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Our goal is to keep you, your family, and your friends up to date on everything from finance to health care. We strive to help you make the most informed financial decisions to help you achieve financial success, so you can enjoy everything life has to offer. That’s what our blog is for!
Consumers: Buying Power in 2022

Consumers: Buying Power in 2022

One of the biggest economic stories of the first quarter was the rising rate of inflation, as consumer prices reached a 39-year high by the end of 2021. In the first quarter, the inflation rate floated around 7%.

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What’s Up With Real Estate?

What’s Up With Real Estate?

The U.S. housing market is still suffering from low inventory: too few houses available for the numbers of home-seeking buyers. Naturally, the capitalist principals of supply and demand kick in, meaning that prices inevitably rise when there are too few products available to purchase.

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Global Recovery in a Post-Pandemic World

In 2020, the World Economic Forum published its annual Global Competitiveness Report, as usual. However, in light of the global pandemic, it put its long-standing Global Competitiveness Index rankings on hold. Instead, the report focused on priorities for recovery and revival instead of competition.

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What is “Stakeholder Capitalism”?

In its monthly Investment Insights publication, Merrill Lynch noted that while nationalism has been a strong trend throughout the past few years, globalism in the prior 30 years did much to reduce poverty worldwide. As trade agreements shifted many U.S. jobs and operations overseas, the average income of the lower 50% of global earners nearly double between 1980 and 2016. However, this came at a price, including the mass exodus of U.S. jobs and stagnant wages at the low-income scale.

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What’s Ahead for the Stock Market?

Oil prices are influenced by supply and demand, and 2020 was a great demonstration of this principle. With global and local shutdowns due to the spread of the coronavirus, there was less demand for products and services. While online shopping was up, foot traffic in stores languished and retailers suffered from reduced consumerism. Wholesale orders dropped, as did the need to transport them from manufacturers to distributors to vendors.

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Th Top 10 Things to Consider When Preparing For Your Retirement Guide
Top 10 Actions When Preparing For Retirement

Planning for retirement income may seem like a daunting task, but can help you get a handle on preparing for your financial future.

Consumers: Buying Power in 2022

Consumers: Buying Power in 2022

One of the biggest economic stories of the first quarter was the rising rate of inflation, as consumer prices reached a 39-year high by the end of 2021. In the first quarter, the inflation rate floated around 7%.

read more
How Demographics Affect the Economy

How Demographics Affect the Economy

Back in 2019, economists claimed that the large population of older Americans dubbed the “silver tsunami,” was creating a drag on the economy. The fear was that Americans were aging toward retirement at a faster rate than young adults were entering the workforce. Not only does this put a strain on our finance-as-we-go Social Security and Medicare programs, but a smaller workforce is less able to drive economic growth in the future.

read more
Vaccines and the Stock Market

Vaccines and the Stock Market

If there’s one thing that can move the economy and stock market forward, it’s hope. This year, that hope is being presented in the form of COVID-19 vaccines. Economists and Wall Street analysts have long proclaimed that comprehensive economic recovery is not possible until we have contained the virus. The prospect of wide distribution of effective vaccines and herd immunity by the end of the year has put recovery in our crosshairs.

read more
When to “Buy Low”

When to “Buy Low”

The beginning of the year is typically full of hope. We make New Year’s resolutions, and it may take a few months for our enthusiasm (and vigilance) to wane. There’s also the “January Effect,” when the stock market generally gets a performance boost thanks to tax harvesting in December and subsequent reinvestments. But even that phenomenon tends to fade.

read more
Global Recovery in a Post-Pandemic World

Global Recovery in a Post-Pandemic World

In 2020, the World Economic Forum published its annual Global Competitiveness Report, as usual. However, in light of the global pandemic, it put its long-standing Global Competitiveness Index rankings on hold. Instead, the report focused on priorities for recovery and revival instead of competition.

read more
What is “Stakeholder Capitalism”?

What is “Stakeholder Capitalism”?

In its monthly Investment Insights publication, Merrill Lynch noted that while nationalism has been a strong trend throughout the past few years, globalism in the prior 30 years did much to reduce poverty worldwide. As trade agreements shifted many U.S. jobs and operations overseas, the average income of the lower 50% of global earners nearly double between 1980 and 2016. However, this came at a price, including the mass exodus of U.S. jobs and stagnant wages at the low-income scale.

read more
Consumers: Buying Power in 2022

Consumers: Buying Power in 2022

One of the biggest economic stories of the first quarter was the rising rate of inflation, as consumer prices reached a 39-year high by the end of 2021. In the first quarter, the inflation rate floated around 7%.

read more
Retirement Planning Insights

Retirement Planning Insights

Amid lost jobs and a scaled-back economy in 2020, some workers may have decided to retire earlier than planned. There are a couple of Social Security strategies worth considering in this scenario. First, if both spouses are over age 62, determine if you can make ends meet by taking only one Social Security benefit while letting the other benefit accrue to a higher level. It may be better to let the higher earner’s benefit accrue untapped as long as possible.

read more
How Demographics Affect the Economy

How Demographics Affect the Economy

Back in 2019, economists claimed that the large population of older Americans dubbed the “silver tsunami,” was creating a drag on the economy. The fear was that Americans were aging toward retirement at a faster rate than young adults were entering the workforce. Not only does this put a strain on our finance-as-we-go Social Security and Medicare programs, but a smaller workforce is less able to drive economic growth in the future.

read more
Vaccines and the Stock Market

Vaccines and the Stock Market

If there’s one thing that can move the economy and stock market forward, it’s hope. This year, that hope is being presented in the form of COVID-19 vaccines. Economists and Wall Street analysts have long proclaimed that comprehensive economic recovery is not possible until we have contained the virus. The prospect of wide distribution of effective vaccines and herd immunity by the end of the year has put recovery in our crosshairs.

read more
When to “Buy Low”

When to “Buy Low”

The beginning of the year is typically full of hope. We make New Year’s resolutions, and it may take a few months for our enthusiasm (and vigilance) to wane. There’s also the “January Effect,” when the stock market generally gets a performance boost thanks to tax harvesting in December and subsequent reinvestments. But even that phenomenon tends to fade.

read more
Global Recovery in a Post-Pandemic World

Global Recovery in a Post-Pandemic World

In 2020, the World Economic Forum published its annual Global Competitiveness Report, as usual. However, in light of the global pandemic, it put its long-standing Global Competitiveness Index rankings on hold. Instead, the report focused on priorities for recovery and revival instead of competition.

read more