You may have recently heard about the stock market falling into bear market territory, and about concerns the economy could be heading into a recession. The stock market has had a rough first half of the year, with much of the gains from the past two years being lost in 2022. Thursday, June 30th … [Read more...]
Thoughts on the Current Bear Market
High Inflation: How Long Will It Last?
In March 2022, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), the most common measure of inflation, rose at an annual rate of 8.5%, the highest level since December 1981.1 It's not surprising that a Gallup poll at the end of March found that one out of six Americans considers inflation to … [Read more...]
U.S. Savings Bonds
Many people had their first experience with saving for the future as children when they received a U.S. savings bond as a gift. Savings bonds are issued by the U.S. Treasury Department. However, unlike Treasury bills, notes, and bonds, they are not traded on the open market, and are sold almost … [Read more...]
What Do Rising Interest Rates Mean for Your Money?
On May 4, 2022, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the Federal Reserve raised the benchmark federal funds rate 0.50%. This is part of a series of increases that the FOMC expects to carry out over the next two years to combat high inflation.1 Along with announcing the current increase, … [Read more...]
Required Distributions from IRAs – An Update
The rules for required minimum distributions (RMDs) recently changed when the SECURE Act was passed in 2019. Retirement accounts inherited after 2019 are now subject to a ‘10-year rule’ that requires the account to be emptied within 10 years of the death of the original owner, with some … [Read more...]