On June 8, 2020, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), which has official responsibility for determining U.S. business cycles, announced that February 2020 marked the end of an expansion that began in 2009 and the beginning of a recession.1 This was no great surprise considering widespread business closures due to the coronavirus pandemic and the
Are you unsure if you’re on the right track with your savings and investments? Are you finding yourself with new responsibilities, such as the care of a child or an aging parent, or facing other life events like marriage, divorce, the sale of a family business or a career change? These are only some of
In the current market environment, the value of your holdings may be fluctuating widely — and it’s natural to feel tentative about investing more. But regularly adding to an account that’s designed for a long-term goal may cushion the emotional impact of market swings. If losses are offset even in part by new savings, the
Keeping your cool can be hard to do when the market is turbulent. It’s useful to have strategies in place that prepare you both financially and psychologically to handle market volatility. Here are 11 ways to help make thoughtful decisions and understand the long-term impact of your decisions on your ability to achieve your financial
One of the longest-standing investing debates is over the relative merits of active portfolio management versus passive management. With an actively managed portfolio, a manager tries to beat the performance of a given benchmark index by using his or her judgment in selecting individual securities and deciding when to buy and sell them. A passively
When investing, particularly for long-term goals, there are two basic concepts you will likely hear about over and over again — diversification and asset allocation. Diversification helps limit exposure to loss in any one investment or one type of investment, while asset allocation provides a blueprint to help guide your investment decisions. Understanding how the
If you are self-employed or own a small business and haven’t established a retirement savings plan, what are you waiting for? A retirement plan can help you and your employees save for the future.
If you’ve changed jobs in the past you know how confusing it can be to deal with your old 401k or other retirement plans. Often your options go unused due to the stress and general disruption that changing or losing your job can create. Below are several considerations to help you decide on the best option
Our members often have questions about annuities and their benefits. Favorable tax treatment is one of the main reasons for buying an annuity. So what exactly are the tax benefits? Are there any drawbacks? It’s important to know the answers to these questions before deciding whether to purchase an annuity. Of course, any information on
Conventional wisdom says that what goes up, must come down. However even if you view market volatility as a regular occurrence, it can be tough to handle when it’s your money at stake. Though there’s no foolproof way to handle the ups and downs of the stock market, the following common sense tips can help.
