Blog
Federal Student Loan Interest Rates Set to Increase for 2021-2022
After two years of decreases, interest rates on federal student loans are set to increase almost a full percentage point for the 2021-2022 school year.1 The interest rates on federal student loans are reset each year after the May...
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Are You Aware of the Child Tax Credit Changes?
New changes thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act – but just for 2021 The Child Tax Credit (CTC) was introduced through the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 and it was a $500-per-child nonrefundable credit to provide tax relief to...
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Green in the City: America’s Best Urban Parks
From the Belvedere Castle in Central Park to the herds of roaming buffalo in Golden Gate Park, the US has no shortage of beautiful green spaces in its cities. You might not think of America’s urban centers as places to explore...
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Picking Up Speed
In the first half of 2021, the U.S. economy powered forward faster than nearly anyone had expected. Speed can be exhilarating, but it can also be dangerous. In our view, the overall economic picture remains sound and will likely...
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3 Types of Funds for Socially Responsible Investing
While making money off investments is often a major goal, the new generation of investors is also focusing on where they put their money in the hopes that their investments will do more for the greater good.[1] The move toward socially...
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Investing In Your Vacation
Why do so many of us not use our vacation days? Salespeople talk about “leaving money on the table.” Well, employees leave vacation on the table. And the cost to us is significant. In fact, Americans leave 429 million...
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The Future Is Female. Especially in ESG.
It’s the understatement of the year to say that in 2021, things are changing. (But let’s do it anyway.) Not only has COVID-19 altered the business landscape (not to mention our social fabric), but some of the fundamental...
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Rethinking Social Wellness for Your Employees
Corporate wellness programs have been key tools in improving productivity, employee retention, and creating a more desirable corporate culture. While many companies have put a strong focus on physical wellness plans, many are just...
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Three Things That Worry Us
Markets are off to a strong start this year, with the S&P 500 Index up about 14% so far. However, most of those gains came early in the year, and many stocks have stagnated over recent months. While we remain overweight on stocks...
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Rethinking Social Wellness for Your Employees
Corporate wellness programs have been key tools in improving productivity, employee retention, and creating a more desirable corporate culture. While many companies have put a strong focus on physical wellness plans, many are just...
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Social Justice and Impact Investing: Doing Good for Others
Social Justice investing is commonly linked to Socially Responsible Investing (SRI), which is investing to do good for others. Now, as COVID-19 continues to shape our societal values, clients are hoping that their investing addresses...
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Policy Shifts May Challenge Markets
Fiscal stimulus, which was central to the market rebound in the last year, may start moving to the sidelines over the rest of 2021 and into 2022 as the recovery continues. Economic growth can compensate for the loss of government...
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Gearing Up for Summer
As we move into June, a path to normalcy is coming quickly with stadiums allowing full capacity, restaurants filling up, and summer vacations in full swing. Meanwhile, the U.S. economy continues to recover remarkably quickly and the...
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The Financial Impact of ESG Investing
So, it’s 2021. (Finally!) And if you follow investing trends, the value proposition of ESG Investing has been pretty well-established. As the storyline goes, using ESG strategies can help align investors’ money with their...
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Stock Market Gains Likely To Slow
After one of the best starts to a bull market in history, the rally has started to show signs of fatigue. A strong economic recovery lies ahead as the roepening continues, bolstering a very strong earnings outlook that is helping...
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Economy Picking Up Speed
The economic recovery continues, as the recipe of vaccines, the reopening, and record stimulus all have combined to produce what should be one of the best years for growth ever. Although some economic indicators could be peaking or...
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5 Investment Considerations for Small Business Owners
If you're a small business owner, many of the best practices employed by individual investors are also available to you (of course!), but you also have some additional options and factors to weigh while creating your investment plans....
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Out of the Shadows
As the calendar has turned to May, the popular “Sell in May and Go Away” stock market cliché is getting a lot of airtime. This is the idea that the stock market tends to be weakest between May and October (and...
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The Signet Approach to SRI
Signet Strategic Wealth Management believes in investment practices that promote environmental stewardship, consumer protection, human rights and diversity. Based on our clients’ areas of concern we will seek to implement...
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Is All The Good News Priced In?
Last week we discussed whether stock prices might be reflecting peak optimism. In that commentary we noted that while sentiment may be overly optimistic and a pickup in volatility would be totally normal, strong breadth measures...
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How COVID-19 Has Boosted Sustainable Investing
The COVID-19 pandemic has rocked markets and reshaped the way we interact with each other. But one unexpected side effect of this pandemic has been investors' acceleration into the entry of environmental, social, and governance (ESG)...
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Key Benefits of a Financial Advisor
Whether you've been wondering about boosting your investments' rates of return or are concerned that your financial affairs are a bit too complicated for your next of kin to handle, it may be time to seek advice from a financial...
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Approaches To Sustainable Investing in 2021
Sustainable, responsible and impact investing (or SRI), has taken off as an investment strategy, and now more than ever, the way you invest money can help support positive social change as a result. You may have also heard the terms...
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Key Considerations as You Start Receiving Social Security Benefits
As your retirement draws closer, you will probably start to have lots of questions such as: How much Social Security will I receive? When should I retire? How will I know when to retire? Do I have enough saved? What will I need to do...
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The Second Year of the Bull Market Begins
The bear market ended one year ago this week, finishing one of the fastest and most vicious bear markets of all-time—one that led to a drawdown of 34%. Things have come full circle now, as stocks have staged a furious rally,...
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Common Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Credit
Having a good credit score doesn't just get you the best interest rates. It can also reduce your auto insurance premiums, allow you to avoid security deposits, and in some cases, even help you get hired.1 But what goes into your credit...
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Why ESG is Gaining Traction
2020 has been a wild ride. Not only in our personal lives, but also for financial markets – and the commonly-held assumptions that go along with them. Despite the April market meltdown (and recovery) caused by COVID-19, investors...
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Your Credit Report and Identity Theft Detection
Tips for being proactive in safeguarding your identity and your credit score Identity theft is a serious crime, with increasingly greater numbers of consumers being affected every year. As part of a protection strategy, the Federal...
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Sustainable Investing Year In Review
Increasingly more people realize that their sustainability concerns can be address through their investments. As more investors embark on the sustainable investing journey—learn what it is, why one pursues it, and how to do...
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The Search For Income
Interest rates have risen steadily over the past six months but remain low by historical standards. That means the traditional high-quality bonds that many of us owned for decades are not doing the job for investors looking for income,...
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IRA vs. 401(k): What Savers Should Know
As of 2018, about 58 million Americans had a 401(k), while around one-third of households owned an individual retirement account (IRA).1, 2 Yet for as commonplace as these retirement accounts can be, the nuances of contributions are a...
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Estate Planning
Most of us don’t like to consider death. After all, we’ve got years to go! And let’s focus on living our best life in those years, right? But, especially after a certain age, there exists a certain peace of mind that...
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Small Caps Still Solid
Small caps have had an incredible run since the Russell 2000 Index bottomed on March 18, 2020, returning 119% compared to the S&P 500 Index’s 60% return over the period. Will small cap outperformance continue in 2021? The early...
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Earnings Recession Is Likely Over
This earnings season likely will be the last of the earnings recession. After year-over-year declines in the first three quarters of 2020, the fourth quarter likely will make it four in a row. Looking ahead, earnings are likely to grow...
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Retirement Planning
It’s kind of like the song said … life is a highway2. If we’re allowed to use that analogy, the key to a smooth retirement is keeping enough gas in the tank, avoiding bumps in the road and packing the right map....
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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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Some Tips on TIPS
With concern about inflation rising for some investors, we’ve started to receive questions about Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, or TIPS. With TIPS, the principal of the bond, the part that’s paid back when the...
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Chart of the Year
Stocks continue to surprise to the upside, with the Russell 2000 Index (small caps) and the Nasdaq making new all-time highs on Tuesday. The S&P 500 Index, a chip shot from new highs, already has made 30 new highs so far this year....
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Comprehensive Financial Planning
So, what is “truly comprehensive” financial planning? It’s not just making sure that you’re retirement-ready. It’s more than actively managing your investments. And it goes beyond simply massaging your...
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Smart Shopping During the Holidays
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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30,000 Reasons To Be Thankful
As 2020 winds down, it has been an extremely tough year on all of us. Still, there are many reasons to be thankful and today we will share some reasons investors should be thankful. Stocks have had one of the largest reversals ever in...
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Weekly Market Performance – Economic and Market Data Does Not Always Mix
Index Performance US and International Equities This week, as some of the economic news was pointing to worries of a potential economic slowdown, some areas of the stock market are looking ahead to a potential economic recovery. Stocks...
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ARTICLE 5 – “Social Responsibility & Investing In Los Angeles”
More than ever, consumers are looking for the companies they support to have a social impact in their communities. Today’s consumers believe that companies can make a positive difference in their communities, while also making a...
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Prepare for Long-Term Care Before the Need
Despite the dollars, fears and emotions – you can manage with planning Long-term care (LTC) keeps you functioning in the face of devastating illnesses, disabilities and prolonged disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. LTC...
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Why Munis May Want Joe Biden to Win
Historically it has been unwise to attempt to “play” the stock market ahead of an election in an attempt to position based on perceived implications of a president’s policies, but the municipal bond market may be...
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Beige Book Shows Pace of Recovery is Moderating
We have seen a historic rebound in economic growth since the US economy emerged from lockdowns, but the pace of the economic rebound has tapered in recent weeks as the effects of fiscal stimulus fade. The recently released Federal...
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3 Estate Planning Strategies You Should Consider Now
Today's low interest rates are a far cry from the double-digit rates seen in the 1970s and 1980s when even a certificate of deposit (CD) could yield up to 20 percent per year.1 But there are some distinct advantages to a...
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Sustainable Investing Trends in 2020
Being “socially conscious” may seem very 21st century. But socially responsible investing (SRI) is actually nothing new, with the first SRI fund launching in 1952. With SRI-focused mutual funds, ETFs, government bonds and...
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6 Months From the Low
On March 23, 2020, the S&P 500 Index closed down 2.9% for the day, bringing its total loss from its all-time high to 33.9%. The index was in the midst of its fastest bear market ever. A day earlier, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had...
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How Bonds May Perform When Rates and Stocks Fall
A few weeks ago we looked at how different bond sectors performed during rising rate periods during the last economic cycle (2009–2020). Today we look at falling rate periods—not the outcome we expect, but it can still be...
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Socially Responsible Tenets in California
Ah, California! Sun, sand and social responsibility. Right? It might come as no surprise that the “Golden State of Mind” is geared more toward sustainable initiatives and socially responsible organizations than other states...
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National Life Insurance Awareness Month
September is National Life Insurance Awareness month. And while most of us likely recognize that life insurance provides us peace of mind and security, there may be a few things you don’t know. Life Insurance is Not Just for the...
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What May Happen If Biden Wins?
This week in the LPL Market Signals podcast, LPL Financial’s Chief Market Strategist Ryan Detrick and Equity Strategist Jeff Buchbinder discuss the impacts of a potential Joe Biden victory. “Of course tensions are high as...
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Chart Check
We continue to follow high-frequency data to assess whether the US recovery remains on track or if it has been derailed by COVID-19 outbreaks in parts of the country. Here we look at 5 charts that illustrate that the economic recovery...
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Balancing Working from Home and E-Learning: A Parent's Guide
If the coronavirus crisis has led you to recently join the more than 5 million U.S. workers who work from home, you may still be settling into a routine.1 Adding homeschooling (or e-learning) into the mix can introduce additional...
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What Is SRI Investing?
Does it come as a surprise that investment strategy and social responsibility can go hand-in-hand? With modern investing methodologies offered by Signet, it’s entirely possible to manage your wealth, while preserving your...
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All That 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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Manage Risk in Your Portfolio
To most people, "risk" evokes negative images -- driving faster than the speed limit, placing bets on "a long shot," or traveling alone to unfamiliar places. Mention risk in terms of investing and people might think about losing their...
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When Will The Economy Recover?
The economy is moving in the right direction, as many economic data points are coming in substantially better than what the economists expected. From May job gains coming in more than 10 million higher than expected and retail sales...
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Will American shale oil go bust?
US oil is suffering unprecedented distress, as demonstrated by the benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude price crashing into negative territory. This is a “triple black swan” of an oversupply of oil driven by Opec...
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10-Year Yield Breaks Out
US equities continued to gain ground in May, with the S&P 500 Index advancing an additional 4.5%. However, Treasury yields have been remarkably stable since the equity markets bottomed on March 23, with the 10-year Treasury yield...
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Alternative Energy: A Perfect Way to Be Socially Responsible With Your Investments
Socially responsible investing (SRI) is a strategy to make your investments more impactful by supporting ecological and social causes. SRI investors invest their money to support companies that value transparency in their business...
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Corporate Bond Spreads Decline as Fed Increases ETF Purchases
The Federal Reserve (Fed) increased its bond exchange-traded funds (ETF) purchases in the week ending May 20 (the most recent data available), adding another $1.5 billion in bond ETFs to its balance sheet, bringing the total holding to...
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How Expensive Are Stocks Right Now?
As stocks rallied 30% off the March 23 lows and earnings expectations were cut dramatically, valuations have become increasingly concerning for many investors (including some high-profile hedge fund managers being quoted in the...
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SRI Vs ESG: The Difference Between These Investment Strategies
If you're curious about socially responsible investing, you may have encountered all kinds of phrases about this phenomenon, including socially responsible investing (SRI), mission-related investing, sustainable investment, ethical...
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Can Climate-Conscious Investing Stem Portfolio Volatility?
Experts have warned that today's major market indexes haven't adequately priced in the cost of the impending climate crisis. As the market's initial reaction to COVID-19 has shown, any delay in response to an imminent threat can leave...
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2020 CARES ACT Small Business Employer FAQ – Key Provisions
During this stressful and uncertain time, Signet Wealth Management 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...
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Using SRI and ESG to Balance Investment and Ideals
When you invest funds, you are preparing for your retirement and your future. But at the same time, you may also want to consider the impact your money has on the world. Ethical investment strategies seek to balance these two concepts....
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What Might Future Bond Returns Look Like?
Stock returns get all the headlines, and with US equities entering their first bear market since 2008, there is good reason for that. However, fixed income may account for a significant portion, or even a majority, of many...
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Build a Solid Financial Foundation
When the markets and the economy are behaving badly, as they tend to do from time to time, it's easy to feel helpless. But creating a solid financial foundation can help you gain control of your investments and possibly avoid mistakes...
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COVID-19 Hits US Manufacturing Sector
With the US economy having entered recession, investors were braced for weak manufacturing data today. The report released this morning at 10am ET clearly showed the pandemic has negatively impacted the sector, but the headline number...
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Making Sense of Skyrocketing Jobless Claims
Weekly new jobless claims were reported this morning, and to no one’s surprise they rose to levels thought unimaginable just a few weeks ago. As shown in the LPL Chart of the Day, 3.3 million people filed new claims for...
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Tips for Managing Debt and Credit
Credit was once defined as "Man's Confidence in Man." But in fact, the definition of credit today is more like "Man's Confidence in Himself." Using credit today means you have confidence in your future ability to pay that debt. Forty...
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The Fastest Bear Market Ever
The historic volatility continues, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average officially setting its fastest move from a new all-time high to a bear market (down 20% from the highs) in the 124-year history of the index. It took only 19 days...
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How (and Why) Do Investors Pursue Socially-Responsible Investing?
With the U.S. bull market entering its eleventh year,1 more investors are looking for the next new thing. For many, this can mean investing in companies that not only are financially profitable, but that also help provide for the...
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Gauging Potential Economic Impact of Covid-19
The coronavirus outbreak—or Covid-19 —has caused significant market volatility over the past week. Our approach as always is to focus on economic fundamentals first, but the uncertainty around the scope of the outbreak has...
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What You Need to Know About the Secure Act
The largest overhaul to retirement plans since 2006 is complicated The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 – the SECURE Act – passed the House of Representatives earlier this year and was...
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Why is ESG Investing So Appealing?
For more than 200 years, long before the advent of modern stock markets and electronic trading, some investors have been committed to socially-responsible (SRI) investing.1 This involves choosing companies and products that...
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Trends in Charitable Giving
According to Giving USA 2018, Americans gave an estimated $410.02 billion to charity in 2017. That’s the highest total in more than 60 years since the report was first published, and also, first-time ever over $400 billion was...
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Why The First Five Days Of 2020 Could Have Bulls Smiling
The first five days of 2020 are in the books. Although the headlines have been quite scary, equities have picked up right where they left off last year. In fact, after the first five trading days of the new year, the S&SP 500 Index is...
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Alternative Energy: A Perfect Way to Be Socially Responsible With Your Investments
Socially responsible investing (SRI) is a strategy to make your investments more impactful by supporting ecological and social causes. SRI investors invest their money to support companies that value transparency in their business...
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Proper Financial Planning: Critical for Women
A key goal of investing for retirement is making sure you save enough to make your money last throughout your lifetime. On this score, women may need to save more than men. The current life expectancy of a female at birth is roughly 81...
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Don’t Fear the Repo
The fourth quarter is winding down, and investors are getting nervous that volatility in the short-term lending market could flare up once again. Rates on repurchase agreements (repos) jumped in September 2019 amid a shortage of cash...
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Life Insurance and Charitable Giving
Life insurance can be an excellent tool for charitable giving. Not only does life insurance allow you to make a substantial gift to charity at relatively little cost to you, but you may also benefit from tax rules that apply to gifts...
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Bringing Markets Into Focus in Outlook 2020
Hindsight is 20/20, but finding clarity in future uncertainty can be fuzzy. 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.-China trade...
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Giving Thanks for the U.S. Consumer
This Thanksgiving, we’re thankful for solid consumer confidence, even though it has wavered in recent months. Consumer confidence fell for a fourth straight month in November, according to preliminary Conference Board data. Even...
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Leading Indicators Could Be Bottoming
October’s leading indicators show the domestic economy could be bottoming. The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index (LEI) declined 0.1% in October, following a downwardly revised 0.2% decline in September. As shown in...
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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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Health Insurance in Retirement
At any age, health care is a priority. When you retire, however, you will probably focus more on health care than ever before. Staying healthy is your goal, and this can mean more visits to the doctor for preventive tests and routine...
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Bulls Stay in Motion
“An object in motion tends to remain in motion along a straight line unless acted upon by an outside force.” Sir Isaac Newton What a year it has been for the bulls. The S&P 500 Index recently made four more new highs, and...
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2019 May Be One of the Best Years Ever
“Everything is awesome, when you’re living out a dream.” The Lego Movie As the S&P 500 Index continues to flirt with new record highs, something under the surface is taking place that is making 2019 extremely special....
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Estate Planning Checklist
One of the first steps you’ll take in the estate planning process is determining how much planning you’ll need to undertake. Two key components of your initial needs evaluation are an estate analysis and a settlement cost...
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Seven Steps to Your Financial Future
Sometimes, even highly-compensated individuals may find it difficult to achieve long-term success when it comes to managing their personal finances. Although they may attain a comfortable level of income, their focus may be on career...
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Socially Responsible Investing
Investing with an eye toward promoting social, political, or environmental concerns (or at least not supporting activities you feel are harmful) doesn't mean you have to forgo pursuing a return on your money. Socially responsible...
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With Fed Cut Likely, Markets Gauging Guidance
The Federal Reserve’s (Fed) policy committee starts its sixth two-day policy meeting of the year today. At 2:00 p.m. ET Wednesday, following the meeting’s conclusion, the Fed will announce its rate decision and release a...
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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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Manufacturing Muddles Through
U.S. manufacturing contracted in August for the first time since January 2016 as trade uncertainty continued to weigh on the sector. The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI)...
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Six Tips To Take Control of Your Financial Health
Similar to taking care of your personal health by proactively incorporating healthy habits and annual checkups, you can also take control of your financial health when you are proactive and engaged in managing your finances. And also...
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When Powell Speaks, Markets Listen
When Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell speaks, markets listen. Friday, August 23, the markets had a new opportunity to gauge the Fed’s direction when Powell gave a closely watched speech at the annual gathering of central...
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Traditional Vs. Roth IRA
Traditional IRAs, which were created in 1974, are owned by roughly 35.1 million U.S. households. And Roth IRAs, created as part of the Taxpayer Relief Act in 1997, are owned by nearly 24.9 million households.1 Both are IRAs. And yet...
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Another Summer Storm
U.S. stocks have hit another trade-induced summer storm. The S&P 500 Index fell 3% on Monday, its worst day since December 2018. The index is now about 6% from record highs in U.S. stocks’ worst bout of volatility since May. As...
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Does Your Portfolio Fit Your Retirement Lifestyle?
Most portfolios are constructed based on an individual's investment objective, risk tolerance, and time horizon. Using these inputs and sophisticated portfolio-optimization calculations, most investors can feel confident that they own...
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Checking On The Calendar
“I’ve been on a calendar, but I’ve never been on time.” Marilyn Monroe We’ve pondered where the S&P 500 Index could go now that it’s near our fair-value target of 3,000. As we discussed in the latest...
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Earnings Season Gets Rolling
Earnings season is here again, as we’ll get reports from 57 S&P 500 Index companies over the next five days. A quick look at the numbers, as shown in the LPL Chart of the Day, Earnings Lull Expected to be Temporary, reveals that...
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Charitable Giving
Charitable giving can play an important role in many estate plans. Philanthropy cannot only give you great personal satisfaction, it can also give you a current income tax deduction, let you avoid capital gains tax, and reduce the...
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Strong Jobs Rattle Bond Investors
The June jobs report was solid. Nonfarm payrolls rose 224,000, according to data released July 5. As shown in the LPL Chart of the Day, Strong June Payrolls Gain Surprises Investors, the rise in jobs last month handily beat estimates...
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Strong Jobs Rattle Bond Investors
The June jobs report was solid. Nonfarm payrolls rose 224,000, according to data released July 5. As shown in the LPL Chart of the Day, Strong June Payrolls Gain Surprises Investors, the rise in jobs last month handily beat estimates...
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Six Keys to More Successful Investing
A successful investor maximizes gain and minimizes loss. Though there can be no guarantee that any investment strategy will be successful and all investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal, here are six basic...
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THE UTILITY OF SECTOR INVESTING
There is a growing popularity among individuals to broaden their investment strategy beyond conventional allocations and investment styles. Some see sector investing as a way to seek new opportunities for enhanced portfolio performance...
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