Newsletters
Will you outlive your retirement income? Are your financial expectations for the coming year realistic?
Our financial newsletters are designed to provide helpful information on a wide variety of financial topics. Simply click on one of the newsletter topics below to read the article in its entirety.
March
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HOT TOPIC: Can Productivity Keep Driving the U.S. Economy?
This article looks at the importance of productivity to the U.S. economy, possible contributing factors to the recent surge, and the prospects for an extended period of strong productivity growth.
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Key Retirement and Tax Numbers for 2024
This article presents the IRS’ cost-of-living adjustments for 2024 that affect contribution limits for retirement plans and various tax deduction, exclusion, exemption, and threshold amounts.
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How Savers and Spenders Can Meet in the Middle
Couples who have opposite philosophies regarding saving and spending often have trouble finding common ground. This article offers some tips to learn to work with financial differences.
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The Federal Reserve’s Key Meeting Dates in 2024
This article outlines the Federal Reserve’s three main objectives and provides the meeting schedule of the Federal Open Market Committee.
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Roth 401(k) News: Is It Time to Rethink How You Save for Retirement?
High-income participants will not be allowed to make pre-tax catch-up contributions to a traditional 401(k) or similar plan starting in 2026, but they will be able to contribute to a workplace Roth.
February
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HOT TOPIC: Tax Season News and Survival Tips
Taxpayers may want to be aware of important updates as they prepare to file their 2023 federal returns. This article includes information, filing tips, and last-minute opportunities for tax savings.
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A New Year, A New Opportunity to Save with a 529 Plan
This article explains how a 529 plan can help a family save for college, including recent changes that have made these plans more flexible.
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Don’t Forget About Credit When Planning for Retirement
Credit may not be at the top of the list when it comes to retirement, but good credit can make a big difference for retirees. This article looks at some key factors that lenders consider.
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Do You Have These Key Estate Planning Documents?
This article provides an overview of four estate planning documents that almost everyone should have: a durable power of attorney, a medical directive, a will, and a letter of instruction.
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Debit or Credit — What’s the Difference?
This article explains why it may be better to use a credit card for certain transactions, as long as the bill is paid on time to avoid interest charges.
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Small Businesses Could Face Borrowing Challenges
Despite tougher lending conditions and higher interest costs, many people who need capital for business purposes may need to borrow money. This article discusses some common financing options.
January
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Will You Work Beyond Traditional Retirement Age?
Does your income strategy beyond traditional retirement age include receiving a paycheck? This article looks at the advantages and disadvantages of working later in life.
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Setting a Retirement Savings Goal
Only 51% of workers or their spouses have tried to estimate the savings they would need to live comfortably in retirement. This article offers a simple worksheet to help calculate a savings target.
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SECURE 2.0 Makes It Easier to Give and Receive
The SECURE 2.0 Act modified the rules for qualified charitable distributions to allow funding a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust from an IRA.
December
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HOT TOPIC: A Cautiously Optimistic Economic Outlook for 2024
The U.S. economy grew in the third quarter of 2023, despite high interest rates and unsettling geopolitical conflict. This article discusses market conditions and economic forecasts for 2024.
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Much Ado About RMDs
This article provides an overview of the changes the SECURE 2.0 Act made and a brief explanation of how to calculate required minimum distributions from tax-advantaged retirement accounts.
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ISM Indexes Watch for Trouble on Both Sides of the Economy
Two different Purchasing Managers Indexes are generally considered to be leading economic indicators that can help businesses and investors make more informed decisions.
November
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Bond Yields Are Up, but What Are the Risks?
After years of low yields, bonds are offering higher yields that may be appealing to investors regardless of their risk tolerance. This article provides an overview of bond risks.
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Tax-Loss Harvesting Offers Chance at Silver Lining
Stock market downturns can be rough on a portfolio’s bottom line, but selling losing investments may offer the potential to reduce an investor’s tax liability.
October
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HOT TOPIC: Rising Oil Prices Could Pose the Latest Threat to the Economy
This article discusses the market dynamics that are impacting oil prices and adding to concerns about broader inflation and economic growth.
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Time to Bulk Up Your Emergency Fund
A financial crisis can strike when least expected, so it’s important to have a sufficient emergency fund. This article offers some suggestions to help increase a fund before it’s needed.
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Four Key Objectives of a Sound Retirement Plan
A sound retirement plan should be based on personal circumstances, and no one strategy is suitable for everyone. This article looks at four goals that a retirement strategy should address.
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New FAFSA Favors Grandparent College Giving
Changes to the 2024–2025 Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) allow grandparents to help with college expenses without affecting financial aid eligibility based on the FAFSA.
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Enriching a Teen with a Roth IRA
A teen with a part-time job can contribute to a Roth IRA, which is a flexible way to accumulate funds for college, retirement, and other long-term needs.