The Markets (as of market close August 31, 2026) Wall Street enjoyed a solid month in August, despite periodic volatility. Stocks overcame inflation concerns, a receding labor market, rising Treasury yields, monetary policy uncertainty, and ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East to post end-of-the-month gains. The markets focused on strong corporate earnings, softening inflation […]

The short answer: the historical data consistently favors investing now over waiting. Across every scenario (worst-case entry timing, panic-selling during a crash, or missing the market’s best days), the cost of waiting has historically outweighed the cost of imperfect timing The S&P 500 spent the first half of 2026 setting 24 new all-time highs, continuing a bull market […]

Introduction If the value of your stocks, bonds, or other capital investments has increased substantially, there are a few steps you can take to minimize taxation. These include timing the sale of your capital assets, using capital losses effectively, and passing assets to heirs at your death. In addition, you might consider charitable giving. Timing […]

The Roth five-year rule states that a distribution from a Roth IRA or Roth 401(k) is tax and penalty free only if the account has been held for five years and a qualifying event has occurred. Qualifying events include reaching age 59½, becoming disabled, and dying. For Roth IRAs only, a withdrawal of up to […]

The Markets (as of market close July 31, 2026) The U.S. stock market in July experienced a rotation from mega-tech and AI-driven stocks to a broader market. Coming off a robust second quarter that saw equities touch record territory, July witnessed a shift away from megacap technology toward blue-chip value, small-cap equities, and equal-weighted indices. […]

When you leave your job or retire, you may have four options to manage funds in a work-based retirement plan, such as a 401(k), 403(b), or 457(b) plan. Rollover to an IRA The option that could give you the most control is to roll some or all of the funds to an IRA. IRAs typically […]

Amid the July 4th fanfare, a new tax-advantaged investment account officially launched: the 530A account, also known as a Trump Account, which is designed to help children get a head start on their financial future. Parents (or other authorized representatives) have been able to apply since December 2025. By mid-June, more than six million accounts […]

Midyear Checkup: Can You Contribute More to Your Retirement Plan? With traditional pensions in decline, other work-based plans that are driven primarily by employee contributions — such as 401(k), 403(b), and 457(b) plans — are the bedrock of the U.S. retirement system. This means it’s up to you to build retirement savings. The good news […]

Equity Performance Markets were mixed in June.The small caps Russell 2000 led the way with a 3.7% gain, while the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average posted a 2.7% increase. The tech-heavy Nasdaq was the largest laggard, slipping 2.8% in June. Sector performance was split fairly evenly, with six of the eleven sectors ending the month higher. Industrials led with a 7.3% gain, followed […]

Organizing Your Financial Records An integral part of managing your personal finances involves properly maintaining your financial records. This is especially important in the event of a crisis or emergency so that you can quickly locate something if needed. That’s why you should make a point of dusting off the cobwebs that have built up […]