Strong Markets for the Holidays As the holiday season progresses, the markets continue to impress. Last week, many energy, financial, and industrial sector stocks helped drive performance.[i] Hitting record highs yet again, the S&P gained 0.35%, and the Dow jumped 0.40% for the week.[ii] Meanwhile, the NASDAQ fell slightly by 0.11%, and the MSCI EAFE […]

Save More Money With These Tips No matter your stage in life, saving money is essential to ensure you can afford your lifestyle. Yet, Americans have a money-savings problem: 69% of people do not have $1,000 in savings.[i] Without this financial buffer, we end up with little wiggle room to protect our financial standing should […]

Looking Beyond Politics Markets went for a wild ride last week—especially on Friday. In fact, on December 1, the S&P 500 had its largest fluctuations since the day after the 2016 presidential election.[i] Nonetheless, two of the major domestic markets hit new record highs on Thursday and ended the week with sizable gains. The S&P […]

Financial Checklist for Newly Widowed Spouses Losing a loved one and life partner is a devastating experience that no one can fully predict. Despite the emotional heaviness one must navigate, another pressing topic requires attention: finances. Knowing how to move forward in your financial life after such loss can feel overwhelming and confusing. In fact, […]

End the Year on a Financial High Note The holiday season is around the corner, and with the busy days ahead, 2018 will be here before you know it. Amidst all the action, we understand how easy it is to wait until the New Year to consider financial changes. But taking a few steps now […]

Weekly Market Insight: Black Friday Brings Gains Last week was a relatively quiet time in the domestic markets. We did not receive a tremendous amount of economic data, and trading halted Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday. Nonetheless, all 3 of the major domestic indexes experienced sizable gains in only 4 trading days.[i] By Friday, the […]

Money Tips For Your Children and Grandchildren Financial literacy in America is staggeringly low. The U.S. ranks 14th on a global scale of financial literacy, and 1 in 5 teenagers do not have basic financial skills.[i] Helping our younger loved ones to understand the responsibilities and skills behind their money has grown increasingly important. If […]

Weekly Market Insight – Stocks Mixed. Data Up. Domestic stock performance varied last week, with the S&P 500 and Dow losing ground for the 2nd straight week, while the NASDAQ posted gains.1 By Friday, the S&P 500 had dropped 0.13%, the Dow gave back 0.27%, and the NASDAQ gained 0.47%. 2 International stocks in the […]

Today’s Costs of Long Term Care Saving enough money to last through retirement is an ongoing responsibility and one that Americans should take seriously. And the money you may need could be is more than simply replacing the income you had during your career. You also should address potential long-term-care expenses. In 2017, the cost […]

  Stocks Slide As Uncertainty Rises After posting gains every week since September, U.S. stocks declined by market’s close on Friday. The S&P 500 and Dow ended their longest stretch of weekly increases since 2013, and the NASDAQ ended its own 6-week streak.[i] By November 10, the S&P 500 declined 0.21%, the Dow was down […]