Global Static: Geopolitics and U.S. Markets When a Malaysia Airlines jet crashed over Ukraine on July 17, 2014, due to a suspected missile attack by pro-Russia separatists, the U.S. stock market dropped sharply, with the S&P 500 declining by 1.2%.1 The next day, with no new information regarding the crash, strong corporate earnings caused the […]
Options for Retirement Living At one time, retirement often meant moving to Florida or Arizona. Many retirees still move to warmer climates, but retirement could open the door to a wide range of options. Here are some ideas to help you consider the possibilities. Staying Put In a survey on post-retirement living, 53% of retired […]
When You Can’t Speak for Yourself It’s not pleasant to think about the possibility of having a serious condition that prevents you from making medical and financial decisions for yourself. But it’s better to be prepared and hope it never happens than to put your loved ones in the position of making decisions without knowing […]
U.S. Oil Carries More Weight in the Global Market In mid-September, global oil prices fell to the lowest level in more than two years, despite geopolitical pressures in Russia and the Middle East. The global benchmark for crude oil — Brent —dropped 16% from mid-June highs to less than $98 per barrel.1 More than 11 […]
Smaller Hikes for Medicare Advantage Premiums Almost 16 million Americans — about 30% of all Medicare beneficiaries — are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan.1 If you’re among them, you might see an increase in your 2015 premiums, but you can be thankful that any increase should be less than was originally anticipated. Medicare Advantage […]
If Inflation Is Low, Why Are Prices High? “Headline inflation,” as measured by changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was a low 1.5% in 2013 and running at an annual rate of just 2.1% through June 2014.1 Yet when you go to the grocery store or fill up your car at the gas pump, […]
Upside Down: Tightening the Rules on Corporate Inversions On September 22, 2014, the U.S. Treasury announced new rules making it more difficult and less profitable for U.S. companies to move their headquarters overseas through a process known as inversion. Inversions have received significant media attention over the last few months, and the action by federal […]
Who Controls the Cash? Once upon a time in American marriages, the husband “brought home the bacon” and made all the big financial decisions, and the wife received a “household allowance” to buy groceries and other everyday necessities. Today you might need to watch a 1950s sitcom to find that dynamic. Not only have women […]
Adding Real Estate to Your Portfolio Have you ever considered investing in an income-producing real estate property such as a rental house or apartment building? It might seem like a good idea, but this type of investment typically requires substantial capital. Even if you have the necessary cash or credit, you may not want the […]
Fighting Fraud: Shoppers Still Waiting for Security Fix In September 2014, Home Depot disclosed a data breach involving up to 56 million payment cards. It’s believed that the attack on Home Depot was larger and lasted longer than the December 2013 hacking of Target’s payment system in which 40 million accounts were compromised.1 Roughly one […]