Chart of the Day

Zero Real Rates

Yes, rates have climbed from their lows, but let’s hope we don’t look back on this and think that locking in a zero real return (1) for 30 years was..

Chart of the Day

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) Continue to Grow

Lower cost, increased liquidity, better transparency, greater tax efficiencies, often more diversified, and for indexed ETFs there is no “drift” of..

Market Update

October Investment Update

After declining in September, the equity market is now celebrating the economic recovery from the COVID virus and solid growth in U.S. corporate..

Retirement

The 4 Best Places to Retire in Florida

Year after year, Florida’s population continues to grow. Many people moving to the Sunshine State are retirees relocating for the reason behind the..

Market Update

2021 Year-End Market Review

The equity markets ended the year with strong performance despite the uncertainty about the new variant of COVID and the Federal Reserve’s..

Older woman in an apron looking at a laptop

Security and Fraud Prevention Online Banking

6 Cybersecurity Business Ideas to Protect Against Email Compromise

Companies of all sizes are being targeted by criminals through business email compromise scams. In these scams, cybercriminals gain access to an..

image of a screen that implies the stock market numbers

Market Update Economy

November 2021 Market Update

The better-than-expected third-quarter corporate earnings reports were evidence of a broad-based economic recovery causing investor psychology to..

Man smiling over his shoulder and holding hands with someone off screen

Estate Planning

A Beginner's Guide to Understanding a Living Trust

One of the most common misconceptions about trusts is that they’re only for individuals of high net worth with substantial estates. While it is true..

Older woman looking concerned at her phone

Security and Fraud Prevention

Want to Save $1,170? Hang Up.

During the pandemic, my phone was ringing off the hook, as many fraudsters took advantage of our isolation. They knew we were lonely, stuck at home..

Young woman helping older man navigate laptop

Managing your Wealth Retirement

Take a Strategic Approach to Your Retirement Planning Today

Thinking about retirement? The average retirement age in the United States, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, is 63 for women and 65 for men...

Woman shaking hands with someone off screen

Commercial Real Estate Taxes

How Does a 1031 Exchange Work?

A 1031 exchange is a process used in real estate in which one investment property is swapped for another. Through this process, capital gains..

Man working at a laptop with charts and data on the screen

Market Update

October 2021 Investment Update

After declining in September, the equity market is now celebrating the economic recovery from the COVID virus and solid growth in U.S. corporate..

People in dark clothes looking at a screen representing hackers

Business Security and Fraud Prevention Online Banking Savings

Avoid Corporate Account Takeover

Cybercriminals are targeting small businesses with increasingly sophisticated attacks. “Corporate account takeover” is a form of identity theft of a..

Couple and young daughter looking at a tablet

Buying a home

5 Signs It's Time to Refinance Your Mortgage

Over the past year and a half, record-breaking interest rates—slashed by the Federal Reserve to stimulate the economy—have remained low with some..

Desk set up with office supplies, coffee, and tablet

Market Update Economy

Third Quarter Ups and Downs

The S&P 500 Index is consolidating as Washington policymakers postpone important decisions on the budget ceiling and the infrastructure bills. The..

On Our Minds

List Grid

Chart of the Day

02/7/22

Zero Real Rates

Yes, rates have climbed from their lows, but let’s hope we don’t look back on this and think that locking in a zero real return (1) for 30 years was a good investment at the time.

Chart of the Day

01/29/22

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) Continue to Grow

Lower cost, increased liquidity, better transparency, greater tax efficiencies, often more diversified, and for indexed ETFs there is no “drift” of the types of investments they make.

Market Update

01/14/22

After declining in September, the equity market is now celebrating the economic recovery from the COVID virus and solid growth in U.S. corporate earnings. The S&P 500 Index is now up 22% for the year and is poised to move higher as economic growth is only hindered by distribution bottlenecks in imported and manufactured goods. The goods inventory scarcity is likely to be temporary, and it should take four to six months to normalize the distribution from ships to ports, trucks, trains and stores. The decline in inventories has caused price hikes in goods and services, yet consumers have registered higher confidence levels, are consuming and traveling more, and are returning to work. Job availability remains high, yet some Americans are choosing retirement, self-employment or part-time work rather than a return to the office.

Retirement

01/6/22

The 4 Best Places to Retire in Florida

Year after year, Florida’s population continues to grow. Many people moving to the Sunshine State are retirees relocating for the reason behind the state’s nickname: There are over 230 days of sunshine a year, and even in the coldest months, the average daily temperature is 70 degrees or higher. The temperature rarely gets below 50 degrees.

Market Update

01/4/22

2021 Year-End Market Review

The equity markets ended the year with strong performance despite the uncertainty about the new variant of COVID and the Federal Reserve’s announcement about tapering bond purchases and raising interest rates. Omicron is spreading quickly, but the mutation seems less severe and has a significantly lower mortality rate. As viruses mutate, they generally weaken, and the equity market is anticipating that corporate revenues and earnings will not be impaired by government-imposed lockdowns.

Security and Fraud Prevention, Online Banking

12/15/21

6 Cybersecurity Business Ideas to Protect Against Email Compromise

Companies of all sizes are being targeted by criminals through business email compromise scams. In these scams, cybercriminals gain access to an employee’s legitimate business email through social engineering or computer intrusion. The criminal then impersonates the employee often a senior executive or someone who can authorize payments and instructs others to transfer funds on their behalf. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, over $10 billion has been lost by victims in the U.S. due to these scams.

Market Update, Economy

12/2/21

November 2021 Market Update

The better-than-expected third-quarter corporate earnings reports were evidence of a broad-based economic recovery causing investor psychology to improve and funds to flow from bonds into stocks. This has since reversed as the uncertainty of the spread and severity of COVID mutation Omicron remains unknown. The concern is that the supply chain of parts and goods produced in emerging markets may slow and deter global economic growth.

Estate Planning

12/1/21

A Beginner's Guide to Understanding a Living Trust

One of the most common misconceptions about trusts is that they’re only for individuals of high net worth with substantial estates. While it is true that anyone with significant wealth should consider a trust, those of more modest means can benefit from asset protection and other features offered with a trust.

Security and Fraud Prevention

11/26/21

Want to Save $1,170? Hang Up.

During the pandemic, my phone was ringing off the hook, as many fraudsters took advantage of our isolation. They knew we were lonely, stuck at home with only a few ways to communicate with others, so why not take advantage of that good ole’ telephone when everyone is afraid of hackers on the internet?

In fact, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) received about 1.25 million phone fraud complaints in 2020, and the hackers and scammers don’t seem to be showing down this year.

Managing your Wealth, Retirement

11/17/21

Take a Strategic Approach to Your Retirement Planning Today

Thinking about retirement? The average retirement age in the United States, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, is 63 for women and 65 for men. While you may not actually retire until your late 60s or 70s, you should start thinking about it as soon as you start working. Some experts suggest you start saving in your 20s, when you begin earning paychecks, because the sooner you begin saving, the more time your money has to grow.

Commercial Real Estate, Taxes

11/17/21

How Does a 1031 Exchange Work?

A 1031 exchange is a process used in real estate in which one investment property is swapped for another. Through this process, capital gains taxes—which are taxes incurred when an investment is sold—are deferred.

Market Update

11/5/21

October 2021 Investment Update

Business, Security and Fraud Prevention, Online Banking, Savings

11/2/21

Avoid Corporate Account Takeover

Cybercriminals are targeting small businesses with increasingly sophisticated attacks. “Corporate account takeover” is a form of identity theft of a business. Criminals phony emails pretending to be someone you know to trick you into clicking on links or attachments that can lead to malicious software being installed on your computer. Once this happens, they will ask you to enter credentials where they will gain access to your email account. At that point, they will send emails to the bank appearing to be from you to initiate ACH and wire transactions.

Buying a home

11/1/21

5 Signs It's Time to Refinance Your Mortgage

Over the past year and a half, record-breaking interest rates—slashed by the Federal Reserve to stimulate the economy—have remained low with some fluctuation. Many prospective homebuyers and homeowners who are interested in refinancing their mortgage are likely wondering if the low rates will persist and whether now is the right time to take advantage of the low rates.

Market Update, Economy

10/5/21

Third Quarter Ups and Downs

The S&P 500 Index is consolidating as Washington policymakers postpone important decisions on the budget ceiling and the infrastructure bills. The S&P 500 Index has grown this year as earnings and growth have supported valuations, but now, as fiscal and monetary policies change, we are seeing investor concerns. With fiscal policy, there are many supportive benefits of spending $500 billion on actual bridge and road infrastructure. However, the massive $3.5-trillion “human” infrastructure package is concerning due to higher taxes and escalating inflation. This plan is likely to be debated and downsized before passage – if at all.

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