Blog

Back to Basics- Diversification and Asset Allocation

When investing, particularly for long-term goals, there are two concepts you will likely hear about over and over again — diversification and asset allocation. We break down these terms and how they can help you target your specific needs.

Common Cents: Financial Tips Everyone Should Know

Some people may find themselves nearing retirement without a solid grasp on certain topics like required minimum distributions or Social Security taxation. Here are some tips that may help improve your finances.

3 Golf Tips to Keep Your Retirement Plan on Course

Applying lessons from the golf course to your financial life and vice versa may help you improve your game in both arenas. Here are three tips that may help you work toward success on and off the golf course.

Investment Planning: The Basics

Why do so many people never obtain the financial independence that they desire? Often it's because they just don't take that first step — getting started. Here are some tips to get you familiar with the basics.

Take a Swing at Investing Like a Golfer

Golfing and investing may not seem to share much common ground at first glance. But the more you think about it, a successful golfer and a successful investor share a number of traits such as patience, perseverance, and attention to detail.

5 Financial Facts About the Sandwich Generation

The "sandwich generation" is the descriptive term for adults generally between the ages of 40 and 59 who are raising a minor child (or supporting a grown child) while also caring for a retirement-age or older parent.

Land of the Debt Free: 3 Steps To Declare Your Financial Independence

Financial independence means different things to different people. For some, it might mean early retirement. For others, the ability to travel the world.

Financial Freedom, Market Volatility, and You

If recent market volatility has you questioning your opportunities for financial freedom, you are not alone.

403(b) Plans and Saving for Retirement

Understanding how much you can contribute as well as the catch-up limitsIn 1958, the Internal Revenue Service created 403(b) plans to encourage employees of certain organizations to begin saving for retirement. In 2001, the Economic...

3 Ways Planning For Retirement is Like Planning For Summer Break

For kids, teens, and college students, summer break often represents freedom from schedules, responsibilities, and all those other drains on your time. Retirement actually can provide a similar level of freedom, but only if you've...

Saving For Retirement Through 403b Plans

For all employers, offering retirement benefits can play a fundamental role in recruiting and retaining qualified employees. Yet, despite the obvious advantages that come with helping workers save for retirement,...

2023 Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits Released

The IRS has released the 2023 final version of its Publication 15-B (The Employer’s Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits).The “What’s New” section of the publication includes information on the 2023 business mileage...

Non-profit's Guide to Deposit Insurance with the FDIC

Nonprofit organizations play a vital role in society by providing valuable services to their communities. To operate effectively, nonprofits need to manage their finances properly, including maintaining bank accounts for...

Opening a 529 College Savings Plan Is Better Late Than Never

If you wonder whether it’s too late to start saving for your child’s college education—the answer is no. Whether your child is a newborn or already starting college, a 529 account may provide some tax benefits.

Advanced Philanthropy: Private Foundations

For many affluent individuals, occasional gifts to a favorite charity may satisfy their charitable inclinations.

How to Develop a Money Mindset That Aligns with Your Goals

Financial goals are essential. Setting them will help you to obtain the things you want out of life as well as live the lifestyle you desire, both during your working years and in your retirement.

Life Insurance and Charitable Giving

Life insurance can be an excellent tool for charitable giving. Not only does life insurance allow you to make a substantial gift to charity at relatively little cost to you, but you may also benefit from tax rules.

What’s the charitable deduction? An economist explains

The charitable deduction is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in taxable income that lowers what someone owes the Internal Revenue Service. Only donations to tax-exempt charities count.

5 Social Security Benefits You Might Be Missing Out On

Most people know that once they approach retirement age, their reward for years of work comes from Social Security payments they put money towards during their employment.

5 Last Minute Considerations Before Tax Day

With April’s federal tax filing and payment deadline on the horizon, Americans are dotting their i’s and crossing their t’s as they prepare for the countdown to Tax Day.

Invest in Your Financial Education During Financial Literacy Month

April brings more than possible rain showers. It also marks Financial Literacy Month in the U.S. Whether you’re interested in a quick refresher or to learn something new, it may be worth the effort to brush up on some financial concepts.

Stocks and Bonds Before and After Taxes

Managing Investment Returns with Tax-Efficient Strategies. Investing in U.S. stocks and bonds is a popular way for individuals and institutions to grow their wealth and generate income.

4 Things Every College Student Should Know About Credit

The average college student graduates with around $30,000 in student loan debt. While this isn't an insurmountable amount of debt for a degree that may boost your earning potential, it also makes it important to maintain responsible credit.

Insurance Protection for Dentists: The Big Four

Dentists and their staff often spend their time processing insurance payments and explaining to their patients the benefits of the patient's own dental insurance. But what about the insurance products dentists need to protect themselves?

What’s the charitable deduction? An economist explains

The charitable deduction is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in taxable income that lowers what someone owes the Internal Revenue Service. Only donations to tax-exempt charities count. 

Pay Down Debt or Save for Retirement?

You can use a variety of strategies to pay off debt, many of which can cut not only the amount of time it will take to pay off the debt but also the total interest paid.

Prepping Early For Tax Day

As the year comes to a close, probably the last thing on your mind is filing your taxes in spring. But if you start assembling the necessary documents and information now, you’ll experience less stress and be in a far better position.

5 Valentine's Day Gifts that Grow in Value Over Time

Valentine's Day is one of the biggest holidays for romance and for lavishing gifts on that special someone in your life.

Top 5 (Almost Guaranteed) Predictions for 2023

The year 2022 will be remembered by investors as a very difficult year as almost all financial assets struggled.

How to Recognize and Protect Yourself Against Tax Identity Theft

When you hear the term identity theft, the first thought that comes to mind may involve a data breach or opening a credit card in someone else's name. But another common type of identity theft involves the use of someone's Social...

What Dentists Should Know About Retirement Planning

The average dentist doesn't retire until nearly age 70—around 7 years later than the national average retirement age.1 Though the dental profession can be a lucrative one, many dentists don't have the traditional 401(k)...

Here’s How to Get a Faster Refund This Tax Season

With delays in tax returns over the past couple of years, as the IRS tries to catch up from the backlog and recover from shutdowns, many people are anxious to get their tax returns as fast as possible. Whether you need your return to...

6 Hacks to Make New Year’s Resolutions Stick

Someone once told me that quitting smoking is easy. He had already done it a half-dozen times. The same can be said for many of the resolutions people make, whether it’s getting more exercise, eating right, or setting a...

Seven Things to Know About Philanthropy

Individuals and their families often seek to make positive societal and world change through philanthropic efforts. Philanthropy is one way families clarify their values and use their wealth to work together across generations to build...

A Year-End Wealth Planning Guide

As we approach the end of the year, you may want to review areas that may impact your wealth and estate planning next year. In this year-end planning guide, we examine four critical areas to consider that may affect your finances:...

The Gift of a Lifetime: How to Donate Life Insurance to Charity

The primary purpose of life insurance is to provide financial resources for those that depend on you when you die. However, you can lessen the complexity of charitable giving through wealth transfer by using life insurance as a gifting...

Focus on Your Wellness This Holiday Season

The holidays are prime time for eating delicious food, celebrating with loved ones, and creating long-lasting memories. However, all this cheer can be both physically and mentally draining.That’s why it is essential to focus on...

5 Year-End Tax Planning Questions to Ask Your Financial Professional

The average U.S. income tax rate stands at just over 13%—and if you're like many taxpayers, you're always looking for new tips and tricks to help reduce this percentage.1There are a number of different tax planning moves you can...

3 Steps to Strategic Philanthropy

What would you do if you had unlimited funds to donate to charity? Would you focus on causes and organizations that make a difference locally or donate to international organizations? Are your donations providing immediate relief to...

What the Mid-Terms Might Do to the Stock Market

The S&P 500 does best when one party controls Congress and the WH tooThe 2022 Midterm Elections will feature hundreds of hotly contested races at the state and local level and will decide whether the Democrats maintain...

A Fall Financial Checklist

For many, autumn is the best time of year. The return of cool breezes, comforting foods, and pumpkins can be invigorating. It’s also a bookmark of sorts, especially for your finances—a perfect time to take stock of your...

4 Ways to Save for Retirement Without a 401(k)

You are not alone if you do not have access to a 401(k) retirement plan. Pew Research data reveals that 35% of private-sector employees do not work for an employer that offers a plan.1 Fortunately, other retirement savings options are...

6 Important Components of Estate Planning

Basic estate planning is something that everyone should do, regardless of your age, marital status, the value of your assets, and if you’re a parent or not.  According to a 2021 poll by Gallup, less than half of U.S. adults...

Treat Yourself to These 5 Retirement Savings Tricks

Your retirement is the reward after years of hard work and saving. You might dream of traveling, want to invest in a vacation home, or want to take up a new hobby. For an enjoyable retirement, saving is critical. Take charge of your...

3 Common Financial Planning Fears and How To Conquer Them

If the thought of reviewing your finances with the help of a financial professional strikes more fear into your heart than giving a public speech, you are not alone—two in every three Americans report regularly feeling stressed...

Ideas for Reducing the Cost of College

Encourage your student to think about their future financial selfMid-August is the time of year that our kids pack the U-Haul and head to college. And while they’re excited about a brand-new semester, it can be frightening to see...

Preparing for the Worst: Disaster Planning

Disaster Planning Given the daily responsibilities of running a business, planning for an event that may or may not happen may not seem to be a priority. But by preparing for a major disaster, your company will be in a better...

The Basics of the 401(k)

Thoughts from a financial professionalMost often, the first question a prospective employee will ask is about your company’s benefit program. And in my experience, the two most often-asked questions are about health insurance and...

Why You Should Not Take Early Retirement Withdrawals

When money gets tight, it can be tempting to think about your retirement accounts as a potential source of financial help. However, an early withdrawal from your retirement account may be costly. Learn more about the taxes, fees, and...

3 Investing Lessons For Beginners You Won't Learn In School

Twenty-one U.S. states, including Kentucky, Texas, and Virginia, require public schools to provide high school students with financial literacy courses.1 But even among the school systems that provide general financial...

A Place for Everything: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Finances Organized

Have you ever found yourself scrambling for spare cash to send with your child for school lunch? Have you paid a late fee because you simply forgot when a bill was due? Have you woken up in a cold sweat trying to remember if you paid...

5 Common Financial Planning Challenges of Nonprofit Organizations

Many nonprofit organizations set out to help others. They provide services, guidance, support, or other resources to a specific group or cause. Yet, to do the work they do, they often need financial strength. Nonprofit organizations...

Back to School Checklist

It’s so easy to get caught up in the bliss of summer that, before you know it, the new school year is a week away. To avoid being struck with last minute panic, here are a few things to ask yourself before the first day of school...

Financial Freedom vs. Financial Independence: Key Differences and How to Work Towards Both

Working towards financial independence can often be a lifelong process. But for many, financial freedom may come far sooner—and include some fun along the way. What are the differences between financial independence and financial...

Why You Should Not Take Early Retirement Withdrawals

When money gets tight, it can be tempting to think about your retirement accounts as a potential source of financial help. However, an early withdrawal from your retirement account may be costly. Learn more about the taxes, fees, and...

The Simple Life: 3 Tips for Simplifying Your Financial Life

If you sometimes feel like your financial life has too many moving parts, you may be looking for ways to get back to the basics—without letting anything slip through the cracks. Fortunately, simplifying your finances does not...

Four Tips for Gaining Financial Independence

The golden rule of financial planning: if you can plan it, you can pursue itOver the past July 4th, we celebrated our country’s history of declaring independence and guaranteeing basic human freedoms. But true freedom includes...

4 Economic Benefits of Homeownership

5 Life Events That Impact Your Life Insurance Needs

8 Influential Dentists Everyone Should Know About

3 Myths About Converting an IRA to a Roth IRA After Age 60

529 College Savings Plans: A Cheat Sheet for Common Questions

4 Key Investments You Should Consider as a Small-Business Owner

Understanding 401(k) Loans

Everything You Need to Know About Adjusting to Retirement

4 Ways to Invest in Your Mental Health Bank

The Basics of the 401(k)

Social Security Retirement Benefit Basics

Invest in Your Financial Education During Financial Literacy Month

Tax Prep Checklist: Everything You Need to Be Ready for Tax Season

3 Estate Planning Tips for Small-Business Owners

Make Your Annual Dental Checkup Worth it

Skip These Morning Sips

Understanding Your Credit Report

Colorado Ski Season & the Risk of Market Peaks

3 Ways to Show Your Money Love on Valentine's Day

Retirement Planning: To Roth or Not to Roth?

What Dentists Should Know About Retirement Planning

New Year, New You

Q&A With Darren!

How to Recognize and Protect Yourself Against Tax Identity Theft

Tax Prep Checklist: Everything You Need to Be Ready for Tax Season

Financial Wellness Month: Five Healthy Habits for Financial Wellness

These Holiday Foods Are a Pain in the Mouth

It’s no secret that the holiday season means indulging in a lot of foods we wouldn’t ordinarily eat—including sweets. But where your oral health is concerned, these treats can mean an unexpected trip to the dentist if...

Red Light, Green Light: When to Buy a Car and When to Hit the Brakes

According to Edmunds, the average transaction price for a new vehicle rose by 8.6 percent from June 2020 to June 2021, while the price for a used vehicle has risen by 27 percent over the same period. However, this doesn't mean there...

Developing a Dynamic Business Plan

A well-crafted business plan can be a blueprint for entrepreneurial confidence. This multifaceted tool is as important to established business owners looking to grow their companies as it is to budding entrepreneurs. A business plan...

Holiday Resilience

Dear Valued Investor: We hope everyone enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. While life has been challenging during the pandemic, we have a lot to be thankful for. At this time, we are especially grateful for...

Christmas Shopping Lessons for Investors

As Christmas sales loom, we face an endless array of sparkly, shiny and occasionally innovative items. As an investor, you run into a similar phenomenon that requires you to ask, “Are investment offerings truly innovative, or...

Investing in Your Family: Creating a Family Business Succession Plan

No matter how successful your family business is today, at some point in the future, its ownership may need to change hands. Without a business succession plan, this transition can be fraught with hurt feelings, internal strife and...

Entrepreneurship and Financial Risk: What You Need to Know

Entrepreneurs tend to be natural risk-takers but this doesn't mean committing to uncompensated risk. A wise entrepreneur considers their potential exposure before leaping into a new business venture, moving forward only on those...

Developed International: If Not Now, When?

Since we began our investing careers, we’ve had the concept of diversification drilled into our heads. Some refer to it as the only free lunch in investing. Well, when it comes to geography, that advice hasn’t been helpful...

Daylight Savings Time: Why Do We Change Our Clocks?

When we think of daylight saving time, most of us just know the basics—spring ahead and fall behind—we’re either gaining or losing an hour of sleep. However, the history and details behind this biannual occurrence is...

Many Reasons to Be Thankful

The past year and a half have tested all of us, but overall, the economy continues to strengthen, COVID-19 trends are greatly improving, and this still relatively young bull market is alive and well. As the leaves turn colors and begin...

5 Things That Might Spook Markets

With Halloween over the weekend, what better to write about this week than what scares us? If our positive near-term market outlook proves to be overly optimistic, we believe one—or perhaps more than one—of these five...

Your 2021 Year-End Planning Checklist

It may be easy to forget we're nearing the end of the year. Even during the busy end of year rush, it's a good time to reevaluate your 2021 finances and turn an eye toward 2022. What can you do now to potentially improve and streamline...

Bullish Setup Into Year-End

The S&P 500 Index has gained more than 20% so far this year, making more than 50 record highs along the way. Certainly nobody should be upset with that return if that was all 2021 brought us. However, we see signs that there could be...

October is National Financial Planning Month

Five tips to finding a financial professional that fits you and your family The financial professional you pick to manage your assets and advise you on key financial decisions may affect your retirement and other major financial goals...

Q3 Earnings Preview: Less Upside

We have used most of the superlatives we know to describe corporate America’s stunning performances over the past two earnings seasons. Despite lofty expections, results exceeded estimates by the biggest margins we’ve ever...

The Financial Planning Process: Why and How

Planning personal finances used to be the worry of the wealthy and their worry—usually preservation of wealth—was attended to by teams of trust officers and lawyers. Many of today’s middle class families have...

Answering the Top Debt Ceiling Questions

Last week, Congress was able to push back a fast-approaching deadline for raising the debt ceiling to December. Markets applauded the move with a relief rally. Despite decreased uncertainty in the near term, we may be confronted with...

Put Yourself in Front of the Savings Game

Like dieting, budgeting your expenses can benefit from long-term commitment. However, human nature leads many of us to become frustrated when we can’t immediately have the things we need or want. As a result, the best-laid...

Inherited IRAs: What You Should Know

The rules and consequences of IRA beneficiary arrangements are complex The rules pertaining to Individual Retirement Account (IRA) beneficiaries can be complicated. Here is a quick look at the limitations the Internal Revenue Service...

Early Thoughts on 2022

With the fourth quarter underway—historically the best quarter for stocks, by the way—2022 is fast approaching. While a lot can still happen between now and the end of 2021, we don’t think it’s too early to...

Top Supports for Caregivers

When caring for a spouse, relative, or parent, you may face a number of challenges and decisions to make in order to provide quality care. However, you are not alone. The following resources are available to support you to meet the...

Creative Solutions for College Sticker Shock

Imagine your reaction to the following scene: You return home from work one night to find your teenage daughter running gleefully about with a letter in her hand. When you calm her down, she tells you that she has just been accepted to...

Choosing the Right 401(k) for Your Employees & Your Business

Implementing a 401(k) plan for your employees is good business. It means you're thinking strategically, that you care for your employees, and are focused on the long-term health of your company. Implementing a retirement plan: Can help...

Life Insurance: Changing Times, Changing Needs

When Judy purchased her life insurance policy 10 years ago, she thought her insurance planning was complete. She assumed that if she paid her premiums on time, she could sit back and not think about life insurance anymore. Judy’s...

Poking The Bear

First and foremost, this week’s commentary should not be construed to suggest that we are saying stocks will go up forever. We are also not saying that stocks are immune from a pullback in the final four months of 2021....

Why Stagflation Isn’t In the Cards

The term stagflation has been circulating increasingly in the financial media as inflation readings have risen sharply in recent months. The term is often associated with the 1970s, which saw runaway inflation—largely driven by...

Corporate America Does It Again

Corporate America did it again. Companies blew by estimates and made strategists and analysts look silly (though we humbly suggest that we may have looked less silly than most in our earnings preview on July 12). S&P 500 earnings...

Who to Ask When You Need Help With a Business Plan?

A business plan is critical when you're getting ready to launch a business. It helps you stay organized on the path to your goal, while also helping you to hone in on key concerns such as funding objectives and marketing plans. At the...

COVID Update: Delta Variant Market Impact

The highly transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19 now makes up an overwhelming majority of the new cases in the U.S., bringing with it a rise in cases and hospitalizations. Widespread vaccine distribution and distancing measures have...

Why Invest

To accumulate wealth, people may choose to invest their money into various types of investments. Investing creates opportunities that otherwise would be difficult to manage due to the consistency of contributing to the investment....

Five Things To Know Heading Into August

Last week was a huge news week, from the Fed, to gross domestic product (GDP), to a giant week of earnings reports. Below we review the big events from last week, while also looking ahead to what could be an eventful August for...

Appetite for Risk

Many prospective investors eventually shy away from a commitment when they hear the dreaded “R” word: risk. By itself, risk is innocuous, carrying no special meaning or predictive result. But the idea that investing...

Is It Time For A 5% Pullback?

Monday’s big down day was a harsh reminder of how markets actually can produce volatility. It was the worst day of the year for the Dow and only the second drop of 1% or more for the S&P 500 Index in just over two months. As we...

What Can A Financial Professional Do for Non-Profits?

As of 2017, about two-thirds of all nonprofit organizations in the U.S. had annual budgets of less than $1 million.[1] For these non-profit organizations where every penny has a purpose, having the services of a financial professional...

Rethinking Social Wellness for Your Employees

Corporate wellness programs have been key tools in improving productivity, employee retention, and creating a more desirable corporate culture. While many companies have put a strong focus on physical wellness plans, many are just...

Midyear Outlook 2021: Picking Up Speed

LPL Research Midyear Outlook 2021: Picking Up Speed is designed to help you navigate the risks and opportunities over the rest of 2021 and beyond. While the speed can be exhilarating as economic growth accelerates, it can also be...

An Easy Path to Compliance with the Colorado Secure Savings Program

In July 2020, state legislators passed the Colorado Secure Savings Program in an effort to help the roughly 40% of Colorado workers who currently have no access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan.1 Program highlights for...

The Sandwich Generation: A growing U.S. Concern

As the U.S. population continues to age, the “sandwich generation” is caught in the middle, supporting both their parents and their children, whether financially, physically, or emotionally. This generation is the...

Three Things That Worry Us

Markets are off to a strong start this year, with the S&P 500 Index up about 14% so far. However, most of those gains came early in the year, and many stocks have stagnated over recent months. While we remain overweight on stocks...

The Different Stages of Financial Freedom

If you're living paycheck-to-paycheck or stuck in a job you don't love just to pay the bills, it can be easy to feel as though you're financially trapped. But financial freedom doesn't need to be elusive—with some focused and...

Inflation And What the Fed Is Saying

Inflation has been on the rise. Investors are not as interested in what’s happening now as they are in what’s happening next. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve (Fed) shared its views at the conclusion of its last policy...

Sustainable Investing Becoming Mainstream in Fixed Income

On May 27, 2021, a couple of events in the energy sector occurred that demonstrated the continued mainstreaming of sustainable investing and underscored the risks and opportunities available to investors. While primarily thought of as...

How to Stay Committed to Your Financial Goals

Setting healthy financial goals is critical. Even more important is staying committed to those financial goals. Keeping yourself committed to your goals may be difficult, especially when times may be financially tough. But by staying...

Policy Shifts May Challenge Markets

Fiscal stimulus, which was central to the market rebound in the last year, may start moving to the sidelines over the rest of 2021 and into 2022 as the recovery continues. Economic growth can compensate for the loss of government...

Five Factors That Impact Your Retirement

Retirement can be a risky business if you don’t consider all the factors that can impact your retirement during your planning process. Although it’s hard to know what will happen in the future to you or your investments,...

Proceed With Caution in the Bond Market

After one of the worst starts to a year for fixed income, returns may not get much better from here. Long-term interest rates have traded sideways recently but we expect rates to potentially rise further, which would put downward...

Stock Market Gains Likely To Slow

After one of the best starts to a bull market in history, the rally has started to show signs of fatigue. A strong economic recovery lies ahead as the roepening continues, bolstering a very strong earnings outlook that is helping...

What Should Grandparents Know About 529 Savings Accounts?

Grandparents can often find themselves in a better financial position to save for their grandchildren's education than their own children are. The parents of prospective students may still be contending with competing priorities like...

Insurance Protection for Dentists: The Big Four

Dentists and their staff often spend their time processing insurance payments and explaining to their patients the benefits of the patient's own dental insurance. But what about the insurance products dentists need to protect...

Amazing Earnings Season

It’s embarrasing to admit this but in our earnings season preview on April 12, when the consensus estimate reflected a nearly 24% increase, we wrote that S&P 500 Index earnings growth for the first quarter could potentially...

Time To Sell In May?

“Sell in May and go away”1 is probably the most widely cited stock market cliché in history. Every year a barrage of Wall Street commentaries, media stories, and investor questions flood in about the popular stock...

What Dentists Should Know About Retirement Planning

The average dentist doesn't retire until nearly age 70—around 7 years later than the national average retirement age.1 Though the dental profession can be a lucrative one, many dentists don't have the traditional 401(k) option,...

Is All The Good News Priced In?

Last week we discussed whether stock prices might be reflecting peak optimism. In that commentary we noted that while sentiment may be overly optimistic and a pickup in volatility would be totally normal, strong breadth measures...

10 Tips for Small Business Owners

Small business owners should conduct an annual assessment of their personal finances. Owners of small businesses have much the same concerns as everyone else, except they are personally responsible for the fortunes of their enterprise....

Managing Your Retirement Plan When Switching Jobs

Changing jobs can impact your retirement plan. To minimize disruptions to your contributions and the vested portion of your previous employer’s contributions, it’s important to understand the choices you may have when you...

The Earnings Boom Is Here

The outstanding fourth-quarter earnings season we had in 2020 is a tough act to follow, but 2021’s first quarter has the makings of another potentially great earnings season. The reopening of the economy continues to move...

Are You Maximizing 401(K) Contributions?

The more money that you can save when you are working, the easier it should be for you to retire and enjoy your golden years. Unfortunately, Social Security may no longer provide a sufficient income to live on during retirement. To...

Raising Forecasts…Again

The U.S. economy’s recovery from the pandemic continues to surpass our expectations, aided by the accelerating vaccine distribution, massive stimulus, and America’s desire to resume some semblance of normal daily life....

How to Protect Your Wealth as You Get Older

As you get older and closer to retirement, your financial practices need to shift slightly as you transition from working and saving to relying on your nest egg. As you approach this stage of your life, you need to take steps to...

Three Key Components of Financial Literacy

Financial feats that were once unheard of—from investing in cryptocurrency to instantly paying someone through an online payment system—have now become commonplace in many parts of the country. But these sophisticated tasks...

Key Benefits of a Financial Advisor

Whether you've been wondering about boosting your investments' rates of return or are concerned that your financial affairs are a bit too complicated for your next of kin to handle, it may be time to seek advice from a financial...

How to Manage Your 401(k) When You Switch Jobs

In the past, boomers and generation Xers often held on to jobs for 10 or more years. Some professionals stayed with the same company for most of their working lives. The Great Recession changed this for many. Now, people have become...

U.S. Economic Recovery Gets the OECD’s Attention

The economic recovery is gaining steam. In fact, so much so that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) had to raise their U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) forecast for 2021 by more than 3 percentage points...

Financial Planning for Dentists

Whether you're a dentist about to start your own dental practice or you’re considering joining up with another dentist (or practice), you might be wondering about the most financially prudent path forward. After all, launching a...

Global Vaccinations: More Shots = Less COVID-19

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on March 1 added another important tool in the fight against COVID-19. President Biden reported Wednesday that thanks to a deal with Merck & Co. to...

How Financial Asset Management May Help Investors Stay the Course

Most people who decide to purchase stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or other investment vehicles do so understanding that there are risks associated with investing, but believing that the potential growth they may realize over time...

The Search For Income

Interest rates have risen steadily over the past six months but remain low by historical standards. That means the traditional high-quality bonds that many of us owned for decades are not doing the job for investors looking for income...

Inflation or Reflation? That is the Question

The recession appears to be behind us in the United States, and the early stages of an economic expansion have been taking shape. There is a growing debate over whether an expanding economy, in conjunction with historic fiscal and...

Have We Seen the Top in Negative Yielding Debt?

Negative yielding debt has been one of the most extraordinary and peculiar consequences of global monetary policy initiatives, turning the basic premise of fixed income investing upside down. Instead of one party lending another party...

Stocks Open Higher

US economy grew slower than expected US gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4% quarter over quarter on an annualized basis in the fourth quarter according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, below Bloomberg consensus forecasts of 4.2%....

Tips for Tax Preparation

In 2020, the government gave taxpayers an automatic six-month extension due to the coronavirus. Individuals who were affected by the damaging wildfires were also given additional time to meet most tax deadlines. However, in 2021, the...

Buying Your First Home for Millennials and Gen Z

If you are a Millennial or Gen-Zer, buying your first home is likely one of the top priorities on your list. While you may know that you are ready for a house, you may be wondering what considerations you need to make before getting...

Tips for Organizing Your Financial Documents

In an increasingly paper-free society, organizing your financial documents can still be a challenge. No matter how simple or complex your financial picture might be, it takes some thought-out organization to keep your tax documents,...

New Year's Resolutions to Get Your Finances in Order

New Year's is traditionally the time to review your life and make resolutions for change. In addition to thinking about working out, eating healthy, and meeting personal and professional goals, you should also think about your finances...

Smart Shopping During the Holidays

The holiday season is just a short time away, which means the shopping season is about to be in full swing. Shopping for holiday gifts is stressful but also a little fun, especially when you think about the joy you will bring to those...

Getting a Jump on January Tax Season

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...

End of Year (EOY) Deadlines Checklist

2020 has been one of the most unprecedented years in recent history, but some things—like tax contributions and retirement deadlines—don't change much, if at all. And with the uncertainty surrounding just about everything,...

Recognizing and Avoiding Online Scams

According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, the number of U.S. data breaches hit a new high in 2017. Nearly 20% of breaches included credit and debit card information, a nearly 6% increase from the prior year. The actual number of...

Title 4 Reasons to Do Your Shopping on Small Business Saturday

When Thanksgiving rolls around, the holiday shopping season comes into full swing. While many people prepare their strategy for Black Friday shopping, a lot of them forget about the second shopping holiday that weekend: Small Business...