Blog
How Does the Inflation Reduction Act Impact Healthcare? A Guide During Open Enrollment Season
Key points:One of the biggest components of the Inflation Reduction Act is the changes to healthcare costs and coverage. The Inflation Reduction Act requires all pharmaceutical companies to rebate Medicare participants for the...
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Weekly Market Insights: Plenty of Treats for Wall Street This Week
Stocks overcame poor earnings results from some of America’s largest companies to post gains last week as investors cheered positive earnings surprises, easing inflation and a rebound in economic growth.The Dow Jones Industrial...
Read MoreThe Pros & Cons of ESG Investing
If you haven’t heard much about ESG investing, you will. ESG has gone from a niche investment philosophy to a mainstream investment tenant. At the same time, it has gained the attention of corporations, politicians, regulators,...
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A Note on Negative Returns
Do you have friends with $500k or more at a “big box” firm? Get ready to hear some screaming when they’re hit with a tax bill on an account with a negative return. Give’m my info. Going forward, we can show them...
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Weekly Market Insights: Wall Street Flips the Script & Enjoys a Rally.
A positive start to a new earnings season and late-week hopes for a near-term easing in Fed rate hikes lifted investors’ spirits and powered stocks to gains for the week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 4.89%, while the...
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Weekly Market Insights: Volatility Reigns; Inflation Remains Unchecked.
Stocks were mixed last week amid wide intra- and inter-day price swings, as technology shares bore the brunt of the downdraft.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.15% for the week. Meanwhile, the Standard & Poor’s 500...
Read MoreIt's Cybersecurity Awareness Month: 7 Steps to Protect Yourself
Over 50% of consumers have fallen victim to a cybercrime, with a third of those attacks taking place in the past year alone. So there are 263 million American consumers. 131.5 million have been hit by cybercrime, with 44 million...
Read MoreWill Your Social Security Check Be Taxed?
Most people are used to having a percentage of their paycheck withheld for Social Security. The withholding rate in 2022 stands at 6.2% for individuals and another 6.2% for their employers, for a total of 12.4% per person.1 But...
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Weekly Market Insights: Boost Early in Week Keeps Markets Ahead
A powerful two-day stock rebound cemented a positive week for investors as a new trading month began.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.99%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 added 1.51%. The Nasdaq Composite index increased 0...
Read MoreTruths About Life Insurance that Will Inspire You to Get Coverage
Several factors will affect the cost and availability of life insurance, including age, health, and the type and amount of insurance purchased. Life insurance policies have expenses, including mortality and other charges. If a policy...
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Weekly Market Insights: Markets Upbeat, Despite Gloomy Inflation Talk
In a holiday-shortened week of trading, stocks posted healthy gains despite more tough talk on monetary policy from Fed officials.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.66%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 gained 3.65%. The...
Read MoreSeptember Is National Life Insurance Awareness Month
It’s time for your life insurance checkup.September is National Life Insurance Awareness Month, so it’s a great time to review your coverage.1If you don’t have any life insurance, you’re not alone. Life...
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Special Announcement: Shay Woodward receives Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor designation!
Demonstrating our ongoing commitment to retirement plan clients, we are pleased to announce that we have added another Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor designation (CPFA) to help align with our mission to serve our plan sponsor clients.
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What Are All Those Letters After My Financial Professionals Name?
You've probably seen the myriad of letters following financial professionals' names and wondered what they all mean and if they are important. I wanted to take some time and break down my designations for you, what they mean, and why I...
Read MoreWhat You May Not Know About 529s
The end of summer and the start of the school year always seem to be a catalyst for conversations about college savings and where they fit into larger, long-term financial strategies. In particular, the 529 college savings plan, with...
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Benefits of a Personalized Financial Planner
For over 27 years, repeatedly reviewing accounts created at a “big box,” I find cookie cutter portfolios (aka models for many), over-dependency on expensive mutual funds, and that the advisor isn’t...
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Weekly Market Insights: Markets Tap Brakes, But Hold Fast Against Downbeat News
Stocks tumbled on Friday, sending stocks to a weekly loss after an otherwise quiet August week of trading.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped -0.16%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 1.21%. The Nasdaq Composite index...
Read MoreAll Recessions Are Not Created Equal
With inflation at 40-year highs, the Fed is aggressively hiking interest rates; but it's a tricky proposition: raise rates too much and many fear the next recession is right around the corner. Markets have been reflecting that fear,...
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Why a 'Never Quit' Attitude Guides My Life
People often wonder what lead me to financial services. It's deeply personal and really, rather simple. I believe that everyone has their own set of strengths and struggles, but by understanding them, I can build a synergistic team to...
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Weekly Market Insights: Stocks Have Warmer Week as Inflation Cools
An improving inflation outlook buoyed investors’ spirits last week, helping lift stocks to solid gains.The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 2.92%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 rose 3.26%. The Nasdaq Composite index...
Read MoreIs Now a Good Time for a Roth IRA Conversion?
Is Now a Good Time for a Roth IRA Conversion?We know that taxes are one of life’s two inevitables. So, the question is not if you will pay taxes on your retirement accounts, but when and how much. That’s where Roth IRAs...
Read MoreWhere There's A Will
"Where there's a will, there's a way." Sage advice that applies not only to our lives but to your estate strategy.When was the last time you reviewed your will or estate strategy? August is National "Make a Will" Month, an excellent...
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Companies Winning Despite Sour Economy
Sometimes, it’s a good idea to get a second opinion.And this may be one of those times.Government reports are telling a rather bleak story about the economy. The headlines talk about high inflation, rising interest rates, and a...
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Weekly Market Insights: Markets Rally; Earnings Better Than Expected
Undaunted by another Fed rate hike and news of a contracting economy, the stock market rallied last week on better-than-expected corporate earnings.The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 2.97%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500...
Read MoreEuro/Dollar Parity & Summer Travel
Summer travel is picking up this year. If you’re headed to Europe, you may notice that you get more bang for your buck.Why is that?For the first time in almost 20 years, the U.S. dollar and the euro have reached parity. Souvenirs...
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Weekly Market Insights: Markets React to Dim Forecast, 2Q Reports
Stocks rallied last week as investor spirits lifted thanks to a better-than-expected start to the second-quarter earnings season.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.95%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 added 2.55%. The...
Read MoreEstate Planning Considerations for 2022
Is Your Estate Plan Tax-Optimized?Minimizing taxes is a common part of any estate planning strategy. Currently, it’s a relatively favorable environment for estate taxes, but tax rates can, and likely will change, which means...
Read MoreTime for a Portfolio Check-Up?
It’s summer. You’ll probably take the car in for a checkup before heading out on a road trip, because you want to ensure the vehicle will get you to your destination. Should you treat your investment portfolio similarly?The...
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Weekly Market Insights: Friday Rally Stems Week of Losses
A record-high inflation report, the prospects of a more aggressive Fed, and growing recession fears sent stocks lower– though losses were pared by a Friday rally.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.16%, while the Standard...
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Weekly Market Insights: Stocks Rally Despite Mixed Data
In a holiday-shortened trading week, stocks rallied despite mixed economic data and vacillating energy prices and bond yields.The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 0.77%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 rose 1.94%. The...
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