et’s face it: Most women encounter financial challenges most men don’t have. For starters, we tend to earn less, live longer and carry more debt. What’s more, women are more likely to be single later in life — which can pack an economic punch.

Have you ever wondered how Fixed Annuities work? Watch as our advisors, Michael and Seth explain how this investment works.

“Family” is an expansive and complex term. From partners to children to aging parents and other relatives, there is no one route to successful family money management. It takes discipline and flexibility to navigate ever-changing financial needs.

It’s not often we experience a year like 2020. Pandemic. Recession. End of the bull market. Divisive election. Now it’s time for a year-end reset to prepare for 2021.

Recent research has found that millions of Americans who lost their jobs during the early months of the pandemic have decided to call it quits and retire early.

Why purchase an annuity when the market is performing well? Remember the adage: What goes up must come down. If and when the market experiences a decline, your potential profit is reduced and your income may drop.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), enacted in late March, offered provisions related to distributions from tax-advantaged retirement accounts. Specifically, the goal is to enable Americans to have advantageous access to cash to help sustain them during periods they may not be able to work due to the coronavirus.

A 401(k) is a retirement plan offered by an employer that allows you to take a percentage of your paycheck (you decide how much) and put it aside for your retirement. This money usually gets invested on your behalf in a variety of stocks and bonds so that your money can create more money.

Every type of financial vehicle has its own unique characteristics, including how it grows, how it's taxed and what it's used for. When setting up a retirement strategy, your financial advisor will begin by looking at two parts: how money goes in and how it comes back out.

According to a 2019 study, only 23% of American workers are very confident that they have enough money for a comfortable retirement. As a result, more of us will work longer, with two out of three pre-retirees saying that work will be one sources of their retirement income.

Many Americans think they will reach their financial goals if they just work harder and longer. They mistakenly believe that adding to their bottom line always requires more effort, energy, and time.

Prior to the COVID-19 epidemic, nearly 34% of U.S. homes were owned by residents aged 60 and older. As the “Silver Tsunami” winds down, existing homes may begin to flood the market — driving prices lower in residential real estate.

In many locations, it seems like summers just keep getting hotter. That means we need to get smarter when it comes to beating the heat. While most folks wear lighter-weight clothing during the summer months, it’s also worth checking out the new smart fabrics.

If your credit score is lower than you'd like, there may be ways to bring it up. Depending on what's holding it down, you may be able to tack on as many as 100 points relatively quickly.

Remember that there is a big difference between a growth portfolio and an income portfolio. As investors grow closer to retirement, they should begin transferring assets to more conservative holdings in an effort to preserve investment gains achieved during the accumulation phase

I would love to report that this virus has galvanized our government and elected officials in a common cause – but that’s just not been the case. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – which included $349 billion carved out of the $2.2 trillion relief package – ran out of money.

Markets finally started paying attention on Jan. 23, when China announced it was locking down Wuhan, the initial epicenter of the virus. In response, the U.S. banned travel from Wuhan and later all of China.

The logic is that deaths are perceived as rearward-looking; people who have had the disease are passing, so the markets discount those higher numbers. Rates of new infections, a forward-looking measure, are dropping, and fewer infections today mean fewer future deaths. Markets liked the more optimistic scenario.

This week is stacking up as a pivotal one for the virus in our country. It truly seems like this week will be the hardest to take given the dark news coverage, and it will be difficult for people to stay calm and focused