us on high alert. Excess cash in the system appears to have led to soaring demand for the Fed’s reverse repo program, which may be causing a corresponding decline in the money supply and volatility in the equity markets. This has yet to cause any major dislocation in the credits markets, which typically precedes any major economic event, but we are monitoring this situation closely.
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In spite of fears about inflation, the S&P 500 reached new record highs during the second quarter of 2021 as declining COVID-19 cases and increasing vaccinations led to the country’s economic reopening.
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Nothing says “I love you” more than giving the gift of knowledge, especially when it can help support your child, grandchild, or other loved young person for years to come. Here is a list of Day Hagan’s favorite tips and need-to-know skills for the up-and-coming generations.
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Nonqualified annuities do not get a step-up in cost basis at death, which means inheritance by a non-spouse will have tax consequences. Here we consider an alternative that could give you more flexibility with the terms of the contract.
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The markets are trading at historic highs as stimulus hits and the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines accelerates. Market valuations and investor optimism are also near historic highs as we enter what we hope to be the end of the pandemic. We are watching for signs of increasing inflation as interest rates rise, which could disrupt the uptrend. At this juncture, we are cautiously optimistic and are ready to act should the trend weaken.
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Setting up your beneficiaries for your retirement and transfer-on-death accounts is crucial to ensuring your money goes where you want it to after your death. Per stirpes is one method for keeping the children of predeceased beneficiaries from losing out.
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Historically, bonds perform well when stocks do not. Rising interest rates, however, have kept that from being true up to this point for 2021.
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Best known as a college savings vehicle, a 529 plan is a versatile tool when it comes to paying for education, including tuition, meals, or even pre-college schooling. Even if your student doesn’t use all of his or her 529 funds, you have options.
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Historically, low inflation and tax policy have supported higher market multiples. With both inflation and taxes possibly increasing, we are watching for shifting trends in the markets.
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There is more of a difference between fixed and variable annuities than just their names. Here we take a look at the underlying distinctions in how they work.
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“Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful.” –Warren Buffett
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The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 closed a couple of loopholes in the Social Security claiming process. But if you were born on or before January 1, 1954, you may still be able to take advantage of one aggressive claiming strategy.
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The changes and challenges of 2020 make 2021 a great time for a fresh financial start. Here are twelve tips to kick off your financial new year right.
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Buffered ETFs are a tradable product designed to help mitigate downside risk in the market. We explore how they work and the potential benefits they can offer a portfolio.
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Identity monitoring services commercials can make home title theft sound terrifying. But taking preemptive action to protect your assets and identity can help you avoid becoming a target and head off some of the damage if you become a victim.
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Retirement is the much-anticipated summation of all our hard work. But before we clock out for the last time and ride off into the sunset, we should consider some prudent steps to take to protect our retirement while we enjoy it.
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