The passage of the SECURE Act in 2019 effectively eliminated the stretch IRA, an estate planning strategy that allowed an inherited IRA to continue growing tax deferred, potentially for decades. Most nonspouse beneficiaries, including children and grandchildren, can no longer stretch distributions over their lifetimes. Moreover, proposed IRS regulations require most designated beneficiaries to take […]
When Should Young Adults Start Investing for Retirement?
As young adults embark on their first real job, get married, or start a family, retirement might be the last thing on their minds. Even so, they might want to make it a financial priority. In preparing for retirement, the best time to start investing is now — for two key reasons: compounding and tax […]
Tips for Safe Online Shopping
According to the National Retail Federation, online sales accounted for over $1 trillion of total U.S. retail sales in 2021.1 Online shopping is especially popular during the holiday season, enabling you to avoid the crowds and conveniently purchase gifts using your smartphone or computer. Unfortunately, the popularity of online shopping also means that cyber criminals and […]
Year-End 2022 Tax Tips
Here are some things to consider as you weigh potential tax moves before the end of the year. Set Aside Time to Plan Effective planning requires that you have a good understanding of your current tax situation, as well as a reasonable estimate of how your circumstances might change next year. There’s a real opportunity […]
Retirement Savings in a Volatile Market
If you worry about your retirement investments during market downturns, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, emotions are often the enemy of sound investing. Here are some points to help you stay clear-headed during periods of market volatility. Markets Rebound Historically, even the worst bear market has bounced back and eventually gone on to reach new highs. […]
Consider a Bond Ladder for Rising Interest Rates
After dropping the benchmark federal funds rate to a range of 0%–0.25% early in the pandemic, the Federal Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve has begun raising the rate aggressively in response to high inflation and a stronger economy. Following 0.25% and 0.50% increases in March and May 2022, the Committee implemented successive 0.75% […]
Passive, Active, or Both?
Index funds, which try to match the performance of a particular market index, have drawn increasing interest from investors, but traditional actively managed funds still hold more assets (see chart). There is ongoing discussion in the financial media about which approach is most effective, but there may be good reasons to hold both in a […]
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
Throughout your life, your financial needs will change and life insurance can help you meet some of those needs. But how much life insurance do you need? There are a number of approaches to help determine how much life insurance you should have. Here are three of those methods. Family Needs Approach With this approach, […]
Building Financial Resilience
Inflation, roller-coaster markets, global events, and life circumstances can test anyone’s fortitude. You may not feel ready to handle these pressure-filled times and might worry about the potential effects on your financial well-being. Fortunately, you can take steps to build the resilience you need to help handle the turbulence and hopefully emerge even stronger. Focus […]
Planning to Quit Your Job? What to Know Before You Go
About 4.3 million U.S. workers quit their jobs voluntarily in December 2021, after a record 4.5 million quit in November — the largest number since the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) began recording voluntary job separations in December 2020.1 There are plenty of theories about why people are quitting in droves, including a strong job […]
