Market Recap: New high in October—what drives the overall market? Following a modest sell-off in September, stocks racked up a big gain in October, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 Index setting new highs late in the month, according to market data provided by… Read More »Market Recap, Gratitude this Holiday Season, and Holiday Office Hours
Will you be paying more in taxes next year? Let’s ask the question in another way. Since politicians have taken aim at high earners: Are taxes going to rise for the wealthiest taxpayers? Clients usually ask, “How will this affect me?” Or, “Will I be ensnared by Congress’… Read More »Will Tax Law Changes Increase Your Taxes? Plus Market Update Through September
Secure Act In late 2019, the president signed the SECURE (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement) Act into law. Required minimum distributions (RMDs) for employer-sponsored plans and IRA accounts were raised from 70 ½ years to 72 years old. It was a welcome change. The act also… Read More »Secure Act 2.0 and Market Review
Are you on track to retire comfortably? What are your financial goals? How much income will you need to generate each month when you have retired? What might be some of your longer-term goals outside the financial arena, but goals that would be aided by a larger pool… Read More »7 Ways to Stay on Track to Meet Your Retirement Goals and Market Update
I was pleased to participate in a panel at the Women’s Advisor Summit sponsored by Investment News in June. The topic for the panel was “Expand Your Offerings and Grow Your Practice with Commission-Free Annuities.” It was great a great panel of women in the business, including moderator… Read More »Nola Kulig was a Panelist for Women’s Advisor Summit in June 2021
Managing a Financial Windfall Have you ever dreamed of winning the lottery or inheriting a large sum of money? Most people have. Yet, riches that fall into our hands can sometimes quickly slip through our fingers. [[https://www.marketwatch.com/story/one-in-three-americans-who-get-an-inheritance-blow-it-2015-09-03 One study]] found that one third of the people who received… Read More »8 Ideas That Help Manage a Financial Windfall and Market Review
Market Review This time last year, the World Health Organization recently had declared that the spread of Covid-19 constituted a worldwide pandemic [https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19—11-march-2020]. Stringent measures in the U.S. were being taken to slow the spread of Covid and “flatten the curve.” The lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders dealt a… Read More »Covid A Year Later and Avoiding Seven Retirement Traps
A Look Back and a Look Ahead The year 2020 presented us with unique challenges. Never has a singular event had such wide-ranging repercussions as the Covid pandemic. It has touched nearly every area of our lives: schooling, socializing, family gatherings, travel, and more. And the restraints from… Read More »Review of 2020 and Financial Resolutions for 2021
It’s been a tough year for many in 2020, but it’s not over yet. There is still time to take care of financial planning moves before year-end, which are covered in this month’s newsletter. We also have a short recap of the markets through November. The planning moves… Read More »Checklist for Year-End Planning and YTD Market Recap
This timely video came to me courtesy of Dimensional Fund Advisors. This is great to look at as we approach one of the more contentious elections in recent US history: https://www.mydimensional.com/how-much-impact-does-the-president-have-on-stocks-data-vid