Blog
4 Financial Lessons from America’s Founding Fathers
America’s Founding Fathers created the foundation of a nation like no other. Each had goals and dreams, many with high expectations of what the United States of America could become. For today’s citizens, it may be possible...
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Securing Your Future with Life Cycle Planning
The need for regular saving and investing spans many life stages. Through the years, your goals will change and your strategies will shift, but don’t be alarmed. You’re just progressing through the normal stages of life,...
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A Survival Guide for a Bear Market
8 Tips for Surviving a Bear MarketA bear market is a prolonged period of price declines in securities, an index such as the S&P 500, or the overall stock market of usually 20% or more from a recent high. Bear markets can also signal...
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Relief at the Pump and for Portfolios?
2022 has been rough all-around for the American consumer. Not only are we battling decades-high inflation, but investors’ portfolios are off to one of the worst starts to a year in history as we near the halfway point. Our...
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8 Tips for Surviving a Bear Market
A bear market is a prolonged period of price declines in securities, an index such as the S&P 500, or the overall stock market of usually 20% or more from a recent high. Bear markets can also signal economic downturns such as a...
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Bear Market Q and A
The bear market that started on June 13 has left the S&P 500 Index 23.5% below its January 3 high. After the initial positive reaction to the Federal Reserve’s first 0.75% rate hike since 1994 and tough talk on inflation,...
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Is the 60/40 Portfolio Dead?
This year has been tough for investors, not just because stocks have fallen but also because bonds have not helped mitigate those losses as they have historically done. Below we discuss the outlook for diversified portfolios of stocks...
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Investor Summer School: 3 Investing Moves to Make Before Summer is Over
Many investors still adhere to the old adage—"sell in May and go away"—while others remain fully invested even as the summer heat waves begin. What goes unsaid is that if your asset allocation accurately reflects your risk...
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Top-Notch Summer Entertaining Tips
Summer can be a hectic time, with kids home from school, camps, vacations, and more littering the itinerary. So hosting a summertime soiree can be challenging—but it doesn’t have to be. Just plan ahead a little, and use the...
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The Economy Is Slowing But Not Shrinking
Many pundits are issuing recession warnings and saying the economy is heading for a hard landing. Amid the cacophony of voices, we think the economy is slowing just like central bankers want but not shrinking. Further, we argue that a...
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Broadening Your Annuity Horizons with Details
Five key questions to ask yourself about fixed and variable annuities While fixed annuities are generally considered to be conservative instruments, variable annuities are investments with the growth potential necessary to outpace...
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Looking through the Clouds
At the risk of sounding cliché, making the case for stocks to stage a second half rally back to the prior highs requires investors to see through some heavy cloud cover. If you prefer another market cliché, it’s times...
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Financing Options for Homebuyers and Homeowners
For first-time homebuyers and homeowners who are considering refinancing their current mortgages, trying to decide between a fixed or an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) can be a bit puzzling. The future is relatively unpredictable, and...
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Investor Summer School: 3 Investing Moves to Make Before Summer is Over
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The Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise: How Exercising During Retirement Can Pay Off
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The Home Stretch: A Helpful Guide to the Homeownership Process
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This December, What Should You Know About Qualified Charity Distributions?
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A Season of Giving: 5 Different Ways To Give During the Holidays
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Thanks and Giving: How You Make a Difference on Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday is a day to extend the goodwill that the holiday season may bring to help others. With so many in need, the holiday season is a reminder to help those less fortunate. Whether you want to donate your time or contribute...
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5 Tips for Shopping on Small Business Saturday
There’s no question that November and December are the biggest times of year for shopping. But this year, it’s more important than ever to shop small and benefit your community. Supporting local businesses means...
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The Lowdown On Health Savings Accounts
It’s more likely today that you’ll live longer than your grandparents did. The flip side is that you may spend far more on doctors’ bills and treatment for chronic illnesses than previous generations. With healthcare...
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Another Perspective of Long Term Care
What do you think of when you hear the words long-term care (LTC)? If you are like most people, the first image that may come to mind is a bedridden, elderly individual who requires constant care, along with various medical treatments...
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Consider This Before Opening a Store Credit Card
There’s a common dilemma amongst shoppers. Should you take the discount and open a store card or potentially save your credit score and pay full price? You’ve likely heard opening too many store credit cards can be bad for...
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Employee Spotlight
This month's employee spotlight is Abby Pannel! Abby has been on our team since 2016! Abby grew up in Waynesboro, Virginia and graduated from Waynesboro High School. She has lived in the area her entire life and got married in April...
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Business Women and Leadership: What Female Bosses May Teach Us
As more and more women assume leadership roles in businesses, it is changing the attitude and sometimes even the future of the workplace. Female bosses may teach business leaders a lot about engaging with employees, promoting their...
Read More3 Financial Planning Steps
Organization, efficiency and discipline can be considered as three primary steps of financial planning. Organization is knowing where your money comes and goes. An efficient portfolio means working towards a better chance of profits,...
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Financial Planning at Every Age
In 2013, a Gallup poll found that only about one in every three U.S. households maintained a budget.1 A 2021 survey of 1,000 Americans found that 80% now say they have a budget.2 Americans are budgeting more due to the pandemic....
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What Are Women's Biggest Financial Regrets?
Merrill Lynch recently released the results of a comprehensive survey on women and financial wellness, with some surprising observations.1 The top financial regret for the women surveyed was that they weren't investing more—and...
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Clearing the Air on 401(K) Hardship Withdrawals
When it comes to 401(k) plans, some people may find themselves a bit confused about the 10% Federal income tax penalty for withdrawals prior to age 59½ and hardship withdrawals from a 401(k) plan. The Internal Revenue Service...
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Labor Day 2021: The Pandemic's Impact
2020 was one of the most disruptive years ever for the U.S. job market, almost as significant as the unemployment during the Great Depression in 1933 and surpassing joblessness during the Great Recession from 2006 to 2008. Many...
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Life Insurance: Protection for All Life’s Stages
As your life changes, your financial needs often change, as well. Regardless of whether you are just starting out in life, are in mid-career, or are at the peak of your earning years, life insurance can help you achieve a variety of...
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Do You Have FOMO When it Comes to Investing?
Fear-of-missing-out is a very real emotion – but it can derail your portfolio Every day we’re bombarded with reports of what’s hot and what’s not – fueling a fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) on some great...
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Four Financial Planning Essentials to Ease Your Retirement Fears
When it comes to planning for retirement, it's easy to get overwhelmed. Putting together a financial strategy can be complicated at any time of life, what with changing regulations, ups and downs in the market, and disagreements...
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Back to School Checklist
It’s so easy to get caught up in the bliss of summer that, before you know it, the new school year is a week away. To avoid being struck with last minute panic, here are a few things to ask yourself before the first day of school...
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Financial Freedom Starts with Financial Literacy
Celebrate Financial Freedom Day in July by understanding what financial literacy is and how to increase the financial literacy of all Americans so they can work towards financial freedom. By definition: “Financial literacy refers...
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Home Improvement Ideas: Backyard Patio
As with your retirement, you need to plan the work and then work the plan Installing a backyard patio is one home improvement project that may be within the capabilities of most homeowners. Although it’s a challenging job that...
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The Different Stages of Financial Freedom
If you're living paycheck-to-paycheck or stuck in a job you don't love just to pay the bills, it can be easy to feel as though you're financially trapped. But financial freedom doesn't need to be elusive—with some focused and...
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The Backdoor Roth IRA in a Nutshell
If you are wondering what in the world a “backdoor Roth IRA” is, you're not alone! In short, if you've been frustrated by the contribution limits associated with Roth IRAs, then read on - this article describes a strategy...
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Dad’s Day Out: Must-Visit Destinations for Father’s Day
When it comes to shopping for Father’s Day, it can be tricky to avoid the old clichés of a new tie or a seventh (unnecessary) screwdriver for his toolbox. Besides, what if your dad isn’t the businessman or handyman...
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4 Hot Weather Safety Tips for Pets
Summertime is great for walking and playing in the sunshine with your pet. Unfortunately, pets have a harder time keeping cool when the temperatures soar. Here are some tips to keep your pet safe, healthy, and happy under the fun sun....
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The Traits of a Good Investor and How Women Can Make the Most of Them
One of the best things you can do for yourself and/or your family is to be prepared to manage your finances responsibly. Even if you see investing as overwhelming or complicated and boring, you need to know the basics behind a...
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Maximize Your Summer Fun With These Ideas
As temperatures start to heat up and the days get longer, summer fun can kick into gear. Looking for things to do this summer? Then, check out this list of fun and relaxing summertime ideas. 1. Be a tourist in your own area You don't...
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The Relationship Between Treasury Yields and Mortgage Rates
Mortgage rates are still around all-time lows but they may be headed higher. The 30-year national average mortgage rate hit an all-time low of 2.82% back in February, but with the U.S. economic recovery in full swing, mortgage rates...
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What Is “Tapering” and Why Is It Important?
After the April consumer price index (CPI) release that surprised to the upside, indicating consumer prices in some areas of the economy are increasing at a faster pace than many expected, the discussion has shifted to the need for the...
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Hot Inflation Data Jolts Investors
For nearly a year, investors have had the late spring/early summer months circled on their calendars for a potential jump in inflation. Base effects from rolling off weak data a year ago held the promise of eye-popping year-over-year...
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Retirement Planning for Teachers and Public School Workers
The ability to enjoy a secure retirement is an objective that many teachers and their colleagues pursue years before they leave their jobs. Many public school workers, in different positions, devote their lives to furthering the...
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10 Tips for Small Business Owners
Small business owners should conduct an annual assessment of their personal finances. Owners of small businesses have much the same concerns as everyone else, except they are personally responsible for the fortunes of their enterprise....
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Earnings Season is Here
Stocks are back at all-time highs while the economy is quickly improving, now comes first-quarter earnings season. This week on the LPL Market Signals podcast, Chief Market Strategist Ryan Detrick and Equity Strategist Jeff Buchbinder...
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A Brief History and How to Look at Social Security
Is it about getting the money back or minimizing the risk of bad outcomes? Although Social Security did not come into existence until 1935, it can trace its roots back to the first national pension program for soldiers that was passed...
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Best Business Conditions of the 21st Century
Wednesday, April 7, 2021 The United States, and the rest of the world, are looking to emerge from the shadow of COVID-19, and business conditions may already have put the pandemic in the rear-view mirror—at least according to the...
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Is High inflation On The Way?
Let’s Talk About Inflation LPL Financial Chief Market Strategist Ryan Detrick and Equity Strategist Jeff Buchbinder examine inflation concerns and explain why they think any increases in inflation will most likely be fleeting in...
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The Big Winner of the Past Year: Commodities
It has been just over a year since the S&P 500 Index bottomed on March 23, 2020, and while global stock markets have provided historic returns since the low, the biggest winners come from a completely different asset class: commodities...
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Saving for College
There's no denying the benefits of a college education: the ability to compete in today's job market, increased earning power, and expanded horizons. But these advantages come at a price. And yet, year after year, thousands of students...
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Now is a Fantastic Time to Review our IPS
An Investment Policy Statement is your guardrail to help keep you on your path When markets near high records, you wonder, “Is this a bubble?” When markets dive, you wonder, “Is this a crash?” Your biggest...
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How to Request a Federal Income Tax Extension
With so many tax provisions tweaked in 2020—from the CARES Act in March to the Consolidated Appropriation Act in December—some taxpayers may find it challenging to get everything together in time to file their taxes by the...
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A Checklist for Your Retirement Planning
Remember, it is never too early to start planning for your future The time to begin planning for your financial future is now. So, when it comes to preparing for retirement, the earlier you start, the better. Here are some steps to...
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Tax Identity Theft Awareness - Protecting Yourself From Tax Identity Theft
Tax identity theft is when someone steals your Social Security Number, files a tax return with your number, and directs a refund to their own bank account. In other cases, this type of identity theft may involve a scam artist calling...
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The New IRS Tax Rates and Deductions for 2021
Although a year away, your 2021 tax planning should have already started Amidst all the pandemic news and 2020 election drama, many might have missed that the IRS also quietly published new 2021 tax rates in late October and a there...
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Women, Wealth, and Legacy Planning
Women play a central role in establishing and preserving family wealth -- whether nurturing the values of children, fulfilling charitable goals, or making investment decisions that affect the financial security of themselves or their...
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What to Know About Investing After Divorce
Divorce can deal both divorcing spouses one of the biggest financial blows of their lifetimes. In fact, experts estimate each spouse will need to increase their individual income by about 30 percent to maintain the same standard of...
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The Super Bowl Indicator
Is Brady or Mahomes better for stocks? Of course, we would not suggest investing based on this game, but with the big game around the corner, let’s talk Super Bowl Indicator. Historically, if a team from the AFC wins the Super...
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Positive Trends Send Strong Signals
This week’s Market Signals podcast discusses why positive COVID-19 news, solid small caps performance, high stock valuations, and more positive data trends are sending strong signals for 2021. Watch Market Signals: Positive...
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Is the Roth 401(k) an Option for You?
Taking a closer look at whether it might be appropriate for your situation Since it first became available in 2006, many employers have added the Roth 401(k) to their benefit packages as a retirement savings option. A Roth option is...
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Key Tax Deadlines for 2021
While the 2020 tax year saw some significant changes to filing deadlines due to the effects of the global pandemic, the 2021 tax season seems to be set to be on track with normal filing deadlines. With the pandemic still in sight, it...
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5 Charts on the Democratic Blue Wave
One of the top questions we’ve received recently has been what a blue wave may mean for investments. After the Democrats won the two Senate runoff elections in Georgia, they will now control the White House and both chambers of...
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Picking Your Financial Advisor in the New Year
Use your best comparison-shopping skills when choosing a financial advisor Many financially successful people are comparison shoppers. If you’re one, you pore over ratings in consumer magazines, read websites for reviews and...
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New Year's Resolutions to Get Your Finances in Order
New Year's is traditionally the time to review your life and make resolutions for change. In addition to thinking about working out, eating healthy, and meeting personal and professional goals, you should also think about your finances...
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2020 in 20 Charts
Well, we can officially say goodbye to 2020. Although there still will be many challenges in 2021, we do see much better times ahead. Just how amazing was it? “2020 will go down in history as the first year to ever be down 30% at...
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COVID-19 Stimulus, Round Two: What Should You Know?
After months of intense debate, the House and Senate voted to pass a second COVID-19 economic stimulus bill and the President has signed it into law.1 At a total cost of $900 billion, this 5,600-page bill[1] contains everything from...
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Tax Benefits of Charitable Planning
When you donate to a charity, you want to know that your donation is going to its highest and best purpose—which means minimizing the tax exposure of the donated assets. One way to accomplish this, whether you're hoping to donate...
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3 Tips to Manage Year-End Tax Liability
With the end of the tax year fast approaching, you may want to find ways to minimize your tax liability. Implementing one or more of the simple strategies discussed below may allow you to hold on to more of your earnings, potentially...
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IRS Makes Annual Inflation Adjustments for 2021
Adjustments for deductions, tax rate schedules and 60 other tax provisions. The Internal Revenue Service announced annual inflation adjustments for the 2021 tax year for more than 60 tax provisions, including standard deductions and...
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Outlook 2021: The Bull Market in Stocks Continues
Tuesday, we released our 2021 market views in Outlook 2021: Powering Forward. We are extremely proud of this report and we can’t wait to hear your feedback! As we explain in Outlook 2021, we anticipate a strong earnings rebound...
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Outlook 2021: Powering Forward
It’s hard to look ahead to the next year, to 2021, without looking back at 2020. A global pandemic, a massive economic collapse, a bear market, a surprisingly sharp reversal, a hotly contested election where passions ran high,...
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Charitable Giving: How it affects you financially as well as personally
The holiday season is just around the corner and many charitable organizations are in desperate need of donations to help provide the vital services needed in the community. You are most often inundated with a number of charitable...
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Smart Shopping During The Holiday
The holiday season is just a short time away, which means the shopping season is about to be in full swing. Shopping for holiday gifts is stressful but also a little fun, especially when you think about the joy you will bring to those...
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The Origins of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in both the U.S. and Canada with the purpose of celebrating the blessings of the past year. It is known as one of the busiest travel holidays of the year and in the U.S is most...
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What Tax Harvesting Is and Why You Should Care About It?
One way to help boost returns without incurring any extra risk is called tax harvesting, which sounds a lot more difficult than it truly is. Simply put, it is the sale of securities at a loss in an effort to offset the capital gains...
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Helpful Tax Tips before Year End
Tax planning can be more advantageous when done during the year and well in advance of year’s end. Opportunities may exist for you to minimize tax liability, which could leave more income for you and/or your family. Generally,...
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Appropriate Checklists for Year-End Tax Planning
What are appropriate checklists for year-end tax planning? Tax planners often develop checklists to guide taxpayers toward year-end strategies that might help reduce taxes. Typically, suggestions are grouped into several different...
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End of Year Planning: Set Goals and Reduce Taxes
By the last third of the calendar year, you're likely to have a pretty good idea of what your annual income will be and whether any major expenses or big life changes await you. This can allow you to engage in more robust tax planning,...
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2 Post-Election Charts You Need to See
The election is over, but the questions are mounting. We don’t know who will be the next president as of Wednesday morning, but we do know that stocks tend to do well the final two months of an election year. “Once the...
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The Best Day Of The Year Is This Week
With the election only 6 days away and earnings season in full swing, stocks have bucked the usual October weakness during election years so far in 2020 (Monday’s losses notwithstanding). The good news is this could continue, as...
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The Market’s Mixed Election Signals
With Election Day just under a month away and voting already taking place in many states, it is still anyone’s guess who will win on November 3. With all of the noise surrounding the election, we prefer to focus on the signals...
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The Makeup of Congress is Very Important
Although all election years feel different, 2020 no doubt may be one of the most unique election years ever. We have a pandemic, a deep recession, extremely heightened partisanship, a mail-in ballot controversy, an unpredictable...
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September Market Insights
Index Performance View expanded table. View expanded table. View expanded table. US and International Equities The S&P 500 Index gave back some gains in September after a strong five-month run, with most sectors finishing in the red....
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Election Charts You Need To See: Part 3
One of the top requests we’ve received the past few weeks is for more charts on the US elections. We shared some of our favorite in Election Charts You Need to See: Part 1 and Part 2, and today’s the third blog in our...
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Three Market Takeaways from the First Presidential Debate
The first presidential debate is now in the books, with two more (maybe) ahead and a vice presidential debate on October 7. The debate was raucus, occasionally uncouth, and more than a little surreal for viewers at home. But did...
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What Should Women Entrepreneurs Do to Thrive in the COVID Era?
With COVID rocking the employment landscape for job-seekers, some women have taken this opportunity to reinvent themselves and take charge of their own financial futures by launching a business. Entrepreneurship is one of the most...
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How to Develop a Money Mindset That Aligns with Your Goals
Financial goals are essential. Setting them will help you to obtain the things you want out of life as well as live the lifestyle you desire, both during your working years and in your retirement. But obtaining these goals isn't always...
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5 Lessons Learned About Rising Rates
While the direction of the 10-year Treasury yield over the last cycle was decidedly lower, as shown in LPL’s Chart of the Day, there were still six extended periods where it rose at least 0.75%, and in two of those it rose almost...
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Back to School in a New Way
Back to school this year will be different. On the one hand, like other years, it marks the end of summer, the arrival of cooler weather, kids hitting the books again, and Labor Day gatherings. But unlike other years, going back to...
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3 Charts To Watch If You Are Bullish
The S&P 500 Index just closed the door on its best August since 1986, making new all-time highs along the way, while also closing up five months in a row. First things first, make no mistake about it; this is a new bull market. That of...
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Five Money Rules to Live By
It’s not simply a matter of working harder; it’s much more about using your non-financial skills and talents in new ways to bring you prosperity and a greater sense of personal satisfaction. Here are five tips to follow...
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Critical Business Strategies for Entrepreneurs Preparing for Retirement
When you work for an employer, saving for retirement can be as simple as signing up for a 401(k) plan and making regular contributions, but when you own your own business, preparing for retirement can be more challenging. While pouring...
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Low Treasury Yields Present a Challenge as Inflation Expectations Rise
As the COVID-19-related economic weakness that characterized the first half of the year subsides, growth has begun to return as trillions in fiscal stimulus have helped to stabilize consumer spending. Against a backdrop of improving...
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Bond Returns & Congress
As election season heats up, we are often presented with questions regarding market returns based on the political party composition of the White House and Congress. In our Election Preview Weekly Market Commentary, we took a closer...
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Planning Your Distributions After Retirement
Assigning Your Money to "Buckets" Many investors who are getting closer to retirement may worry about the impact of a sudden stock market drop. But while it's important to protect some funds from major market moves once you've left...
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Positive Territory
The battle versus COVID-19 continues. The spread in some of the recent hotspots like California and Florida is slowing, while states in the Northeast and Midwest are now experiencing increases in cases. According to the World Health...
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Are Recessions Good for Stock?
This isn’t like any recession we’ve ever seen, as it was sparked by a horrible pandemic and happened because people were told to stay inside. The impact was the worst contraction in gross domestic product (GDP) last quarter...
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The Sandwich Generation: Juggling Family Responsibilities
At a time when your career is reaching a peak and you are looking ahead to your own retirement, you may find yourself in the position of having to help your children with college expenses while at the same time looking after the needs...
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All That Is Glitters Is Gold
“An object in motion tends to remain in motion along a straight line unless acted upon by an outside force.” Sir Isaac Newton Last September, we noted that gold had many structural reasons to soar. Well, soar it has,...
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Ten Things You Must Know About Medicare
Heading into your retirement years brings a slew of new topics to grapple with, and one of the most maddening may be Medicare. Figuring out when to enroll, what to enroll in and what coverage will be best for you can be daunting. To...
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Outlook 2020: The Trail to Recovery
AT THE MIDPOINT of 2020, we’re mindful that it’s been an extremely challenging year so far in the United States and around the globe. We’re in the midst of a pandemic that continues to impact all of us, our...
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Taking Stock at the Halfway Mark
It’s certainly been a wild ride for stocks in 2020. Barely past the halfway point, the year has already brought the worst pandemic to hit the US in over 100 years, an unprecedented government-induced recession as much of the...
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A Letter to Clients: July 2020
The July Fourth holiday will be very different this year. Although it’s a time to enjoy family and friends, and maybe even watch some fireworks, social distancing and a new wave of COVID-19 cases also may take a seat at the...
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The Best Quarter Since 1998
What a quarter the second quarter was, with the S&P 500 Index adding 20.0%, for the best quarter since 1998 and the best second quarter since 1938. Of course, stocks fell 20% in the first quarter, so what we really have is a bad case...
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Moving to the Next Phase on the Road to Recovery
Market Blog The US economy has made impressive progress in recent weeks. As the economy re-opens, the way we assess the recovery has changed. In March and April, we were looking for evidence that growth in COVID-19 cases was...
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Staying on Track with Your Retirement Investments
Investing for your retirement isn't about getting rich quick. More often, it's about having a game plan that you can live with over a long time. You wouldn't expect to be able to play the piano without learning the basics and...
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Keeping Summer Safe: Pool & Spa Safety Tips
The backyard pool can be great summer fun, but it can also be a source of danger for children. Every year hundreds of children fatally drown. In fact, drowning is the leading cause of preventable death among children ages 1-4.¹,...
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Dreaming of Owning a Second Home?
The start of summer brings aspirations of owning that special spot. Summer is here and with it are fanciful dreams of owning a second, seasonal home. Maybe it’s a beachside bungalow or a mountain cabin or a lakefront cottage...
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Congratulations, Graduates! What are your next steps, financially?
What recent graduates (and their parents) need to think about Spring is here, summer weather has begun (in many places), and graduation time has arrived. Across the country, students are finishing their high school, college, and even...
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Looking Forward | June Client Letter
As we look ahead to the summer months, we can’t help but think what a challenging year it’s been so far. At the same time, we’re encouraged by the resiliency and accelerated innovation among US businesses and the...
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2020 In Charts
2020 is only five months old, but in many ways it is one of the most historic years we’ve ever seen. “2020 went from moving along nicely, to seeing the worst recession in a generation and the fastest bear market ever...
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The Coronavirus and Dollar-Cost Averaging
Smart investors don’t try to time the market to pursue long-term success Investors have been whipsawed during late February and early March. Consider the performance of the Dow Jones Industrial Average from February 27th through...
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The Coronavirus and Dollar-Cost Averaging
Smart investors don’t try to time the market to pursue long-term success Investors have been whipsawed during late February and early March. Consider the performance of the Dow Jones Industrial Average from February 27th through...
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How a Financial Professional Can Guide You Through Choppy Seas
In these trying times, even those with veins of steel can find themselves nervous about the market's direction and what it could mean for one's financial future. And the unprecedented nature of the novel coronavirus—and its...
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What Happens When The Bear Ends?
The incredible rally off the March 23 lows continues for equities, with the S&P 500 Index now up more than 32% in 40 trading days. As impressive as the rally has been, we do have some near-term concerns, as we discussed in Downside...
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The Coronavirus Bear and Its Place in History
Helping investors better understand bear markets, corrections and crashes The pace with which the Coronavirus bear toppled the longest-running bull market in history was startling. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DIJA) officially...
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Could these Market Pullbacks be Opportunities?
Heeding the words from a legend: “Buy when there is blood in the streets” How this late-winter, coronavirus-induced market turbulence affects you depends upon how old you are. For people in or near retirement, it is scary...
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Market Update: Remembering the Flash Cash
One of the most historic market crashes ever took place 10 years ago today, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index plunging more than 1,000 points, or 9%, within minutes, only to regain most of the losses by the end of the day....
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Coronavirus Recipes
We are currently living in a confusing time where most of us cannot leave our homes. At first, this sounds great, but then you are hit with reality. You, and probably your spouse are working from home, and your kids’ school has...
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What to Do with Your Retirement Plan During Lay-Offs or Furloughs
In an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the government has shut down numerous businesses throughout the country, and others have drastically cut hours. As a result, over 10 million workers filed for unemployment in March...
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Gaining Confidence in a COVID-19 Peak
We continue to follow our Road to Recovery Playbook for help determining where the market is in its bottoming process. Today we are making two changes. The first is to Signal #1, which we upgraded from “monitoring daily” to...
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Retirement Assistance Within the CARES Act
In late March 2020, as the number of novel coronavirus cases in the U.S. surged past 100,000, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed into law.1 The CARES Act provides around $2.2 trillion in aid to...
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How to stop touching your face to minimize spread of coronavirus and other germs
Public health officials consistently promote hand-washing as a way for people to protect themselves from the COVID-19 coronavirus. However, this virus can live on metal and plastic for days, so simply adjusting your eyeglasses with...
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A Unique Economic Situation
These are challenging times, and this week may be the toughest as we wait for COVID-19 to reach its peak in the United States. As the war against COVID-19 wages on, we continue to be inspired by the tremendous bravery shown by...
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2020 CARES Act Small Business Employer FAQ - Key Provisions
During this stressful and uncertain time, LPL Financial is here to help you with understanding all the new resources and financial assistance available for small businesses, as well as certain non-profits and other employers. The...
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Road to Recovery Playbook
After recording two double-digit drops in equity prices over the last three trading days, the global pandemic of COVID-19 has sent world equity markets into bear market territory. The result is a cumulative 30% drop in the S&P 500...
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The April 15th Tax Deadline is Now July 15th
You don’t need to file by April 15th and you should think about the benefits The U.S. Department of the Treasury is delaying the April 15th deadline to file and pay taxes by 90 days, giving individuals and businesses another 3...
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Stocks Trying To Add To Huge Gains | Market Update
Stocks trying to add to huge gains. Futures are indicating a flat to slightly positive open as stocks attempt to add to historic gains from Tuesday on optimism surrounding eventual passage of the fiscal stimulus plan in the Senate. The...
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Avoiding COVID-19 Scams
Scammers, fraudsters, and other criminals are taking advantage of rapidly changing data and facts associated with COVID-19, both in the workplace and in our homes. Government agencies, corporations, and news outlets continue to warn...
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7 Tips to Help You Stay Productive at Home
With the rapid spreading of COVID-19, and more and more people either on self-quarantine or practicing social distancing, many of us are working from home. While working from home definitely has its perks – no commute! –...
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How Quickly Can Stocks Recover From COVID-19?
The market volatility continues, as the S&P 500 Index has closed either up or down 4% or more for a record 7 consecutive days. With the S&P 500 Index down 30% from the highs, it has officially moved into a bear market. Yesterday, we...
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History of St. Patrick’s Day
On Saint Patrick’s Day, towns hold festive parades, people head to restaurants to dine on Irish fare, children pinch each other if they don’t wear green, and everything from beers to milkshakes turn the color of shamrocks....
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Bear Market Playbook
Having a playbook to follow can be very helpful during bear markets. It helped us here in the LPL Research department in 2008–09, and we think it can be helpful for the current situation. We all want to know the answers to the...
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Market Update | March 10th, 2020
The tough times that global markets were experiencing due to the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) worsened this past weekend as a price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia resulted in sharply declining oil prices. This combination of...
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Spring Clean Your Finances
As temperatures warm up, trees begin budding, and the days get longer, you probably throw open your windows and think about spring cleaning your home. As you tackle washing windows, cleaning carpets, and sorting out the garage,...
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Women: Make a Financial Plan -- the Secret of Your Success
Financial planning is more than just a good idea. Research has consistently shown that people who have financial plans -- and who work with financial advisors -- save and invest far more and are nearly twice as likely to feel on track...
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Stocks Down in January and February Have Bulls Worried
The hits keep coming, as the Federal Reserve (Fed) did an intra-meeting cut yesterday, causing stocks to sell off hard on concerns the economy is on more fragile footing than most think. Read First Emergency Rate Cut By the Fed Since...
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Market Update | February 28th
“The stock market takes an escalator up, and an elevator down,” is a classic Wall Street saying. The last week has sure felt like taking an express elevator down, as the end of February brought a historic stock market...
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A Letter to Clients: The Coronavirus
Monday was a tough day in the stock market, with the S&P 500 Index down more than 3% as the number of coronavirus cases reported outside of China jumped. Monday’s losses reversed all of this year’s gains so far for the S&P...
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What You Should Know About Contributing to an IRA at Every Age
A traditional IRA offers a great way to shield income from taxation while boosting your retirement accounts. Meanwhile, a Roth IRA can let you pay tomorrow's taxes today. But how can workers who are eligible to contribute to either...
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Helping to Care for Aging Parents
Many adults are finding that their aging parents are in need of health care assistance. Luckily, there are many options available today to help your parents grow old gracefully, either in their own home or in a facility, and several...
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Earnings Season Observations
The recent news that technology giant Apple would miss its fourth quarter 2020 revenue targets has understandably increased investor anxiety surrounding the potential economic impact of the coronavirus (now called COVID-19). Lost in...
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Closer Look At February
A late month selloff in January saw the S&P 500 Index close marginally lower for the month. But stocks have taken off in February, with the S&P 500 up nearly 4% this month, as US economic data remains strong and fears over the...
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The Role of Insurance in Your Financial Plan
Insurance is an important element of any sound financial plan. Different types of insurance protect you and your loved ones in different ways against the cost of accidents, illness, disability, and death. What Are Your Insurance Needs?...
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Are Yields Near a Bottom?
Economic Blog The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield moved to within .05% of its recent low on Friday, January 31, approaching the 1.47% mark set back in August 2019. Prospects of stabilizing global growth and progress on trade encouraged...
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Leading Indicators Slowing But Still Growing
Leading economic indicators barely grew year over year in December 2019. The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index (LEI), a composite of leading data series, fell 0.3% month over month in December. However, as shown in the...
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529 Plans vs. Other College Savings Options
529 plans can be a great way to save for college, but they're not the only way. When you're investing for a major goal like education, it makes sense to be familiar with all of your options. Mutual funds Mutual funds are an option to...
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Another Look At Election Years
Last week in our LPL Research blog, we took a closer look at how stocks have performed during an election year. We found that since 1940, the S&P 500 Index hasn’t been lower during an election year when an incumbent president has...
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Healthy But Manageable Consumer Inflation
Consumer inflationary pressures grew at a healthy, but manageable rate in December 2019. The core Consumer Price Index (CPI), which excludes food and energy, rose 2.3% year over year last month, around the fastest pace of the economic...
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How Stocks Do During Geopolitical Events
It was a volatile night for the U.S.-Iran conflict. S&P 500 Index futures dipped 1.5% and global markets swung after Iran shot several ballistic missiles at U.S.-Iraqi military bases. Markets recovered their losses overnight on news...
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Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act
Open Multiple Employer Plans / Pooled Employer Plans – The SECURE Act allows unrelated small employers to band together in “open” 401(k) multiple-employer plans (MEPs; also referred to as pooled employer plans...
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January Client Letter
Happy New Year! What a difference a year makes. One year ago the stock market was plunging and came perilously close to ending what has become the longest bull market ever recorded. In December 2018, dropping stocks were suggesting an...
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Estimating Your Social Security Benefits
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has had, since 2014, an online option (called my Social Security) for receiving annual benefit statements -- however, if you do not wish to open an account, you may still estimate your Social...
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Estate Planning and Income Tax Basis
Income tax basis can be an important factor in deciding whether to make gifts during your lifetime or transfer property at your death. This is because the income tax basis for the person receiving the property depends on whether the...
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Is It Time For Santa?
December has been widely viewed as a strong month for stocks, with this year following suit so far. What many probably don’t realize, however, is the majority of the gains have taken place late in the month. “December has...
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Four Fed Hikes, One Year Later
The Federal Reserve’s (Fed) final policy meeting of 2019 starts today and will conclude tomorrow with the release of the Fed’s policy statement, updated economic projections, and a press conference by Fed Chair Jerome...
Read MoreA Letter to Clients: December 2019
Hindsight is 20/20, but finding clarity in future uncertainty can be fuzzy. 2019 has been a very rewarding year for investors. One year ago after publishing Outlook 2019 we were all tested with market volatility, and that’s a...
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Outlook 2020 | Bringing Markets Into Focus
Hindsight is 20/20, but finding clarity in future uncertainty can be fuzzy. AT LPL RESEARCH, as we look forward to the year 2020 and a new decade, some key trends and market signals will be important to watch, including progress on U.S...
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Five Strategies for Tax-Efficient Investing
As just about every investor knows, it's not what your investments earn, but what they earn after taxes that counts. After factoring in federal income and capital gains taxes, the alternative minimum tax, and any applicable state and...
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Pop Quiz!—Tax Planning Basics
Q: What’s the difference between a tax credit and a tax deduction? A: A tax credit reduces your tax dollar for dollar—that is, a $1,000 tax credit actually saves you $1,000 in taxes. By comparison, a tax deduction reduces...
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How Charitable Giving Can Benefit Donors
Kelly and Bob regularly set aside a small portion of their budget for charitable donations. In addition to feeling good about supporting a number of worthy causes, they’ve been able to deduct the value of their charitable gifts...
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Three Amazing Streaks
“We’re going streaking!” Frank The Tank in Old School As the bull market continues to make new highs, the past few weeks have seen some amazing market streaks. Here are three that have caught our attention. The S&P...
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Three Amazing Streaks
“We’re going streaking!” Frank The Tank in Old School As the bull market continues to make new highs, the past few weeks have seen some amazing market streaks. Here are three that have caught our attention. The S&P...
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The Charitable IRA Transfer
If you are age 70½ or older and charitably minded, you may wish to consider tapping your individual retirement account (IRA). The qualified charitable distribution (QCD), also known as an IRA charitable rollover, allows you to...
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