Normally, retirement plans are generally considered safe from creditors. A recent ruling by the Bankruptcy Panel for the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has called that safety into question. An individual was awarded ½ of his ex-wife’s 401(k) plan and her entire individual retirement account in their divorce settlement.
It has been a good run. Ten years after the 2008 “meltdown,” the bull market in securities is beginning to show its age. And, after a very placid 2017, volatility in the market is showing it’s alive and well. That volatility has been driven by interest rate expectations, trade/tariff discussions,
October 2018 marked the 10th year of the longest bull market in history. In 2017, the stock market (S&P 500) moved placidly upward; in fact, the market set record highs over 100 times since the Presidential election in November 2016. This year, 2018, has given investors pause to think, however.