For Mark Roberts' Use: It's almost that time again – time to file your federal income taxes! As with many things in life, knowledge and preparation for tax time can help you avoid consequences you regret. If you gave any large gifts last year, or are planning to do so this year, it might help [...]
Investment Commentary – February 18, 2015 Dow – 18,047.58 (2/17/15 close) (1.26% YTD) S&P 500 – 2,100.34 (2/17/15 close) (1.99% YTD) NASDAQ – 4,899.27 (2/17/15 close) (3.44% YTD) 10-year Treasury – 2.14% (2/17/15 close) (-1.38% YTD) Stocks continued to advance last week and are now ahead of bonds for the year. On a global basis, [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: Are you confident that you will have enough money to cover basic living expenses in retirement? Seven out of ten workers aged 50 and older feel as though their retirement plan will provide enough money for basic necessities. But what about your ability to actually live comfortably in retirement? If you're [...]
Investment Commentary - February 11th, 2015 Dow - 17,868.76 (2/10/15 close) S&P 500 - 2,068.59 (2/10/15 close) 10 year Treasury - 1.99% (2/10/15 close) S&P 500 volatility has remained elevated in the first 6 weeks of 2015 as investors react to uncertainty around the Fed, major oil price swings and disappointing S&P 500 earnings. Interestingly, [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: The recession may have created high unemployment rates and significant financial difficulty for many American households, but many reacted by holding onto their jobs longer. The average length of employment has lengthened, but you still may find yourself moving on to a new job at some point in the near future. [...]
Investment Commentary – February 4, 2015 Dow – 17,666.40 (2/3/15 close) (-0.88% YTD) S&P 500 – 2,050.03 (2/3/15 close) (-0.44% YTD) 10-year Treasury – 1.78% (2/3/15) (-17.97%) · Financial Markets remain highly volatile, with violent swings in the oil price and interest rates adding to the angst. With stocks remaining under pressure, investors continued to [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: As you plan for retirement, you may be presented with several different investment options. It can be hard to know which savings vehicles to pursue, but one very important factor you should always consider is the tax benefits of all options. At some point you may consider purchasing an annuity. In [...]
Dow – 17,191.37 (1/28/15 close) S&P 500 – 2,002.16 (1/28/15 close) 10-year Treasury – 1.72% (1/28/15 close) · The Federal Reserve gave no signal yesterday that it’s backing away from plans to raise interest rates this year, noting that it expects unusually low inflation to gradually pick up as the “transitory effects” of tumbling oil [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: If your New Years resolution focused on renovating your financial life, you may be thinking about paying down debts or upping your retirement plan contributions. But your home life can be a major source of money loss, and impact your ability to save money. Take a look at your habits around [...]
Investment Commentary – January 21, 2015 Dow – 17,515.23 (1/20/15 close) (-1.73% YTD) S&P 500 – 2,022.55 (1/20/15 close) (-1.75% YTD) 10-year Treasury – 1.81% (1/20/15 close) (-16.59% YTD) Volatility has reemerged in 2015 with the VIX (Volatility Index – measures stock market volatility) remaining above its long term average of 20 last week as [...]