Newsletters
Will you outlive your retirement income? Are your financial expectations for the coming year realistic?
Our financial newsletters are designed to provide helpful information on a wide variety of financial topics. Simply click on one of the newsletter topics below to read the article in its entirety.
March
-
HOT TOPIC: Can Productivity Keep Driving the U.S. Economy?
This article looks at the importance of productivity to the U.S. economy, possible contributing factors to the recent surge, and the prospects for an extended period of strong productivity growth.
-
Key Retirement and Tax Numbers for 2024
This article presents the IRS’ cost-of-living adjustments for 2024 that affect contribution limits for retirement plans and various tax deduction, exclusion, exemption, and threshold amounts.
-
How Savers and Spenders Can Meet in the Middle
Couples who have opposite philosophies regarding saving and spending often have trouble finding common ground. This article offers some tips to learn to work with financial differences.
-
The Federal Reserve’s Key Meeting Dates in 2024
This article outlines the Federal Reserve’s three main objectives and provides the meeting schedule of the Federal Open Market Committee.
-
Roth 401(k) News: Is It Time to Rethink How You Save for Retirement?
High-income participants will not be allowed to make pre-tax catch-up contributions to a traditional 401(k) or similar plan starting in 2026, but they will be able to contribute to a workplace Roth.
February
-
HOT TOPIC: Tax Season News and Survival Tips
Taxpayers may want to be aware of important updates as they prepare to file their 2023 federal returns. This article includes information, filing tips, and last-minute opportunities for tax savings.
-
Do You Have These Key Estate Planning Documents?
This article provides an overview of four estate planning documents that almost everyone should have: a durable power of attorney, a medical directive, a will, and a letter of instruction.
January
-
Understanding Life Insurance
Life insurance can help replace much-needed income after the death of a provider. With the wide variety of policies available, it’s important to understand the basic types of coverage.
-
Setting a Retirement Savings Goal
Only 51% of workers or their spouses have tried to estimate the savings they would need to live comfortably in retirement. This article offers a simple worksheet to help calculate a savings target.
December
-
Much Ado About RMDs
This article provides an overview of the changes the SECURE 2.0 Act made and a brief explanation of how to calculate required minimum distributions from tax-advantaged retirement accounts.
-
New Medicare Rules Tackle Prescription Drug Prices
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 included provisions intended to lower prescription drug costs for Medicare enrollees and slow drug spending by the federal government.
November
-
You’ve Received an Inheritance, Now What?
Receiving an inheritance might promote spending without planning, but it’s not wise to make hasty decisions. This article provides suggestions that could help manage an inheritance.
-
Tax-Loss Harvesting Offers Chance at Silver Lining
Stock market downturns can be rough on a portfolio’s bottom line, but selling losing investments may offer the potential to reduce an investor’s tax liability.
October
-
Time to Bulk Up Your Emergency Fund
A financial crisis can strike when least expected, so it’s important to have a sufficient emergency fund. This article offers some suggestions to help increase a fund before it’s needed.
-
Four Key Objectives of a Sound Retirement Plan
A sound retirement plan should be based on personal circumstances, and no one strategy is suitable for everyone. This article looks at four goals that a retirement strategy should address.
-
Enriching a Teen with a Roth IRA
A teen with a part-time job can contribute to a Roth IRA, which is a flexible way to accumulate funds for college, retirement, and other long-term needs.
September
-
Coming in 2024: New 529 Plan-to-Roth IRA Rollover Option
The SECURE 2.0 Act includes two new provisions related to college savings and funding. Learn more in this article.
-
New RMD Rules Give Retirement Savings More Time to Grow
This article explains the rules for required minimum distribution from tax-deferred retirement accounts with an emphasis on the new provisions of the SECURE 2.0 Act.
August
-
Mutual Funds: What’s in Your Portfolio?
Mutual funds offer a convenient way to invest across a wide range of market activity. This article provides an overview of different types of mutual funds in order of typical risk.
-
It’s Your Money: Why Not Get Your Withholding Right?
Did you owe money at tax time or receive a large refund? This article discusses the types of situations in which taxpayers should consider adjusting their withholding.
July
-
Child Care Is a Budget Buster: Take Advantage of These Tax Breaks
A tax credit and/or dependent-care flexible spending account might help offset some of the costs paid for a nanny, babysitter, day care, preschool, or day camp.
June
-
How Taxes Impact Your Retirement-Income Strategy
Retirees face unique challenges when managing their income, particularly when it comes to taxes. This article provides an overview of tax-related issues, from taxing Social Security to the new RMD rules and determining when to tap taxable and tax-advantaged accounts.
May
-
Municipal Bonds: A Tax-Advantaged Way to Put Capital to Work
Muni bonds and tax-exempt funds have long been a mainstay in the portfolios of income-focused investors who want to manage their tax burdens.
-
Bear Market Emotions: Strategy vs. Reaction
Staying disciplined in building a well-constructed portfolio over time can help carry investors through the market’s rough spots.
April
-
Time for a Spring Cleanup: Organizing Your Financial Records
Spring is a good time to clean out and organize financial records. This article offers guidelines on how long different types of records need to be retained.
-
Retiring in a Down Market? Don’t Panic
Market volatility makes most investors nervous, but a big downturn can be especially disturbing to those who are approaching retirement or newly retired. This article presents three fundamental concepts that may help investors keep market movements in perspective and maintain their focus on long-term goals.