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What Will Q4 GDP Say About the Economy?
The initial read on Q4 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) gets released on January 26, and private economists and Federal Reserve estimates have very different economic outlooks.In the accompanying, you can see that the Atlanta Fed’s...
Read MoreLife Insurance at an Early Age
Perhaps you’ve heard the maxim, “Preparation is the key to success.” But when it comes to life insurance, knowing when to prepare is almost more important than the preparation, itself.Sure, it can be difficult to...
Read MoreNew Retirement Contribution Limits for 2023
The Internal Revenue Service has released new limits for the coming year. After months of high inflation and financial uncertainty, some of these cost-of-living-based adjustments have reached near-record levels.Individual Retirement...
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Inflation Is Trending Lower. Now What?
The December inflation report had some encouraging news. It showed that consumer prices trended lower for the month, but more importantly, it confirmed that overall prices have been trending lower for the past six months.Now the ball...
Read MoreSECURE Act 2.0 Passed in Final Days of 2022
Congress spent the final days of 2022 on new reforms designed to help Americans save more for retirement.You may hear the changes called SECURE Act 2.0, which is a follow-up to the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement...
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Outlook 2023: What's Next for Interest Rates?
What does the bond market know that the Fed isn’t telling us?Fed officials recently have said that short-term rates will need to climb to over 5 percent to bring inflation under control. But in the table below, you can see that...
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When the Fed Chair Talks, People Listen
The financial markets are on edge this year each time Fed Chair Jerome Powell takes the podium following a Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting.The chart below shows that the Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index has gained...
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Warren Buffett on Contrarian Investing
You may have heard the phrase “contrarian investing,” but did you know that one of the most reliable contrary indicators is individual investors?Retail investors often do the wrong thing at the wrong time. But this year,...
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Weekly Market Insights: Plenty of Treats for Wall Street This Week
Stocks overcame poor earnings results from some of America’s largest companies to post gains last week as investors cheered positive earnings surprises, easing inflation and a rebound in economic growth.The Dow Jones Industrial...
Read MoreImportant Details on Student Loan Relief
The White House recently forgave up to $10,000 to student loan borrowers as part of a larger debt forgiveness program. There are still quite a few questions to be answered, but here are some key points to know.Pell vs. non-Pell: Loan...
Read MoreFed Boosts Key Interest Rate 0.75%
What an “interesting” week. In a move unseen since 1994, the Federal Reserve has taken an aggressive stance toward inflation by raising the key interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point.Investors initially...
Read MoreSearching for the Goldilocks Economy
At the risk of slowing economic growth, the Fed has driven short-term rates higher to rein in inflation. But it’s a tricky proposition.Raise rates too much, and you may trigger a recession. Don’t raise rates enough, and you...
Read MoreCare for a COLA with Your Social Security?
As you might have heard, people are talking about a big bump in Social Security benefits next year.The Senior Citizens League says payments could rise by as much as 8.6 percent in 2023, compared to an increase of 5.9 percent in 2022....
Read MoreComics, Collectibles, and Coping with Calamity
Rare collectibles can provide an entertaining form of alternative “investment,” and might seem particularly intriguing when markets are wobblier than Aunt Gertrude’s jello salad. Comic books can sell for millions of...
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Powell News Kicks Off Volatile Season?
The holiday season is often a quiet, positive time for the financial markets. The phrase “Santa Claus Rally” was coined in the early 1970s to reflect the stock market’s upward bias during the November-January stretch...
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The Power of the Consumer
A confident consumer can be a powerful ally in an economy. But when the consumer starts to have questions, we can measure consumer confidence in everything from retail sales to home buying to the personal savings rate.In recent months...
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2022 Contribution Limits
Preparing for retirement just got a little more financial wiggle room. This week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced new contribution limits for 2022.Staying put for 2022 are traditional Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)...
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Tax Changes: What's In, What's Out?
While it’s still too early to draw any final conclusions, Congress is getting closer to outlining what tax law changes are under consideration to pay for the proposed $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Plan.1For now, it appears...
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Ready for Medicare Open Enrollment?
Medicare’s annual open enrollment period begins October 15 and ends December 7. During this time, current Medicare beneficiaries have the option to adjust their coverage for the coming year. Any changes to your plan will go into...
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Celebrate Filipino American History Month
This October it’s time to celebrate Filipino American History Month.Filipino Americans have a long and rich history in America, with the first “Luzones Indios” setting foot in Morro Bay, California on October 18,...
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Considerations During Medicare’s Open Enrollment
How long has it been since you’ve reviewed your Medicare policy? With open enrollment fast approaching, there are a few questions you may want to ask yourself before you renew, add, drop, or switch coverage.Have you switched...
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The Underutilized Benefits of a Health Savings Account
Healthcare can be one of the priciest yet essential parts of life’s journey. And yet, many struggle to utilize the financial tools that may help. Take Health Saving Accounts (HSAs), for example.In 2019, 55% of those with HSAs...
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Fallout from the Chinese Property Market
There’s a famous saying about a hurricane starting from a butterfly flapping its wings on the other side of the world. That “butterfly effect” is certainly happening in terms of the Chinese property market’s...
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The Best, the Brightest, and Inflation
If you are feeling a bit confused about the direction of inflation, you’re in good company. Some of the best and brightest economists in the country are having a tough time getting their arms around the current inflation trends...
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The Underutilized Benefits of a Health Savings Account
Healthcare can be one of the priciest yet essential parts of life’s journey. And yet, many struggle to utilize the financial tools that may help. Take Health Saving Accounts (HSAs), for example.In 2019, 55% of those with HSAs...
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The September Effect
The stock market notched its 7th straight month of gains in August, and the Standard & Poor's 500 index has set 53 new highs so far in 2021.1During August, stocks rallied as investors looked past the increased number of COVID-19...
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A Dividend of Confidence
The most recent stats on corporate dividends suggest that global companies are bullish on the world’s economic recovery.Dividends paid to investors are on track to hit $1.4 trillion this year and are expected to stretch even...
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Social Security Benefits May Be Cut By 2034
The economic impact of COVID-19 has been felt from coast to coast. And, unfortunately for many pre-retirees, it could potentially impact Social Security benefits as well.A new report indicates that if Congress doesn’t take...
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The Cost Of A Gold Medal
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics wrap up with closing ceremonies on August 8, and it’s been an Olympic games like no other. We’ve watched the world’s finest athletes go for the gold. Which leads many to wonder: what exactly...
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A 6.1% Bump in Social Security?
The news keeps getting better for Social Security recipients.It's now projected that benefits will increase 6.1% in 2022, up from the 4.7% forecast just two months ago. That would be the most significant increase since 1983.1...
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Billionaires in Space
It’s long been an aspirational target for entrepreneurs. It literally goes beyond “blue sky,” in terms of location, to a place no business has gone before: Outer Space!Longtime space enthusiast and entrepreneur...
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A COLA with Your Social Security?
If there is a "silver lining" to all the inflation talk, it may be that Social Security benefits are expected to see a larger-than-normal increase in 2022.Preliminary estimates call for a 4.7% cost-of-living increase (COLA) in Social...
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The Quiet Fall in Bond Yields
With all the attention given to inflation, stock prices, and job reports, it’s been easy to overlook the remarkable move in the bond market during the past few months.The yield on the 10-year treasury closed at 1.37% on Friday,...
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A COLA with Your Social Security?
If there is a "silver lining" to all the inflation talk, it may be that Social Security benefits are expected to see a larger-than-normal increase in 2022.Preliminary estimates call for a 4.7% cost-of-living increase (COLA) in Social...
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Inflation & the Real Rate of Return
The real rate of return is an important personal finance concept to understand.It’s the rate of return on your investments after inflation. The real rate of return indicates whether you are gaining or losing purchasing power...
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Paying for the Infrastructure Bill
President Joe Biden introduced the much-anticipated American Jobs Plan, which outlines an approach to spend roughly $2.2 trillion on the nation's infrastructure and other projects.As part of the legislative process, the Biden...
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Investor Sentiment Is Shifting
A recent survey shows that 63% of investors are more interested in protecting their financial assets and planning for uncertainty in the future than anything else.1There are many reasons for this change, but here are a few of the most...
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Buffett and Powell Talk Inflation
What does it mean when two of the most powerful voices in American financial life seem to be saying two different things?In one corner, we have the “Oracle of Omaha,” investor Warren Buffett. As one of the nation’s...
Read MoreInternational Women’s Day
This year we’re celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8. In 1920, women fought for the right to vote. In 1974, single and divorced women were finally able to secure a credit card without needing a male...
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Changes to Paycheck Protection
On Monday, Feb. 22, the White House announced several changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that went into effect on Wednesday, Feb. 24. These changes are intended to further target “the smallest businesses and those...
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Janet Yellen Becomes Treasury Secretary
Former Federal Reserve chair Janet L. Yellen was sworn in as the 78th Secretary of the Treasury on January 26, 2021. This was a moment for historical reflection, as Yellen is the first woman confirmed to this vital cabinet position...
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It Was Goliath vs. Goliath All Along
What's your "go-to" source for financial information?"Family and friends" is the #1 answer given in the annual Retirement Confidence Survey. But a close second is search engines and other online tools, including online forums like the...
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Changing Jobs, Changing Times
Recently, Jeff Bezos, one of the wealthiest people in the world, announced he would take a different role at his company. Corporate moves make the news all the time, but for the largest companies, the story can jump from the business...
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2021 Off to a Fast Start
The first week of 2021 has already had many ups and downs. Just because it’s a new year doesn’t mean that the 2020 issues go away, and so far, 2021 has been no exception to this rule.The markets opened on January 4 and...
Read MoreCelebrating Black History Month
Every February, Americans celebrate Black History Month. This year, we invite you to join us in remembering the accomplishments of black citizens, past and present, which are an integral part of American history.Whether it’s the...
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Election Update: 2021 May Bring Some Changes
As election season draws to a close, it's a great time to review what type of legislative support would be needed to pass certain policy proposals that may come forward from the Biden Administration.It's important to remember that...
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Personal Savings Rate
The personal savings rate in the United States, which is the amount of income left after taxes and household spending, has reached some significant milestones.In April, when much of the country stayed home to avoid the COVID-19...
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Distributions from Mutual Funds
This time of year, you might glance at an account statement and see there has been an adjustment. But there may not be any cause for concern.Many mutual funds in December pay shareholders capital gains distributions that they have...
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Will the Grinch Steal Christmas?
The start of the holiday shopping season can provide important clues about the economy's state and, more importantly, overall consumer confidence. So far, the results have been a “mixed bag” with empty malls and busy...
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Markets & Marriage
Your investment strategy is a lot like a marriage. One day you may feel like everything’s going swimmingly. The next day, there might be an argument over who forgot to load the dishwasher. And even the best marriages and...
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Does Main Street Need a Wall Street Strategy?
As Wall Street pushes higher, a pandemic-weary Main Street is relearning how to manage cash flow with the hope of keeping its retirement dreams alive.Self-employed Americans, and the people working for them, account for roughly 30...
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Coronavirus Vaccines and the Economy
As the United States sees a rise in cases of COVID-19 across the nation, news of two promising vaccines out of hundreds being tested has offered a ray of hope for a fatigued world.1A positive reaction to these vaccines affects every...
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Election 2020: Economic Issues in the Crosshairs
It should come as no surprise to hear the economy is the top issue for voters in the 2020 election. Nearly 8 in ten voters say that the economy will be very important to them when they cast their votes.1But when voters say...
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Ouch! September’s Market Correction Hurt
In theory, investors understand that stock market corrections are part of the investing process. But experiencing a setback—like the one we’ve witnessed in the past four weeks—can raise a lot of shoulda, woulda,...
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Election 2020: Economic Issues in the Crosshairs
It should come as no surprise to hear the economy is the top issue for voters in the 2020 election. Nearly 8 in ten voters say that the economy will be very important to them when they cast their votes.1But when voters say...
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Race for a Vaccine
A U.S. drug company recently said that it’s in late-stage trials for its coronavirus vaccine and reported that it could be given to Americans as early as the end of the year.1Great news. But it seems like every few days...
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The Mainstreet Lending Program
As businesses begin the process of reopening their doors after the COVID-19 shutdown, many have considered turning to the Federal Reserve’s Main Street Lending Program for aid. Announced on March 23, the Program’s goal is...
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The Rise of Real-Time Data
In economics, one might classify statistics that measure overall business activity as either leading indicators, lagging indicators, or coincident indicators.Leading indicators attempt to point toward a future activity while lagging...
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Know your 401(k) options between jobs
Few life events are more stressful than a job loss.If you or someone you know is in this situation due to COVID-19, you’ll likely have several questions about job hunting, unemployment insurance, and health care. You may also be...
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FAQs about 2020 stimulus checks
Are you eligible for a stimulus check from the Treasury Department?As of Friday, April 24, the Internal Revenue Service said it had issued 88 million payments to individuals across the country. It plans to send out more than 150...
Read MoreFinancial Insider - August 2018
Financial Insider - August 2018 To Buy or Not to Buy: Exploring the Leasing Option Family Foundations: Benefits Stretch Beyond Charitable Giving Life Insurance: How Much is Enough? Maintaining a Successful Banking Relationship Whole...
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