- You Need to Know These Defensive Investing Strategies Beyond Bonds
So far this year, stocks are down with the Standard & Poor’s 500 off some 20% and the traditional alternative of bonds isn’t doing much better, with most big bond funds down more than 16% so far this year. What’s… read more…
- What Is a Letter of Credit and How Is it Used?
A letter of credit is a written document from a bank guaranteeing the seller of a product or service will be paid as long as the goods or services are provided, as specified. Letters of credit are widely used as… read more…
- Long-Term Care Facility vs. Nursing Home
As we get older, many of us need help on a day-to-day basis. There are several different options for how to seek this kind of care, and two of the most common are long-term care facilities and nursing homes. Long-term care… read more…
- When Should You Hire a Financial Advisor?
Whether you’re a new parent or expecting to retire shortly, your financial situation requires attention, knowledge and care. While Googling answers or asking a friend for help can answer basic questions, a financial advisor can provide holistic services that protect… read more…
- UBS Says Investors Looking For Yield Should Explore This Country’s 84-Stock Index
Investors looking for a bull market have found one in Brazil, where the benchmark 84-stock Bovespa Index, best known as Ibovespa, is up 5.89% year to date here in early December, a welcome alternative to the 20% loss U.S. stocks… read more…
- Hit by Inflation? The IRS Has $1,400 Waiting For You
The IRS has started sending out letters to approximately 9 million households that might have missed out on several pandemic-related tax refunds and stimulus checks, which may include the third round of stimulus payments that delivered $1,400 to individuals, $2,800… read more…
- Top Morgan Stanley Strategist Says This Is When the Bear Market ‘Will Be Over Probably’
With U.S. stocks down more than 20% so far this year, investors are looking for some good news – and it may be coming from a prominent Wall Street analyst who says the current bear market could come to an… read more…
- Flat-Fee vs. AUM-Based Financial Advisors
Working with a professional financial advisor can make or break your long-term financial goals, but how are they paid and how do you pick one? Most financial advisors are paid through a flat fee or by being paid a percentage… read more…
- AllianceBernstein Tells Investors to Consider These 3 Investments for 2023
Sinking stocks, battered bonds, rising rates and stubbornly high inflation roiled the markets during 2022, making it a challenging year for investors to find any kind of reliable income stream. But as the year draws to a close, a few… read more…
- High-Net-Worth Financial Planning
Financial planning is the process of creating a plan for managing your money and assets. High-net-worth financial planning is aimed specifically at individuals and families who have accumulated a greater degree of wealth. If you’re a high-net-worth individual (HNWI), it’s… read more…
- Ask an Advisor: When Taking RMDs, How Do I Avoid Locking in Losses? I’ll Be 72 Years Old Soon, and My Stocks Are ‘Way Down’ This Year
I will be 72 years old on Feb. 10, 2023. I have a traditional individual retirement (IRA) account. Most of the money is tied in stocks, and the stocks this year are way down. If I sell to pay the… read more…
- What Is Copy Trading and Should You Do It?
If you want a portfolio that matches the performance of investing pros, copy trading may help. In a nutshell, copy trading emulates a stock market expert’s trading activity. If you think this sounds like a smart strategy, keep in mind… read more…
- Social Security Disability Benefits for Dependents
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) can pay benefits to the family members of someone who is disabled and unable to work. Spouses, children and even ex-spouses of someone receiving SSDI benefits may qualify for their own monthly payments. Each qualifying… read more…
- Private Banking vs. Wealth Management
While some may use the terms private banking and wealth management interchangeably, there are important differences between them. Wealth management typically involves tailored financial planning services, investment management or a combination of both. Private banking usually entails a variety of… read more…
- How Do Medical Savings Accounts Work?
A medical savings account (MSA) is a tax-advantaged account in some Medicare Advantage plans with high deductibles. MSAs resemble the health savings accounts (HSAs) available to members of non-Medicare high-deductible health plans (HDHPs). Medicare funds MSAs with tax-free contributions, and… read more…
- Investors Are Woefully Ignorant on Financial Advisor Fees: Are You Different?
Investors don’t understand the fees they pay for investment products and advice especially well, according to a recent State Street Global Advisors survey. State Street’s Low-Cost Investing Survey found a general lack of understanding when it comes to the management… read more…
- Here’s How Much Money You Lose by Not Diversifying (It’s a Lot)
Whether you’ve inherited stock, received equity in your company or simply own only a few holdings, a highly-concentrated portfolios may cause you to miss out on significant wealth by not diversifying. Research from Dimensional Fund Advisors shows that liquidating a… read more…
- This Automatic 401(k) Rollover Legislation Could Protect Your Nest Egg And Help You Find Lost Retirement Money
Workers with employer-sponsored 401(k) accounts and other defined contribution retirement plans lose an estimated $92.4 billion every year when they change jobs, a problem that new legislation in Congress aims to solve by automatically moving that money into new accounts.… read more…
- Fidelity’s Six Year-end Money Moves You Shouldn’t Forget
As 2022 draws to a close, it’s an excellent time to make important year-end financial moves — perhaps with the guidance of a financial advisor. And depending on the tasks you complete, you could lower your tax liability, boost your… read more…
- What Is a Legal Separation?
Legal separation describes a state that you can think of as being somewhere between marriage and divorce. The partners’ union is not formally dissolved, although legal separation can be a step toward accomplishing just that. Nor is legally separating the… read more…
- It Pays to Procrastinate: The New 6.89% I bonds Will Beat the Old 9.62% Bonds in Just 4 Years
With a yield of 9.62%, the recently expired Series I bond was understandably popular. With interest rates rising, bond funds are down this year and banks continue to offer miserly rates on deposit accounts. So it’s no wonder that a… read more…
- Divorce Process: Step-by-Step Guide
Getting divorced can be much more complicated than getting married. The process required to end a marriage also involves lots more interaction with the legal system and, in some cases, can require the help of attorneys, many thousands of dollars… read more…
- How to Use an AB Trust in Your Estate Plan
An AB trust is a legal arrangement for married couples that can minimize estate taxes by splitting assets between two separate trusts when one spouse dies. While a federal provision that went into effect in 2011 rendered AB trusts unnecessary… read more…
- What to Do With an Inheritance
2 Receiving an inheritance from a family member can create a large windfall of cash, and with it, new financial opportunities. What you do with the money will depend on the size of the inheritance, your financial situation and level… read more…
- Ask an Advisor: Do I Need Life Insurance Once My Children Are Grown?
Do I need to carry life insurance after my children have reached adult age? If so, what type makes the most sense? – Greg Becoming an empty nester is a prime time to re-evaluate your life insurance needs. Life insurance… read more…