Cause and effect—it’s one of the first things we learn as children. But few people truly understand its meaning, which can become the source of all kinds of trouble. The economy is a perfect example. Just because the stock market keeps reaching or approaching all-time highs does not mean the...
The stock market ended the first quarter of 2015 in almost the same position where it began the year. But it sure was a bumpy ride to get back to the starting position. The Dow took a beating in January—falling almost 4%—before recovering to gain 5.6% in February. This was...
One of the cardinal rules mutual fund investors follow is the avoidance of ‘load’ fees—essentially, the sales charge associated with joining a fund.  Unfortunately, that leads these investors into perhaps a bigger mistake. That’s because they’re overlooking two more fees funds assess. One is covered in the prospectus, but the...
When President Trump signed the SECURE Act into law in December of 2019, saving for retirement received a boost from Washington’s legislators. While some aspects of the law adversely affect seniors and their beneficiaries, the law is seen as a victory for the working class. Similarly to...
Despite widespread support for a measure that would force brokers to put their clients’ best interests first when managing retirement accounts, it appears that the powers on Wall Street are poised to get their way once again. The House Appropriations Committee introduced a bill on Tuesday that would effectively stop...
This morning, the Commerce Department released the preliminary figure for 1st quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and the results were not encouraging. The initial reading shows that the economy grew at a snail’s pace—0.2%—in the first quarter, an outcome even more disappointing than the anticipated 1.0% growth experts predicted. It’s no...
Six years ago, Wall Street was going through a dark time. The 2008 Great Recession cut the value of the stock market by more than half, and it was on this date—March 9, 2009—that the S&P 500 bottomed out at 676.53. Since that day, it’s been the market’s time to shine....
Five years ago this Sunday General Motors filed for bankruptcy which led to a $49.5 billion bailout to bring this staple of the auto industry back to its feet. Now at its 5th anniversary, the “new GM” is one of the 40 most profitable companies in the nation outperforming...
During the last ten years, studies from Merrill Lynch, LexisNexis, and others have consistently shown that a majority of adults do not have any form of estate planning set up in the event of their death. This means that the bulk of Americans do not have a...
Today, the American public is focused on the mid-term elections—and rightfully so. All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for grabs, as are one-third of Senate seats. In addition, 36 of 50 states will have their governorships determined Tuesday. These elections will go a long way...