At a time when your career is reaching a peak and you are looking ahead to your own retirement, you may find yourself in the position of having to help your children with college expenses while at the same time looking after the needs of your aging parents. Squeezed in the middle, you’ve joined the […]
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The Markets (as of market close September 26, 2025)
Despite a rebound on Friday, stocks closed last week mostly lower. Each of the major market indexes, the S&P 500, the Dow, and the NASDAQ, declined in value following a record-setting rally that lasted several weeks. Investors pondered the impact of new tariffs on certain imports announced by President Trump as well as mixed signals […]
Read MoreAlternative Investments May Be Coming to 401(k) Plans
On August 7, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Labor (DOL) to investigate how alternative investments, including private assets and cryptocurrency, might become more easily accessible to investors in work-based retirement plans. Celebrated by some and criticized by others, the order paves the way for retirement savers — and at […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close September 19, 2025)
The stock market continued its record-setting run last week with the Dow, the S&P 500, and the NASDAQ each reaching new record highs. The small caps of the Russell 2000 also hit a new high for the first time in four years, which signaled a broadening of the rally beyond tech stocks. The major impetus […]
Read MoreIncome Tax Key Numbers
Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) 2024 2025 Maximum AMT exemption amount $133,300 (MFJ), $85,700 (Single/HOH), $66,650 (MFS) $137,000 (MFJ), $88,100 (Single/HOH), $68,500 (MFS) Exemption phaseout threshold $1,218,700 (MFJ), $609,350 (Single/HOH/MFS) $1,252,700 (MFJ), $626,350 (Single/HOH/MFS) 26% rate applies to AMT income (AMTI) at or below this amount (28% rate applies to AMTI above this amount) $232,600 (MFJ/Single/HOH), […]
Read MoreInfographic: The Cost of Moving Out of Your Parents’ House
This chart shows the monthly expenses facing young adults ages 25 to 34 in the U.S. who move out of their parents’ home and the percentage each expense consumes based on a typical income for people in this age group. Rent devours paychecks, and transportation and student debt compound costs Moving out can be a […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close September 5, 2025)
The stock market was heavily influenced last week by new data on the labor market, which continued to show signs of cooling and bolstered expectations of a potential interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve later this month. Throughout last week, Wall Street experienced some significant swings driven by economic data. The week began with […]
Read MoreYoung Grads Bear the Brunt of Tightening Labor Market
College graduates looking to join the workforce this year encountered the most discouraging labor market in recent memory. The class of 2025 saw the number of job postings on Handshake (a career platform used to recruit college graduates) decline 15% from the previous year. The number of applications per job increased by 30%.1 The Federal […]
Read MoreFCC Warns of Back-to-School Scams Targeting Students & Families
As students return to school this fall, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is cautioning families about a growing wave of back-to-school scams. Common tactics include fraudulent scholarship offers, fake student loan forgiveness programs, and even the use of AI-generated “deepfake” voice scams designed to impersonate students or school officials. These scams are aimed at tricking […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close August 29, 2025)
Wall Street experienced a mixed and volatile week, ultimately closing last Friday on a down note. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here pulled back from recent record highs. A slump in technology stocks was the primary drag on the market. The latest inflation data (see below), which showed core prices continued to rise, weighed […]
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