News headlines are often dominated by some of the world’s largest businesses—from FAANG stocks soaring to new heights to Space X planning to send rockets to Mars. But the makeup of American companies includes more than just the biggest businesses. Indeed, more than 99.9% of companies in the U.S.—32.5 million—are small businesses with fewer than […]
A drawdown is looming. You’re separating at the end of active service. You’ve decided to retire after a long career. No matter why you’re leaving the military, a big part of preparing for your civilian life is taking steps to proactively address the financial issues you might face. Here are some tips to help ease […]
It’s been a very tough start to the year with both stocks and bonds down sharply. Adding to the “wall of worry” for investors are the highest levels of U.S. inflation in decades, an aggressive Federal Reserve (Fed), Chinese lockdowns, and continuing war in Europe. So perhaps it is no surprise that investor sentiment polls […]
Mothers are busy people, which means saving and investing for the future can often take the back burner to more urgent priorities. Not only that, but the stock market can seem risky. During the Great Recession, the value of the average retirement account dropped greatly, by about 25%.[1] Unfortunately, if you did not start investing […]
When it feels like the galaxy’s forces are all working against you when it comes to your finances, fighting back may seem incredibly daunting. However, becoming a financial Jedi Master is not as hard as you think. Here are four money lessons that may help you gain wisdom, perspective, and possibly some mastery of your […]
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 financial goals. The following scenarios help illustrate some of the common ways that […]
As the stock market recovered from the 2020 pandemic lows, valuations reached levels not seen since the dotcom bubble more than 20 years ago. The reopening economy and massive fiscal stimulus helped fuel one of the strongest starts to a bull market ever (a bull market that just turned two-years-old last week). Low interest rates […]
Core bond investors have experienced one of the worst starts to the year ever, potentially calling into question the validity of bonds in a portfolio. Despite the poor start, we don’t think the value proposition for bonds has changed much. Moreover, with yields on most fixed income markets moving sharply higher, now could be a […]
For business owners, estate planning may seem like another task to do on a long to-do list. Having a solid estate and succession plan in place may be crucial to your business’s long-term success. If you are incapable of making business decisions, or if you unexpectedly pass away without an estate plan, your heirs may […]
Spring cleaning presents a great opportunity to clear out any items you no longer need—and the same goes for your finances. Checking in with your finances during tax season may be particularly beneficial, as it allows you to complete last year’s taxes while making any changes you need to potentially improve next year’s tax situation. […]
