Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period — which runs from October 15 through December 7 — is your annual opportunity to switch your current Medicare health and prescription drug plans to ones that better suit your needs. Just in time for Open Enrollment, 2023 Medicare premiums, deductibles, and other costs have been announced, and surprisingly, some of […]
Read MoreAuthor: Nicole Easton
Weekly Update as of market close October 7, 2022
Market gains early last week were enough to outpace declines later, as stocks enjoyed their best weekly gains in a month. The Russell 2000, the Dow, and the Global Dow paced the benchmark indexes listed here. The S&P 500 climbed higher, while the Nasdaq was able to hold on to a marginal gain. Investors saw […]
Read MoreWeekly Update as of market close September 30, 2022
Wall Street ended a very tepid month of September on a downswing. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here lost value last week, as investors continued to worry about the impact the Federal Reserve policies will have on the economy. The 0.3% increase in the August personal consumption expenditures price index certainly didn’t help support […]
Read MoreFAFSA for 2023-2024 School Year Opens on October 1
October is the kickoff month for financial aid. That’s when incoming and returning college students can start filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the next academic year. The FAFSA is a prerequisite for federal student loans, grants, and work-study, and may be required by colleges before they distribute their own institutional […]
Read MoreWeekly Update as of market close September 23, 2022
Investors endured their second harrowing week in a row as the Federal Reserve continued to raise interest rates aggressively to combat inflation. New signs of slowing global growth and Russia’s threats to escalate the war in Ukraine provided more reasons for selloffs in the stock and bond markets by nervous investors. The Nasdaq, the Russell […]
Read MoreCHIPs and Science Act Aims to Preserve U.S. Technology Edge
The CHIPs and Science Act of 2022, signed into law on August 9, is a bipartisan legislation package that provides more than $50 billion in direct financial assistance for semiconductor companies to increase U.S.-based design, research, and manufacturing capabilities. In addition, the legislation authorizes nearly $170 billion in federal funding over five years for research […]
Read MoreWeekly Update as of market close September 16, 2022
Inflation is still rising, albeit at a slower pace, according to the latest data out last week. This will likely support further interest-rate increases from the Federal Reserve and worries of a resulting economic recession. Stocks retreated, culminating in the worst week since June. The Nasdaq suffered through its worst week since January after falling […]
Read MorePrepare Now for Future Emergencies
September is National Preparedness Month, part of an effort by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to raise public awareness and inspire disaster readiness. Most communities could be impacted by some type of natural disaster, whether it’s a wildfire, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, or flood. Here are some tips to help keep your family safe in […]
Read MoreWeekly Update as of market close September 9, 2022
Are investors accepting the Federal Reserve’s hawkish path to reduce inflation? Last week’s market performance may lend credence to that possibility, as each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted solid gains, reversing three weeks of losses. A jump in tech shares pushed the Nasdaq up to its highest level since late August. The S&P […]
Read MoreWeekly Update as of market close September 2, 2022
Equities suffered losses for the third consecutive week, as investors anticipated continued aggressive moves by the Federal Reserve to combat inflation. The S&P 500 extended its longest losing streak since mid-June. The latest labor report (see below) seemed to validate the Fed’s contention that the economy is strong enough to endure more tightening. The tech-heavy […]
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