On March 11, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was officially declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization, and two days later President Trump declared a national emergency.1 The unknowns surrounding a new virus make it difficult to predict the potential human and economic toll, but unprecedented steps are being taken to help slow the spread […]
Read MoreCategory: Thursday Thoughts
CARES Act Provides Relief to Individuals and Businesses
On Friday, March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law. This $2 trillion emergency relief package is intended to assist individuals and businesses during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and accompanying economic crisis. Major relief provisions are summarized here. Unemployment provisions The legislation provides for: An additional $600 […]
Read MoreCoronavirus Concerns? Consider Past Health Crises
During the last week of February 2020, the S&P 500 lost 11.49% — the worst week for stocks since the 2008 financial crisis — only to jump by 4.6% on the first Monday in March.1 By all accounts, the drop was largely driven by ever-increasing fears about the potential effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and its […]
Read MoreHandling Market Volatility
Corrections happen. The event(s) which trigger stock market corrections are seldom predictable. You know declines will occur but it is seldom possible to know when the next one will begin, how long it will last or how deep it will get. The recent 7.62% decline in the S&P 500 is likely to be the start […]
Read MoreThere’s Still Time to Contribute to an IRA for 2019
Even though tax filing season is well under way, there’s still time to make a regular IRA contribution for 2019. You have until your tax return due date (not including extensions) to contribute up to $6,000 for 2019 ($7,000 if you were age 50 or older on December 31, 2019). For most taxpayers, the contribution […]
Read MoreThe SECURE Act and Your Retirement Savings
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act was enacted in December 2019 as part of a larger federal spending package. This long-awaited legislation expands savings opportunities for workers and includes new requirements and incentives for employers that provide retirement benefits. At the same time, it restricts a popular estate planning strategy for […]
Read MoreNew Spending Package Includes Sweeping Retirement Plan Changes (SECURE Act)
The $1.4 trillion spending package enacted on December 20, 2019, included the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, which had overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives in the spring of 2019, but then subsequently stalled in the Senate. The SECURE Act represents the most sweeping set of changes to retirement legislation in […]
Read MoreWhat Will You Pay for Medicare in 2020?
Medicare premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts change annually. Here’s a look at some of the costs that will apply in 2020 if you’re enrolled in Original Medicare Part A and Part B. Medicare Part B premiums According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), most people with Medicare who receive Social Security benefits […]
Read MoreTRACED Act Offers Consumers Additional Protections Against Robocalls
Whether at home, work or on a cell phone, it’s a scenario many Americans have found themselves in: answering a phone call only to find out it’s from an unwanted robocaller. In fact, the number of unwanted robocalls in this country has skyrocketed in recent years. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ranks unwanted robocalls highest […]
Read MoreTwo Trade Agreements Offer Optimism, But Uncertainty Remains
On December 13, 2019, the United States and China announced a “phase one” trade agreement just before new tariffs were scheduled to go into effect.1 Six days later, the House of Representatives passed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in an overwhelming bipartisan vote, virtually assuring enactment of the long-awaited replacement to the North American Free […]
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