For Mark Roberts' Use: You've spent years dreaming and planning for retirement, so it wouldn't be surprising if you also wish you could retire early. Many Americans are so antsy to retire earlier than planned, that they would actually be willing to make some major changes in order to make it happen. A recent poll [...]
Investment Commentary – September 24, 2014 Dow – 17,089.88 (9/23/14 close) (+3.09% as of 9/23/14) S&P 500 – 1,982.77 (9/23/14 close) (+7.25% as of 9/23/14) 10-year Treasury – 2.54% (9/23/14 close) August new home sales surged, rising more than 18% to the highest level in more than 6 years, the Census Bureau reported [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: In your younger days, you understood that life insurance was a vital component of protecting your young family in the event of your death. Now, however, your children are grown and self-supporting, and you may be wondering whether life insurance is still necessary. Before you drop your policy, there are a [...]
Investment Commentary – September 17, 2014 Dow – 17,156.92 (9/17 close) S&P 500 – 2,001.57 (9/17 close) 10-year Treasury – 2.60% (9/17 close) · Stocks jumped higher today and the Dow hit a new record high after the Fed reaffirmed that a key short-term interest rate will stay near zero for a “considerable time” after [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: Most workers expect to retire at age 65 or later, but in reality things do not always work out this way. In fact, 7 out of 10 current retirees stopped working before reaching age 65. Sometimes this is due to personal preference, but often an unexpected illness or disability forces an [...]
Investment Commentary – September 10, 2014 Dow – 17,068.71 (9/10/14 close) S&P 500 – 1995.69 (9/10/14) 10-year Treasury – 2.53% (9/10/14) In August, the U.S. economy created 142,000 net new jobs, well below what economists and analysts expected and the weakest number this year. However, analysts believe the modest report was mostly a reflection of [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: For the fourth consecutive month, the May jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) demonstrated the addition of over 200,000 new jobs. Total non-farm employment has reached 138.46 million, which surpasses the record set in January 2008 as the recession began. So does this mean the lost jobs are [...]
Investment Commentary – September 3, 2014 Dow – 17,078.28 (9/3/14 close) S&P 500 – 2,000.72 (9/3/14) 10-year Treasury – 2.41% (9/3/14 close) · Stocks advanced last week, leaving equities significantly higher in August. · Analysts think stocks can trend higher as we enter the fall but with more volatility. · Still, a strengthening economy, low [...]
Investment Commentary – August 26, 2014 Dow -17,076.87 (8/25/14) S&P 500 – 1,997.92 (8/25/14 close) 10-year Treasury – 2.39% (8/25/14) · The S&P 500 set its 28th record close of the year last Thursday, building on a powerful bull run that began more than 5 years ago. · The stock market continues to wrestle with [...]
For Mark Roberts' Use: If you're saving for retirement, chances good that you're focusing on meeting a particular savings goal before you can quit working. This dollar amount is probably based upon your expected living expenses, and the income you expect to receive by taking regular withdrawals from your retirement fund. But there's another important factor [...]