Tuesday, March 2, 2021
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a federal tax credit that can provide great benefit to families. According to the IRS, in 2019 alone, approximately 25 million workers and families received over $60 billion in EITC payments, with...
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Thursday, February 18, 2021
For years, you’ve diligently invested in your retirement portfolio, accumulating wealth that you hope will sustain you throughout your Golden Years. To help see that your assets are sufficient to help you support your lifestyle...
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Tuesday, February 9, 2021
Deciding when to retire and begin collecting Social Security is an important life decision. For some, savings losses may dictate that you delay your retirement plans and continue working, which means postponing when you begin...
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Thursday, January 21, 2021
To ease some of the burdens of tax season, we are providing this helpful guide, which contains all the information you may need to easily address tax issues and questions that you might face. It will assist you in becoming familiar...
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Tuesday, January 5, 2021
After months of intense debate, the House and Senate voted to pass a second COVID-19 economic stimulus bill and the President has signed it into law.1 At a total cost of $900 billion, this 5,600-page bill[1] contains everything from...
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Tuesday, December 22, 2020
From pandemic-related stimulus payments to job losses and furloughs, for many taxpayers, next spring's tax season may be more complex than usual. With the end of 2020 rapidly approaching, you should take some time to review your tax...
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Thursday, December 10, 2020
Your business plan is an important part of creating a business and a critical tool for drawing in lenders and investors. If you're thinking about launching a small business or if you want to take your small business in a new direction,...
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Tuesday, December 8, 2020
More than most years , it’s hard to look ahead to the next year, to 2021, without looking back at 2020. A global pandemic, a massive economic collapse, a bear market, a surprisingly sharp reversal, a hotly contested election...
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Tuesday, November 17, 2020
The holiday season is just around the corner and many charitable organizations are in desperate need of donations to help provide the vital services needed in the community. You are most often inundated with a number of charitable...
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Thursday, November 5, 2020
By the last third of the calendar year, you're likely to have a pretty good idea of what your annual income will be and whether any major expenses or big life changes await you. This can allow you to engage in more robust tax planning,...
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Thursday, October 15, 2020
Now that you have decided that Medicare Advantage is an option worth exploring, you may be wondering what the next steps are to signing up. While the steps for signing up are simple, there are a few key points to remember during the...
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Thursday, October 8, 2020
The world's events always affect the markets, and making smart investment choices requires you to look at what's happening around the world. But what about during an election year? How should you invest while the country is deciding...
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Thursday, September 17, 2020
Retail sales rose 0.6% month over month in August following July’s downwardly revised 0.9% advance, but sales fell short of Bloomberg’s consensus expectation for a 1% increase. The retail sales control group, which excludes...
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Thursday, September 3, 2020
September is National Life Insurance Awareness month. And while most of us likely recognize that life insurance provides us peace of mind and security, there may be a few things you don’t know. Life Insurance is Not Just for the...
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Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Uncle Sam wants your money. He has bills to pay, just like you. And he's been waiting patiently for decades for you to hand over his share of your tax-deferred retirement dollars. He expects some folks to be stubborn about it, so he...
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Thursday, August 6, 2020
Open enrollment season is one of the shortest—in most cases, employees have only a few weeks to research their options and make a decision on things like their 401(k) contributions, health and dental insurance, disability...
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Tuesday, July 14, 2020
AT THE MIDPOINT of 2020, we’re mindful that it’s been an extremely challenging year so far in the United States and around the globe. We’re in the midst of a pandemic that continues to impact all of us, our...
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Tuesday, July 14, 2020
Whether you dream of a travel-filled retirement or would prefer to relax and enjoy spending more time at home, you're probably wondering what you can do to make your golden years as stress-free as possible. For many who have spent the...
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Thursday, July 2, 2020
Heading into your retirement years brings a slew of new topics to grapple with, and one of the most maddening may be Medicare. Figuring out when to enroll, what to enroll in and what coverage will be best for you can be daunting. To...
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Monday, June 15, 2020
There is a good possibility that you or your spouse will eventually require some form of long-term care (LTC). According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, at least 70% of people aged 65 or older will require some form of...
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Tuesday, June 2, 2020
As the earliest baby boomers begin to enter retirement, the various income guarantees and other living benefits offered through variable annuities (VAs) are gaining in importance. Yet before you rush to add a VA to your retirement...
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Wednesday, May 27, 2020
The Federal Reserve (Fed) increased its bond exchange-traded funds (ETF) purchases in the week ending May 20 (the most recent data available), adding another $1.5 billion in bond ETFs to its balance sheet, bringing the total holding to...
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Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Insuring your business against various forms of financial loss is a common small business strategy. While you have much to attend to with the day-to-day needs of your small business, insurance considerations are equally as important....
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Wednesday, May 20, 2020
There’re plenty of people who think negative interest rates are a good policy. But we don’t really think so at the Federal Reserve. And I think it’s an area of real uncertainty in the central banking world. -Fed Chair...
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Tuesday, May 19, 2020
For the past two months, the market declines and market rallies have been historic, as COVID-19 introduced a level of uncertainty that was difficult to quantify, let alone predict. And if the stock markets hate one thing, it’s...
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Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Gold has done quite well so far in 2020, up more than 12% year to date versus the S&P 500 Index which is down about 10%. We started to warm to the yellow metal late last year and continue to think it can serve as a potential hedge in a...
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Monday, May 11, 2020
As the country comes together to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus, many businesses have been forced to suspend operations, while many others have experienced a sharp decline in revenue. To encourage businesses to continue...
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Wednesday, May 6, 2020
One of the most historic market crashes ever took place 10 years ago today, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index plunging more than 1,000 points, or 9%, within minutes, only to regain most of the losses by the end of the day....
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Friday, May 1, 2020
Whether your business has been temporarily closed by a state shelter-in-place order or is still operating as a provider of essential services, balancing your revenue needs with protecting the safety of your employees and customers can...
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Wednesday, April 29, 2020
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) for April came in 86.9, falling more than 30 points from the prior month. The monthly drop was the biggest for the index since 1973, reflecting the severity of the economic...
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Monday, April 27, 2020
If the coronavirus crisis has led you to recently join the more than 5 million U.S. workers who work from home, you may still be settling into a routine.1 Adding homeschooling (or e-learning) into the mix can introduce additional...
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Wednesday, April 22, 2020
With 22 million jobs lost in the past four weeks, a record drop in retail sales, and huge drops in industrial production and housing starts, it is safe to say we are likely in a recession. Even the Federal Reserve (Fed) in the recent...
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Monday, April 20, 2020
News about the coronavirus has flooded the media, saturated social media streams, and dominated most people's minds for the last few weeks, and the crisis shows minimal signs of abating soon. When worry about this pandemic has affected...
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Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Stocks give up gains. After the 11th 3% gain of 2020 for the S&P 500, stocks opened lower this morning. Negative sessions in Asia and Europe weighed on sentiment. Morning headlines included President Trump suspending funding to the...
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Monday, April 13, 2020
In late March 2020, as the number of novel coronavirus cases in the U.S. surged past 100,000, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed into law. The CARES Act provides around $2.2 trillion in aid to...
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Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Stocks have rallied nicely off the March 23 lows on the back of a bold policy response from the Federal Reserve (Fed) and lawmakers in Washington, DC, which was followed by signs that a peak in growth of COVID-19 cases may come soon....
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Friday, April 3, 2020
April is National Financial Literacy Month – an entire month dedicated to underscoring the importance of learning, establishing and maintaining healthy financial habits. But ask yourself this: what have you learned about anything...
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Wednesday, April 1, 2020
More weakness. After wrapping up one of the worst quarters ever for stocks, stocks sold off globally this morning after a somber warning from President Trump. Trump said the United States is facing potentially its toughest two weeks...
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Tuesday, March 31, 2020
A major issue in estate planning is who to name as beneficiaries on life insurance policies, pension plan accounts, IRAs, and annuities. This important decision often doesn't take into account the substantial estate and income tax...
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Monday, March 30, 2020
The United States has more cases of the coronavirus than any other country, and in an attempt to stop the spread of this disease, states have closed schools and businesses throughout the country. These unprecedented shutdowns have...
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Wednesday, March 25, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented volatility in recent weeks that has investors and traders scrambling to assess the economic and market impact of the aggressive containment measures. This past week the CBOE Volatility...
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Thursday, March 19, 2020
529 plans are tax-advantaged education savings vehicles and one of the most popular ways to save for education today. Much like the way 401(k) plans revolutionized the world of retirement savings a few decades ago, 529 plans have...
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Wednesday, March 18, 2020
The market volatility continues, as the S&P 500 Index has closed either up or down 4% or more for a record 7 consecutive days. With the S&P 500 Index down 30% from the highs, it has officially moved into a bear market. Yesterday, we...
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Tuesday, March 17, 2020
The Federal Reserve (Fed) surprised markets over the weekend by holding its March 17-scheduled meeting a few days early and introducing a wide range of provisions. Those provisions are intended to add liquidity, increase credit...
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Thursday, March 12, 2020
Retirement planning is all about the future, your future. Whether you are classified as a millennial, Gen Xers, women, or you are in your 40s-50s, retirement planning is a must. The key to successful retirement planning is starting...
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Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Down again. The S&P 500 Index opened sharply lower this morning, on the heels of a huge 4.9% oversold bounce yesterday, the largest single-day gain since December 26, 2018. There are now more than 1,000 cases of COVID-19 in the US,...
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Friday, March 6, 2020
Suppose you arrive at your company one morning and discover that a key employee died unexpectedly the night before. Have you ever considered how such a turn of events may affect your company? Along with losing a valued member of your...
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Wednesday, March 4, 2020
The hits keep coming, as the Federal Reserve (Fed) did an intra-meeting cut yesterday, causing stocks to sell off hard on concerns the economy is on more fragile footing than most think. Read First Emergency Rate Cut By the Fed Since...
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Friday, February 28, 2020
The coronavirus outbreak—or Covid-19 —has caused significant market volatility over the past week. Our approach as always is to focus on economic fundamentals first, but the uncertainty around the scope of the outbreak has...
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Wednesday, February 26, 2020
The global equity weakness continued yesterday, with consecutive 3% drops for the S&P 500 Index for the first time since August 2015. It might be hard to believe, but exactly one week ago today the S&P 500 was making a new all-time...
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Monday, February 24, 2020
News that the coronavirus—known as COVID-19—has spread to South Korea, Italy, Japan, and Iran, has led to massive selling around the globe, with many European markets closing down more than 4%. U.S. stock markets are...
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Thursday, February 20, 2020
Bringing pet dogs into the workplace is becoming increasingly common. Large companies like Google, Ticketmaster and challenger bank Monzo are just a few that have joined companies in the pet sector (like Pets at Home) that allow...
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Wednesday, February 19, 2020
The recent news that technology giant Apple would miss its fourth quarter 2020 revenue targets has understandably increased investor anxiety surrounding the potential economic impact of the coronavirus (now called COVID-19). Lost in...
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Tuesday, February 11, 2020
When you're a small business owner, you need to pay extra careful attention to both your business and personal finances. Your financial planning strategies should simultaneously encourage the success of your business while also working...
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Tuesday, February 11, 2020
U.S. hiring came in stronger than expected in January, rebounding from a disappointing December print. Nonfarm payrolls rose by 225,000 in January, far surpassing Bloomberg’s consensus estimates for a 165,000 gain, according to...
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Thursday, February 6, 2020
Planning for the 2020 Tax Season 2020 doesn't just mark a new year, but the beginning of a new decade—and with it, some more changes to the federal tax code. It can often be easy to put tax preparation on the back burner, but...
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Wednesday, February 5, 2020
.The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield moved to within .05% of its recent low on Friday, January 31, approaching the 1.47% mark set back in August 2019 Prospects of stabilizing global growth and progress on trade encouraged yields to start...
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Thursday, January 30, 2020
Because you've worked hard to create a secure and comfortable lifestyle for your family and loved ones, you'll want to ensure that you have a sound financial plan that includes trust and estate planning. With some forethought, you may...
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Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Fears that the deadly coronavirus would spread further around the globe intensified Monday and led to the biggest one-day drop in the S&P 500 Index since October 8, 2019. In fact, it was the first time the index moved 1% in either...
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Thursday, January 23, 2020
When was the last time you took steps to optimize your 401k? If it's been a while, you're not alone. Research indicates that only one in three Americans utilize employer-sponsored 401k retirement accounts; even those who are...
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Wednesday, January 22, 2020
As the economic expansion caps its first decade, we thought it’d be a good time to check on LPL Research’s leading indicators in our Recession Watch Dashboard. As you can see in our latest update and in the LPL Chart of the...
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Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Consumer inflationary pressures grew at a healthy, but manageable rate in December 2019. The core Consumer Price Index (CPI), which excludes food and energy, rose 2.3% year over year last month, around the fastest pace of the economic...
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Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Open Multiple Employer Plans / Pooled Employer Plans – The SECURE Act allows unrelated small employers to band together in “open” 401(k) multiple-employer plans (MEPs; also referred to as pooled employer plans...
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The Social Security Administration (SSA) now has an online option (called my Social Security) for receiving annual benefit statements -- however, if you do not wish to open an account, you may still estimate your Social Security...
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Wednesday, January 8, 2020
The U.S. airstrike that killed the top Iranian military commander last week was a major escalation in Mideast tensions. In fact, it would be difficult to overstate the geopolitical significance of this action. Iran likely will...
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Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Sometimes, even highly-compensated individuals may find it difficult to achieve long-term success when it comes to managing their personal finances. Although they may attain a comfortable level of income, their focus may be on career...
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Thursday, January 2, 2020
A new year. It’s a new year for U.S. stocks, which are higher amid headlines on new monetary stimulus measures in China. The People’s Bank of China cut the country’s reserve requirement ratio for banks, releasing a...
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Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Investing for your retirement isn't about getting rich quick. More often, it's about having a game plan that you can live with over a long time. You wouldn't expect to be able to play the piano without learning the basics and...
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Wednesday, December 18, 2019
December has been widely viewed as a strong month for stocks, with this year following suit so far. What many probably don’t realize, however, is the majority of the gains have taken place late in the month. “December has...
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Wednesday, December 11, 2019
The Federal Reserve’s (Fed) final policy meeting of 2019 starts today and will conclude tomorrow with the release of the Fed’s policy statement, updated economic projections, and a press conference by Fed Chair Jerome...
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Monday, December 9, 2019
It may be better to give than to receive, but it may be even better to give and see your generosity rewarded. Charitable giving can play a valuable role in your financial and tax strategies. A well-planned gift to charity could provide...
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Monday, December 9, 2019
Diet books. Fitness apps. Live-streamed exercise classes. They all tell you the same thing: Maintaining good physical health requires discipline and adherence to a few simple habits, such as eating wisely, getting enough sleep, and...
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Monday, December 9, 2019
What are year-end investment decisions?Year-end investment decisions may sometimes result in substantial tax savings. Tax planning may allow you to control the timingand method by which you report your income and claim your deductions...
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Friday, December 6, 2019
Hindsight is 20/20, but finding clarity in future uncertainty can be fuzzy. AT LPL RESEARCH, as we look forward to the year 2020 and a new decade, some key trends and market signals will be important to watch, including progress on U.S...
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