The recent spike in market volatility has left many investors concerned about their portfolios and uncertain as to how a rise in interest rates impacts their bond investments. LET’S START WITH BONDS 101, HOW DO BONDS WORK AND WHY DO WE BUY THEM? Bonds are generally conservative investments and they produce income –…
It probably comes as no surprise but different generations have different perspectives about retirement planning. What about you? How does your age impact your plan decisions? HOW ARE THE AGE GENERATIONS DEFINED? Millennials (Gen Y): Born 1980 to 1994 Gen X (Baby Bust): Born 1965 to 1979 Baby Boomers: Born 1946 to 1964 Matures…
The U.S. stock market recently entered correction territory – dropping about 10% – for the first time in two years. The increased market volatility continues to rattle investors. What is causing the market decline and what should you do about it? Here are 8 tips for your investment strategy. WHAT IS CAUSING RECENT MARKET…
Everyone is talking about the new tax rules for 2018. It’s always a good idea to plan ahead and be prepared where finances are concerned. That’s why we put together a few little-known facts that could benefit you when it’s time to file 2018 taxes. The taxable income brackets and long-term capital gains income levels…
Let’s have a little fun – can the winner of the Super Bowl game predict the stock market’s next move? Well, the “Super Bowl Indicator” is a superstition that says that the stock market’s performance in a given year can be predicted based on the outcome of the Super Bowl of that year. WHAT…
The bad guys are always trying to take your hard-earned dollars. “Neighbor spoofing” is one of the latest strategies used by scammers. Forewarned is forearmed! HOW DOES “NEIGHBOR SPOOFING” WORK? Neighbor spoofing is designed to trick you into answering the phone. It is a form of caller ID spoofing used by scammers, telemarketers, and…
Let’s forget the stock market for a moment. The events of our daily lives, not Wall Street, may determine our financial security or ruin. Let’s just suppose, your teenage student has a grudge against a high school teacher and begins a smear campaign on social media. Due to the false statements and following public humiliation and…
Iiiiittt’ssss baaack. We are talking inflation today on Sunday Money– U.S. consumer prices recorded their largest increase in 11 months in December 2017 bolstering expectations that inflation will accelerate this year. WHAT IS BEHIND THE RECENT UPTICK IN INFLATION DATA? Increases in demand and sales typically leads to rising prices: Housing rents. Car sales.…
It’s a new year and a great time to review and update your spending plan, or start one with a fresh mind-set if this is something you’ve been putting off forever. Budgeting doesn’t need to be complicated – it really just depends on how much detail YOU want to track. Technology has made a lot…
The start of a New Year is a great opportunity to do some financial housekeeping! Which documents and records should you keep and which ones can you throw away? WHAT IS THE STARTING POINT FOR KEEPING GOOD FINANCIAL RECORDS? Develop a filing system. Set up a file for: Bills Due: Immediately after opening mail,…