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Want to follow how the markets are going, week to week? Here is the best analysis our team can find.

 

Friday, December 27, 2019

By David Barol, MPP, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, BFA™ As we approach the year’s end, amidst all the holiday hustle and bustle, the last thing you want to think about is taking care of your finances. I get it. But since...

 

Saturday, November 23, 2019

When it comes to our money, we know we need to prepare for retirement, plan for major milestones (like paying for your child’s college education or wedding), pay off debt, and make saving a priority. But what about healthcare in...

 

Monday, August 26, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Traders assumed that the week's biggest news event would be Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's speech at the annual Jackson Hole banking conference. Instead, China seized the headlines by announcing new...

 

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Week on Wall Street U.S. stock indices saw significant ups and downs last week, with traders looking for economic cues from Treasury yields and also developments in the tariff fight between the U.S. and China. The S&P 500 lost 1...

 

Monday, August 12, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stocks spent much of last week rebounding from a Monday drop that reflected nervousness about the U.S.-China trade fight. By Thursday's closing bell, the S&P 500 had regained all its Monday losses - but it...

 

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Monday, August 5, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Last week, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the first time in more than a decade, in line with Wall Street's expectations. Ironically, stocks had their worst week of 2019. The S&P 500 finished the...

 

Monday, July 29, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Last week, investors assessed earnings and the initial estimate of second-quarter economic growth, while awaiting the Federal Reserve's next announcement about interest rates. Stocks rose for the week;...

 

Monday, July 22, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stock benchmarks retreated during the first week of the second-quarter earnings season. As some big names shared quarterly results, investors seemed more interested in what might happen at the Federal Reserve's...

 

Monday, July 15, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Friday, the S&P 500 settled above 3,000 for the first time, after rising 0.78% for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average chalked up a milestone of its own: the blue chips ended the week above 27,000,...

 

Monday, July 8, 2019

The Week on Wall Street U.S. stock benchmarks opened a new quarter positively. The S&P 500 gained 1.65% in the opening week of July; the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 1.21%; the Nasdaq Composite, 1.94%. Overseas, stocks in developed...

 

Monday, July 1, 2019

The Week on Wall Street A month of gains for stocks ended with a weekly retreat. The S&P 500 lost 0.30%; the Nasdaq Composite, 0.32%; the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 0.45%. In contrast, overseas shares, tracked by the MSCI EAFE...

 

Monday, June 24, 2019

The Week on Wall Street The S&P 500 hit an all-time peak of 2,964.03, in intraday trading Friday, while improving 2.20% across five market days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite posted respective, 5-day advances...

 

Monday, June 17, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stocks advanced for a second straight week. The S&P 500 benchmark rose 0.47%; the Nasdaq Composite, 0.70%; the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 0.41%. Overseas shares, as tracked by the MSCI EAFE developed markets...

 

Monday, June 10, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stocks rallied during a week in which Wall Street was buffeted by headlines. The S&P 500 rose 4.41%. The Nasdaq Composite and Dow Jones Industrial Average respectively added 3.88% and 4.71%. The MSCI EAFE index...

 

Monday, June 3, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stocks struggled during a 4-day market week as the U.S.-China trade standoff continued to weigh on the minds of market participants. From the Friday, May 24 close to the Friday, May 31 close, the S&P 500...

 

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

The Week on Wall StreetStocks drifted lower last week as investors considered the possibility that the world's two largest economies might take some time to resolve key trade issues. The S&P 500 retreated 1.17%; the Nasdaq Composite,...

 

Monday, May 20, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stocks fell sharply at the start of last week over trade tensions, then recovered with help from strong earnings and indications that U.S.-China trade talks would continue. Even so, the major indices had a down...

 

Monday, May 13, 2019

The Week on Wall Street As we noted recently, Wall Street has a wandering eye. Last week, it focused on the new tariff threats in the ongoing U.S.-China trade dispute. Stocks fell across five trading sessions: the Dow Jones Industrial...

 

Monday, April 29, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stocks returned to record territory, with both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite closing at historic highs. The S&P gained 1.20% for the week; the Nasdaq, 1.85%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lagged,...

 

Monday, April 15, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stocks broke out of a narrow range on Friday following news that two major banks grew their bottom line in the first quarter. For the week, the S&P 500 rose 0.79%; the Nasdaq Composite, 0.91%. The Dow Jones...

 

Monday, April 1, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stocks ended last week higher as volatility slowed, completing their best quarter since 2009. A Friday tweet from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin encouraged investors, referring to "constructive" discussions...

 

Monday, March 18, 2019

The Week on Wall Street The big story last week was the sudden grounding of Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 passenger jets in dozens of countries. The financial effects of this ban could potentially impact the airline industry and segments of...

 

Monday, February 25, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stocks rallied last week as optimism about a potential U.S.-China trade deal grew. The S&P 500 advanced 0.80% during the 4-day trading week to 2,792.67. The Nasdaq Composite improved 0.86% to 7,527.54, and the...

 

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

We know how hard it is to lose a loved one, then have to deal with estate matters such as paying bills, arranging the funeral, and closing accounts. We want to help you by offering strategies we developed serving our clients during...

 

Friday, December 14, 2018

As we said before Thanksgiving, family gatherings over holidays gives you the chance to discuss something of importance, that will make everyone's lives better. Read on to see what we mean.

 

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Finding creative ways for families to pay for their children’s college education.

 

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Benjamin Franklin said, "'In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." It was Will Rogers who added, “death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets."

 

Monday, September 10, 2018

How important is it to get quotes “right”? “Never give up.” I was recently corrected by a loved one who wrote “Never, never, never give up” to my exhortation “Never give in, never give in...

 

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Many of our clients will leave an asset like a residence or summer cottage to their children or inherit one from their parents. Sometimes tensions build as one child may wish to keep it in the family, or reside in it themselves, while...

 

Friday, August 17, 2018

Staying healthy and living longer are good financial strategies. Here we look at causes of breast cancer and how to avoid it.

 

Thursday, July 12, 2018

Tom Clancy, author of The Hunt for Red October and many other military and intelligence thrillers, died in 2013. He left an estate estimated at over $80 million, which included a tank “with low mileage.” There was no secret to...

 

Friday, June 22, 2018

I have lost a few friends over the past several years, yet I still see their faces on Facebook. I am reminded of their birthdays and am forced to decide whether unfriending them would make me disloyal to their memory or respectful of...

 

Monday, June 4, 2018

Financial Planning prepares clients to face the three dangers: You can live too long, die too soon, or get sick along the way.

 

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Does your insurance pay only at death? There are so many other unwanted hazards awaiting us as we go through life. We can help our clients protect themselves from death, disability, critical, chronic, and terminal illness.

 

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Forecasting is a lot harder when you try to predict the future. Here are some of the reasons the future looks cloudy.

 

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

When it comes to paying for long term care, we can hope it never happens or plan ahead.

 

Thursday, June 8, 2017

In case you haven’t heard, the Department of Labor promulgated a rule entitled the Fiduciary and Conflicts of Interest Rule, which the media has dubbed “the DOL rule.” This rule went into effect June 9, 2017. The...

 

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

"Long Term Care" is the care you need if you are no longer able to perform 2 out of the 6 following activities of daily living independently by yourself. Long term care may also include the supervision you might need due to a severe...

 

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

The amount of money you can put away pre-tax goes up with the Social Security cost of living increases. Here is a quick guide on what you can use for 2017. When planning for retirement, don’t forget that the money you receive...

 

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

If you qualify, you can reduce your income on IRS Form 1040 by as much as $4,000. What expenses count? Who Qualifies? How Much will it save you?