Disability and Your Finances The Social Security Disability Insurance program paid out $140.1 billion in benefits in 2013. And with a rush of new applicants lining up each year, the system is expected to exhaust its reserves some time in 2016 if changes aren’t made.1 Rather than depending on a government program to protect their […]

The Value of a Dollar At the beginning of March, the S&P 500 hit another all-time high, but it promptly retreated from that high. Despite another upswing later in the month, it finished the month with a small loss. With the beginning of foreign stimulus programs, rumors of interest rate changes, and lukewarm economic news, […]

The Investment Risk Most People Have Never Heard Of Knowledgeable investors are aware that investing in the capital markets presents any number of risks—interest-rate risk, company risk, and market risk. Risk is an inseparable companion to the potential for long-term growth. Some of the investment risks we face can be mitigated through diversification.¹ As an […]

Market Review – February 2015 Rumors of Deflation February saw a shift in investors’ thinking. With bond yields at record lows in Europe and with the US Federal Reserve considering a rate increase, bonds started to look less attractive. It is unclear how long this perspective will last, but there was a significant movement from […]

Social Security: Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits Most understand that waiting to claim Social Security benefits can result in higher monthly payments. However, many don’t understand that there are other ways to maximize their benefits, some of which depend on their marital status. Understanding the strategies for maximizing your Social Security retirement income benefits should […]