A Market to Be Thankful For Could 2013 end up being the best year for stocks since 1995? In financial terms, 2013 has been a very nice year – a year in which the economy, the housing and business sectors and the stock market have all improved. Looking back over the year to date, it is particularly amazing to see how stocks have soared in the face of many challenges – some of which proved tougher than others. Wall Street [...]
Social Security in 2014 Next years small COLA isnt the only adjustment related to the program. Here are six things you need to know about Social Security for 2014. For claritys sake, here is a rundown of what is changing next year, and what isnt. Social Security recipients are getting a raise but not much of one. Next year, the average monthly Social Security payment will increase by $19 due to a 1.5% cost-of-living adjustment, one of the smallest [...]
End-of-Life issues can be difficult for families to discuss but avoiding them can lead to unnecessary disputes and hurt feelings. Financial planner Jane Ricardi of North Light Financial Services encourages her clients to address the issues. Jane is quoted in Financial Planning magazine as a planner assisting families during difficult times. Click here to read more.
Entering the Yellen Years A look at the economist newly nominated to lead the Federal Reserve. Janet Yellen – currently the vice chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve – has been nominated to succeed Ben Bernanke at the helm of the world’s most important central bank. A former UC Berkeley and London School of Economics professor and San Francisco Fed president, Yellen is a globally admired economist with many fans on Wall Street. The way it [...]
Dividend Reinvestment & Compound Interest Their combined power must be recognized & appreciated. Why reroute dividends back into your investments? Isn’t taking the income the preferred outcome when a dividend is produced? Retirees and pre-retirees are eager for dividend income in this era of historically low interest rates. Even so, the choice to buy more shares has merit for the long run. Reinvestment & compounding may have profoundly positive effects. As a hypothetical example, let’s say you own 100 shares [...]