The American Retirement Association (ARA) recently identified what it calls a “significant technical error” in the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 regarding catch-up contributions.
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Blog
Major SECURE Act 2.0 Error Puts Catch-Ups in Jeopardy: ARA's Graff
January 25, 2023Regulators: Crypto, Fake IRAs Increasingly Used to Scam Older Investors
November 9, 2022Representatives from NASAA, the SEC, and FINRA spoke about the need for financial advisers and firms to be trained to notice more intelligent, and increasingly bold scams from fraudsters.
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Fed Notes
November 3, 2022The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee raised the fed funds rate today.
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IRS Waives 50% RMD Penalty for Missed 2021 and 2022 RMDs Within The 10-Year Rule
October 18, 2022The IRS waived the 50% penalty on missed 2021 and 2022 inherited retirement account required minimum distributions (RMDs) within the 10-year payout rule.
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New IRS SECURE Act Regulations Bring Big Surprises
October 18, 2022The IRS released a 275-page document which included regulations on required minimum distributions (RMDs) from IRAs and workplace retirement plans.
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2023 Social Security COLA Increases Announced
October 14, 2022See report for more details.
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The Bottom Line: Relevant Insights for the Savvy Investor
July 19, 2022Reports of the death of the US Economy have been greatly exaggerated.
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Weekly Economic Update - November 8, 2021
November 8, 2021Stocks power higher.
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Weekly Economic Update - November 1, 2021
November 4, 2021Earnings drive market.
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Weekly Economic Update - October 25, 2021
October 27, 2021Earnings ignite rally.
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Weekly Economic Update - October 18, 2021
October 27, 2021Investor optimism returns.
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Weekly Economic Update - October 11, 2021
October 11, 2021Debt ceiling concerns evaporate, for now.
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Social Security's Uncertain Future: What You Should Know
October 8, 2021Even if you won't depend on Social Security to survive, the benefits could amount to a meaningful portion of your retirement income.
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Weekly Economic Update - October 4, 2021
October 4, 2021An ugly week.
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Congress Looks to Eliminate Back-Door Roth Strategies
October 4, 2021The House Ways and Means Committee has released a draft of proposed changes to retirement accounts.
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Mixed Signals on Inflation
October 4, 2021Are you having a tough time keeping track of inflation's mixed signals?
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The Budget and the Debt Ceiling: Federal Spending in the Crosshairs
October 4, 2021On September 28, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen informed Congress that the government will be unable to pay all of its bills if Congress does not raise the debt ceiling by October 18.
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A Wall of Worry
October 1, 2021Financial markets on edge.
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Advancing Tax Proposals Put Corporations & High-Income Individuals in Spotlight
October 1, 2021A number of advancing tax proposals have put corporations and high-income individuals in the spotlight.
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Weekly Economic Update - September 27, 2021
September 28, 2021A wild week.
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Weekly Economic Update - September 20, 2021
September 22, 2021Stocks struggle.
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Weekly Economic Update - September 13, 2021
September 14, 2021Stocks weaken.
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Tax Changes Worry Investors
September 9, 2021Advisors adept in tax mitigation key.
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Weekly Economic Update - September 7, 2021
September 9, 2021Mixed market.
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Weekly Economic Update - August 30, 2021
September 9, 2021Pushing higher.
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Weekly Economic Update - August 23, 2021
September 9, 2021Unsettling news.
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Weekly Economic Update - August 16, 2021
August 18, 2021Quietly climbing.
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Weekly Economic Update - August 9, 2021
August 12, 2021Push and pull.
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Weekly Economic Update - August 2, 2021
August 5, 2021Stocks take a breather.
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Weekly Economic Update - July 26, 2021
July 27, 2021Delta variant head fake.
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Weekly Economic Update - July 19, 2021
July 20, 2021Stocks retreat.
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Weekly Economic Update - July 12, 2021
July 20, 2021A choppy week.
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Weekly Economic Update - July 6, 2021
July 8, 2021Stocks rally.
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Weekly Economic Update - June 28, 2021
June 29, 2021Stocks climb.
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Weekly Economic Update - June 21, 2021
June 25, 2021Unsettled markets.
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Weekly Economic Update - June 14, 2021
June 25, 2021Another quiet week.
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Weekly Economic Update - June 7, 2021
June 9, 2021Rotation continues.
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Weekly Economic Update - June 1, 2021
June 2, 2021Solid gains.
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Weekly Economic Update - May 24, 2021
May 25, 2021Lots of motion, little movement.
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Weekly Economic Update - May 17, 2021
May 19, 2021Inflation concerns.
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Weekly Economic Update - May 10, 2021
May 17, 2021Mixed market.
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Weekly Economic Update - May 3, 2021
May 4, 2021Seeking direction.
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Weekly Economic Update - April 26, 2021
April 28, 2021A directionless week.
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Weekly Economic Update - April 19, 2021
April 20, 2021Earnings, economic data.
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Weekly Economic Update - April 12, 2021
April 20, 2021Technology leads.
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Weekly Economic Update - April 5, 2021
April 7, 2021S&P 500 Hits 4,000.
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Weekly Economic Update - March 29, 2021
March 30, 2021Stocks churn.
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American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
March 24, 2021A brief summary of key provisions included in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
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Weekly Economic Update - March 22, 2021
March 24, 2021Rising yields.
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Weekly Economic Update - March 15, 2021
March 22, 2021Dow 32,000
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Weekly Economic Update - March 8, 2021
March 9, 2021Rising yields whipsaw stocks.
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Weekly Economic Update - March 1, 2021
March 9, 2021Rising rates derail stocks.
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Weekly Economic Update - February 22, 2021
February 24, 2021Mixed signals.
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Weekly Economic Update - February 8, 2021
February 8, 2021Bull story remains intact.
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Weekly Economic Update - February 1, 2021
February 1, 2021Bull market takes a breather.
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Weekly Economic Update - January 25, 2021
January 27, 2021Stocks scale new heights.
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Weekly Economic Update - January 18, 2021
January 27, 2021Stocks drift lower.
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Weekly Economic Update - January 11, 2021
January 27, 2021Markets start 2021 on a high.
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Weekly Economic Update - January 4, 2021
January 27, 2021The year in review.
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Weekly Economic Update - December 21, 2020
January 27, 2021Vaccine rollout spurs markets.
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Weekly Economic Update - December 14, 2020
January 27, 2021Cases rise, stocks retreat.
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Weekly Economic Update - December 7, 2020
January 25, 2021Is stimulus near?
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Weekly Economic Update - November 30, 2020
January 22, 2021Dow hits 30,000.
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Weekly Economic Update - November 23, 2020
January 22, 2021New infections increase anxiety.
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Weekly Economic Update - November 16, 2020
January 22, 2021Vaccine triggers rally.
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Weekly Economic Update - November 9, 2020
January 22, 2021Markets react to election.
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Weekly Economic Update - November 2, 2020
January 22, 2021No stimulus, stocks lag.
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Weekly Economic Update - October 26, 2020
January 22, 2021No stimulus, stocks lower.
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Weekly Economic Update - October 19, 2020
January 21, 2021A difficult week for stocks.
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Weekly Economic Update - October 12, 2020
January 20, 2021Stocks rise, stimulus uncertain.
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Weekly Economic Update - October 5, 2020
January 20, 2021Special Update: Quarterly Report.
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Weekly Economic Update - September 28, 2020
January 20, 2021Stocks mixed amid uncertainty.
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Weekly Economic Update - September 14, 2020
September 14, 2020On a holiday-shortened week, economic data included a tick upward in producer and consumer inflation, although levels remain tempered. Employment data remained mixed.
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Weekly Economic Update - September 8, 2020
September 8, 2020Economic data last week included mixed but generally pointed to expansion for manufacturing and services releases, as well as a better-than-expected employment situation report for August.
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The Bull Is Back... Will It Keep Charging?
September 3, 2020These are extraordinary times, and traditional expectations and measures of value may not tell the whole story.
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Weekly Economic Update - August 31, 2020
August 31, 2020Economic data for the week included higher than expected durable goods orders, continued strength in house prices and new home sales, and largely stable elevated levels of jobless claims.
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Weekly Economic Update - August 24, 2020
August 24, 2020Economic data for the week included strength in a variety of housing metrics, continued improvement in a broad index of leading economic indicators, but a pullback in several regional manufacturing indexes.
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Weekly Economic Update - August 17, 2020
August 17, 2020Economic data for the week included further gains in retail sales, and industrial production, among other measures.
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Weekly Economic Update - August 10, 2020
August 10, 2020Economic data for the week included strength in ISM manufacturing and non-manufacturing surveys, a better-than-expected employment situation report for July, and a slight improvement in jobless claims.
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Trends in Charitable Giving
August 7, 2020The savviest donors maximize the tax advantages in charitable giving and plan their contributions accordingly.
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Weekly Economic Update - August 3, 2020
August 5, 2020Economic data for the week included the Federal Reserve keeping monetary policy unchanged and accommodative, GDP for the 2nd quarter came in showing historical weakness as expected, jobless claims remained elevated, while housing data showed signs of life with building activity picking up and prices steady due to tight market inventory.
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Federal Reserve Update - July 29, 2020
July 30, 2020The Federal Reserve made no key policy changes in their July meeting, as expected, keeping the fed funds rate at the lower bound of 0.00-0.25%. Earlier this week, the pandemic-based emergency liquidity/lending programs were extended until at least the end of 2020, and dollar swap lines for longer.
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IRS Clarifies COVID-19 Relief Measures for Retirement Savers
July 29, 2020Retirees who took RMDs in 2020 have until August 31, 2020, to roll the money back into a qualified account. This rollover will not affect the one-rollover-per-year rule.
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Weekly Economic Update - July 27, 2020
July 27, 2020Economic data for the week included stronger results for housing prices and sales activity, some of which was due to continued tight inventories.
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Form CRS
July 23, 2020Understand the Customer Relationship Summary, including background on the document's origin and details about the summary's various sections.
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The Shape of Economic Recovery
July 22, 2020Most economists believe that GDP will turn upward in the third quarter, but it will take sustained growth to return the economy to its pre-recession level.
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How the SECURE Act Has Modified Legacy Planning
July 21, 2020What changed as of the SECURE Act?
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Weekly Economic Update - July 20, 2020
July 20, 2020Economic data last week included rebounds in retail sales, industrial production, and housing. Inflation metrics also showed a small creep up on prices for certain goods. Manufacturing data was mixed, while consumer sentiment weakened slightly.
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Weekly Economic Update - July 13, 2020
July 15, 2020A light calendar of economic data for the week included a record increase in non-manufacturing, lower producer prices, and stronger job openings.
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Weekly Economic Update - July 6, 2020
July 7, 2020On a shortened holiday week, economic data included sharp improvement in manufacturing, as well as in the June employment situation report.
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Weekly Economic Update - June 29, 2020
June 29, 2020Economic data last week included higher than expected durable goods orders, along with mixed housing and jobless claims data. Inflation results remain tempered, as expected from low consumer demand.
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IRS Announces Blanket Relief for Unwanted 2020 RMDs!
June 24, 2020The IRS has just released IRS Notice 2020-51 which extended the deadline to August 31, 2020 to return any unwanted 2020 RMDs.
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Weekly Economic Update - June 22, 2020
June 23, 2020Economic data continued to rebound last week from the troughs of commercial activity during lockdowns. Strength was pronounced in retail sales and industrial production, as well as carryover into the index of leading economic indicators.
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Mid-Year Is a Good Time to Fine-Tune Your Finances
June 18, 2020Taking a close look at your finances may give you the foundation you need to begin moving forward.
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Weekly Economic Update - June 15, 2020
June 15, 2020Economic data for the week included the conclusion of the FOMC, where no monetary policy action was taken but the overall tone remained somber.
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Federal Reserve Update - June 10, 2020
June 10, 2020Fed Note: Again, as expected, the FOMC kept the fed funds interest rate steady at a lower-band target of 0.00-0.25%. Without dipping into the unchartered and controversial waters of negative rates, this is as far as they can go.
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Weekly Economic Update - June 8, 2020
June 8, 2020Economic data released last week continued to show broad shutdown-based weakness over the past several months, in manufacturing, services, construction, and employment.
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Weekly Economic Update - June 1, 2020
June 1, 2020On a shortened holiday week, economic data continued its lackluster trend, now reporting the well-known weakness of April and May in many industries.
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2019 IRA Contribution Deadline Has Been Extended
May 27, 2020Making a last-minute contribution to an IRA may help you reduce your 2019 tax bill.
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Weekly Economic Update - May 26, 2020
May 26, 2020Economic news remained dreary, with expected poor results for home sales, leading economic indicators, and manufacturing—although there appear to see some signs of marginal improvement in sentiment for the latter.
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Celebrating Memorial Day
May 22, 2020Every Memorial Day, we as a nation stop to think about the courage and sacrifice shown by the men and women who have served our country.
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Weekly Economic Update - May 18, 2020
May 18, 2020Economic data continued to reflect the negative reality of Covid closures, with retail sales and jobless claims continuing to show extreme weakness, as well as a deceleration in inflation.
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Too Much Oil with Nowhere to Go
May 13, 2020There is too much oil, and the industry is running out of places to put it.
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Be Sure to Use Appropriate Benchmarks
May 13, 2020It's important to understand how market swings relate to your own savings and investments.
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Weekly Economic Update - May 11, 2020
May 11, 2020Economic data for the week remained poor from Covid effects, as expected, as ISM non-manufacturing and employment plummeted to lows not seen in years.
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Weekly Economic Update - May 4, 2020
May 4, 2020Data for the week included lackluster results for Q1 economic growth, personal income and spending, manufacturing, and jobless claims. These were all as expected due to the rapid business shutdowns since March.
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7 FAQs About the 2020 Stimulus Checks
May 1, 2020Here are some of the frequently asked questions (FAQ) people are asking about the 2020 Economic Impact Payment program.
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Relief Programs for Small Businesses During COVID-19
April 30, 2020Business owners should familiarize themselves with all available aid to help ensure they are taking maximum advantage of the new laws, as well as other potential resources.
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Federal Reserve Update - April 30, 2020
April 30, 2020The Federal Open Market Committee had no further policy moves to announce after their meetings this week. This follows lowering rates dramatically in March, to a minimum level of 0.00-0.25%, to counteract anticipated economic effects of the coronavirus.
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Weekly Economic Update - April 27, 2020
April 28, 2020Economic data for the week continues to reflect the current extreme slowdown, increasingly, as the March and April numbers are calculated and released.
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Be Willing to Take Advantage of Market Downturns
April 28, 2020Smart investors are prepared to weather the inevitable rough patches.
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Making Sense of the 2020 Oil Crash
April 27, 2020Why are oil prices crashing? How can they be less than $0? What does that mean for the stock market? And what does that mean for us at the pump?
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Weekly Economic Update - April 20, 2020
April 21, 2020Economic news, per the new norm, reflected a slowing economy from Covid-related shutdowns.
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Cash Can Help Manage Your Mindset
April 21, 2020Consider how a cash position could enhance your ability to make thoughtful investment decisions.
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CARES Act: Retirement Plan Relief Provisions
April 16, 2020For those seeking access to their retirement funds, there are special provisions for coronavirus-related distributions and loans. For those seeking to preserve their retirement funds, certain required minimum distributions from retirement funds have been suspended.
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Could This Be a Chance to Rebalance at a Discount?
April 15, 2020Have you considered rebalancing your portfolio to help deal with a volatile market?
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Weekly Economic Update - April 13, 2020
April 14, 2020Economic data included tempered produce and consumer inflation figures, and sharply negative results, as expected, for jobless claims, job openings, and consumer sentiment. Impact from coronavirus-related economic shutdowns have begun to filter into official economic data, which is likely to continue in coming months.
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Government Acts to Blunt Financial Impact of Global Pandemic
April 9, 2020The Federal Reserve moved swiftly in recent weeks to support the U.S. economy and help alleviate stress in the financial markets.
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Continuing to Invest May Help You Stay on Course
April 9, 2020Try not to let short-term anxiety make you forget your long-term plan.
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Don't Panic
April 6, 2020Despite the current market volatility, the best advice may be the simplest: step back, look at the big picture, and avoid any hasty decisions. The initial reaction to market spikes and sharp drops might be to make a quick exit, but that can be the wrong move. However, we understand that it’s natural to question your investment strategy when the market gets rocky. Here are some insights from the perspective of a financial professional; these steps might help you stay calm and focused.
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Weekly Economic Update - April 6, 2020
April 6, 2020Economic data continued to reflect a slowdown in activity as the result of the coronavirus, although last month’s releases were mixed to some degree, based on when the results were measured.
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Breaking Down the CARES Act
April 1, 2020As you know, the coronavirus pandemic has created both a health crisis and an economic crisis. As of this writing, there are over 160,000 known cases.[1] By the time you read this, there will certainly be more - and that number does not reflect those who have been infected but not tested. The economic cost, meanwhile, has resulted in millions of Americans losing their jobs. Some economists at the Federal Reserve estimate the unemployment rate could rise as high as 32%![2]
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What Are the Details of Last Week's Congressional Actions?
March 31, 2020The long-awaited Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed, totaling $2.2 trillion in its final form.
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What Do the Recent Federal Reserve Actions and Backstop Mean?
March 31, 2020By buying large amounts of some debt (treasuries and agency mortgages, primarily, but also targeted purchases in other segments), the Fed has agreed to become a natural source of promised or actual demand where there otherwise might not be any.
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Weekly Economic Update - March 30, 2020
March 30, 2020Economic news for the week was largely focused on dramatic actions from Congress and the Federal Reserve, intended to stem damage from the coronavirus-related shutdowns that have just begun. Other released data from months prior to the virus outbreak is now largely considered ‘stale’, but included mixed results for new home sales and durable goods orders.
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Keeping Cool: Investment Strategy vs Reaction
March 30, 2020After losing ground in 2018, U.S. stocks had a banner year in 2019, with the S&P 500 gaining almost 29% — the highest annual increase since 2013.[1] It's too early to know how 2020 will turn out, but it's been rocky so far, and you can count on market swings to challenge your patience as an investor.
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CARES Act to be Signed into Law
March 26, 2020RMDs waived for 2020; 10% Early Distribution Penalty waived up to certain amounts; Plan Loan Rules relaxed
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Weekly Economic Update - March 23, 2020
March 25, 2020Economic news last week was largely dwarfed by the dramatic efforts in progress by Congress and the Federal Reserve to stem the tide of economic and financial market damage from coronavirus-related shutdowns. Other released data included weaker retail sales and manufacturing indexes, while housing data exceeded expectations.
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Federal Student Loan Borrowers Get Some Relief Due to COVID-19
March 24, 2020On March 20, 2020, the Department of Education announced terms for student loan relief for tens of millions of borrowers in response to COVID-19. Here are answers to some questions about the new rules.
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Thought of the Week
March 24, 2020These are difficult times, not only from an economic and investment standpoint, but a community one as well. This societal strains and uncertainty over depth and time-frame of the current pandemic add to the volatility in financial assets. Keep in mind, though, as we’ve mentioned in prior notes, that these periodic shocks are far from abnormal. In fact, they’re healthy checks on risk-taking, and allow a reset of expectations and re-pricing of risk.
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COVID-19 Update
March 23, 2020As is the case in every bear market, it’s the elusive question that everyone is seeking a precise answer to. Sharp market declines and volatility are built around uncertainty, whether it be in the financial system (e.g. 2008), terrorist events (2001), commodity price shocks (1970s), wars, or other surprises.
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