“Our Economy is Strong Overall”
The US economy is fine. We now know that the interest rate cut for September 2024 is a half of one percent or 50 basis points. Federal Reserve Chairperson Jerome Powell made it very clear on multiple occasions during his press conference yesterday that the interest rate cut determined by the Federal Open Market Committee […]
September 2024 Brings Effective Date for Department of Labor ERISA Fiduciary Rule
Earlier this year, the Department of Labor issued its final language and other clarifications to the Retirement Security Rule which will become effective September 23, 2024. This has been years in the making and aims to protect individuals in an attempt to ensure they receive unbiased advice as retirement investors. What is a Fiduciary: Before […]
Buying an Investment Property: Things to Consider
Investing into real estate can be a great way to add an income stream for anyone who is considering going down this path. Whether you are looking to buy a commercial property or a residential property, these types of investments can be very valuable, and they can be a differentiating asset. When I was 20 […]
The Value of Expert Advice
My wife and I are in the midst of a great adventure that had us sell a house in one state, rent for a couple of years in another state, then buy a home in a third state. While people buy and sell real estate without the help of a realtor, I, as a real […]
Enhancing Financial Decisions: Understanding Behavioral Finance in the Real World
Every day, millions of people make financial decisions influenced by psychological biases rather than pure logic. Behavioral finance explores how these biases affect our choices, helping to explain why we sometimes make irrational decisions. In this post, we’ll explore several key concepts within behavioral finance and see how they apply to real-world scenarios. Anchoring Bias: […]
Price Stability: Are We There Yet?
The last two days have felt like the economic equivalent of the NBA Draft or the Oscars. Analysts and commentators alike have been trying to anticipate the latest inflation reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in hopes that it might give them some insight into the near term movements in the stock market as […]
How to Navigate the New Social Security Login Changes in 2024
The U.S. government has slowly changed its login requirements to strengthen their security and prevent data breaches as well as adhering to federal authentication standards.
Understanding Debt: Leverage Your Financial Future Through Wise Decisions
Leveraging your financial future begins with making wise decisions that are not based upon emotion or bias. If a decision could get you into some trouble, it’d be considered by many to be a bad decision. But what if you never allow yourself to be in a situation where a decision is required? Reward doesn’t […]
Mortgage Rates Then and Now: The Reality of Today’s Housing Market
Bill and Penny are recently married and looking to start a family. Their largest goal in mind, buying their first home. They go to their local bank and to their dismay, find that the 30-year rate is 6.625% (actual rate will vary by bank and location). Just three years ago, the same rate was 2.65%. […]
Understanding Sequence of Returns Risk: Protecting Your Investments from Market Volatility
Let’s begin with the definition–sequence of returns risk refers to the possibility of running out of money due to poor investment returns in the early years while you are withdrawing from the account. This is often associated with retirement accounts during the spenddown stage of life. Simply put–timing does matter. A retiree relying on income […]
