Stocks ended the week higher as strong corporate earnings data helped offset worries of another round of interest rate hikes, following the Federal Reserve’s meeting this week. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted weekly gains, with the exception of the Russell 2000. Ten-year Treasury yields slipped on rising bond prices. Crude oil prices […]
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SECURE 2.0 Helps Small Employers Help Their Employees
Approximately 78% of people who work for companies with fewer than 10 employees and about 65% of those who work for companies with 10 to 24 employees do not have access to a retirement plan at work.1 That’s unfortunate, because workers with a retirement plan are far more likely to save for retirement than those without […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close April 21, 2023)
Stocks were relatively listless last week, with only the Russell 2000 posting a gain of 0.6%. The Nasdaq, the Dow, and the Global Dow fell between 0.2% and 0.4%, while the S&P 500 was nearly flat. Energy stocks were among the worst performing, with crude oil prices posting their poorest week in about a month. […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close April 14, 2023)
Investors spent much of last week contemplating the impact of the latest inflation data and the first batch of first-quarter bank earnings. The process of disinflation continued, and retail sales softened in March, which are developments that could influence interest-rate decisions to be made by the Federal Reserve in the coming months. The stock market […]
Read MoreSECURE 2.0 Adds New Early Withdrawal Exceptions
The SECURE 2.0 Act, passed as part of an omnibus spending bill in December 2022, added new exceptions to the 10% federal income tax penalty for early withdrawals from tax-advantaged retirement accounts. The Act also expanded an existing exception that applies specifically to employer plans. These exceptions are often called 72(t) exceptions, because they are […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close April 7, 2023)
Last week, most financial markets closed for Good Friday, although bond markets were open until noon. Stocks ended last week with mixed results, with the Dow and the Global Dow adding value, while the Russell 2000, the Nasdaq, and the S&P 500 fell. Wall Street began the week with large caps advancing. However, stocks couldn’t […]
Read MoreFederal Income Tax Returns Due for Most Individuals
The federal income tax filing deadline for individuals is generally Tuesday, April 18, 2023. The IRS has postponed the deadline to file federal income tax returns and make tax payments for certain New York storm victims until May 15, 2023, and to July 31, 2023, for certain Mississippi storm victims. The deadline has been postponed […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close March 24, 2023)
Investors were on edge for most of the week, with concerns about banking, rising interest rates, inflation, and volatile stock and bond markets. Treasury yields dipped to their lowest levels since September. Indicative of the bumpy week of trading, the Russell 2000 gained, then fell to its lowest level since October, then bounced back to […]
Read MoreThere’s Still Time to Fund an IRA for 2022
The tax filing deadline is fast approaching, which means time is running out to fund an IRA for 2022. If you had earned income last year, you may be able to contribute up to $6,000 for 2022 ($7,000 for those age 50 or older by December 31, 2022) up until your tax return due date, […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close March 17, 2023)
Stocks closed mostly higher during a volatile week. The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 led the benchmark indexes listed here, while the Dow, the Russell 2000, and the Global Dow declined in value. Crude oil prices settled at the lowest level since December 2021. Gold prices vaulted up nearly 6.0%, while the dollar ticked lower. […]
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