Mutual Funds

Topline With the stock market falling for the last six weeks in a row amid growing concerns about an economic slowdown and the Federal Reserve raising interest rates to combat inflation, an increasing number of Wall Street experts are warning of now “uncomfortably high” recession risks, with rising odds of a downturn within the next

Today’s Social Security column addresses questions about what effects early Social Security spousal benefits can have in various benefit rates, how delayed retirement credits are applied and how a public pension can affect survivor’s benefit? Larry Kotlikoff is a Professor of Economics at Boston University and the founder and president of Economic Security Planning, Inc.

2022 has given us plenty of reasons to fear for our financial health—inflation, rising interest rates, and a global conflict are the big three that have sent stock and bond markets into one of the more volatile stretches we’ve seen, at least since the initial shock of pandemic shutdowns roiled markets in 2020. However, as

Should death be taxing? Amid budget surpluses, states started slashing income taxes last year. But only two have made significant changes to their estate or inheritance taxes so far. Last year Iowa legislators decided to phase out the state’s inheritance tax by January 1, 2025. And this year Nebraska legislators made pro-taxpayer tweaks to its

It’s nothing new when your stubborn aging parent refuses help. Maybe they have been generally stubborn for as long as you can remember. But with aging, you see them less and less able to do things, and you worry. Aging takes its toll on independence with everyday things like shopping, driving, cooking, and laundry. It

Those who are retiring now might have waited too long. Don’t let this happen to you. You might be thinking retirement is too far away to worry about. If you plan on claiming your gold watch within the next ten years, it’s not. In fact, if your last day is less than five years away,

By Richard Eisenberg, Next Avenue If you are a boomer or Gen Xer and have wondered why your millennial and Gen Z colleagues work the ways they do, you can be pretty sure they’re wondering the same thing about you. But in their new book, “Gentelligence,” Miami University management professor Megan Gerhardt (a 45-year-old Gen

By Erin Flynn Jay, Next Avenue Consumer inflation accelerated to an annual rate of 7.5% in January, the fastest pace in 40 years, according to the Bureau of Labor. Rising costs of food, energy and shelter inflation hit retirees on fixed incomes the hardest. Like many people who are no longer working, Dolores Macrina, a

By Chris Farrell, Next Avenue Janie Morisette taught school in Hardin, Montana, for 32 years before retiring in 2019. Her long-time home, with five bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and an attached garage, was too much home for a 72-year-old. She and her daughter, who lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, decided that Morisette would move to St.

You can hear profound statements in the most unlikely places. A few years ago, when I was 61 or so, I was in a water aerobics class here in Mexico. One of my classmates was a woman a good bit older than me who told me that after building her dream home with her husband

Topline Markets fell despite a rebound late in the session on Thursday, continuing one of the worst starts to a year in history as mounting losses dragged the benchmark S&P 500 index to a new low point for 2022 and investors continued to offload stocks amid ongoing uncertainty. Key Facts The stock market rebounded late

It’s happening right now. Just as many committed themselves to “The Great Resignation,” the market has decided it doesn’t like the prevailing economic conditions. And with that, those on the cusp of retirement may be rethinking their decision to leave the workforce. This is a form of risk that has made the rounds over the

Following last week’s election results, at least five members of the Board of the $100 billion State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio are not under the direct influence of any union or the pension’s Wall Street-friendly, overpaid investment staff. Soon the new Board will be free to vote to restore much-needed transparency, complete the independent

Topline Markets are so far having one of their worst years in history as investors are whipsawed by rising inflation, tighter monetary policy from the Federal Reserve and Russia’s war against Ukraine, but despite the ongoing volatility, Wall Street analysts see opportunities and recommend a basket of defensive and stable stocks. Key Facts With markets

It’s rare that I write about something personal, but I am making an exception here. I just spent the last five days as the sole caregiver for Jenny, a friend from childhood who lives in a very small town in the mountains of California. Jenny is 70 and has a rare form of cancer. Her

Topline Stocks fell on Monday and hit new lows for the year while rates surged, with investors trying to recover from last week’s volatile market swings even as experts warn that rising risks to economic growth could lead to further downturns. Key Facts The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 2%, over 600 points, while

Probate courts are full of family fights about money and property. These battles can go on for years and can easily wipe out substantial sums you may have worked hard to create as your legacy. Attorneys’ fees usually come out of the estate of the deceased. Who wants that? Where the Problems Start Some problems

Social Security is the primary source of retirement income for millions of Americans. The larger percentage of your retirement income derived from Social Security, the more today’s high inflation rates will bust your budget. The only bright side is high inflation can lead to a larger than standard Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) How Big

Today’s Social Security column addresses questions about who will and who will not have the 2022 COLA applied to their benefit rates, what happens to divorced spousal benefits when an ex dies and whether SSA actually overpaid benefits. Larry Kotlikoff is a Professor of Economics at Boston University and the founder and president of Economic

“We all of us have limited amounts of energy,” said novelist Doris Lessing, “and I am sure the people who are successful have learned, either by instinct or consciously, to use their energies well instead of spilling them about.” Yes, it’s true, and if you want to know why financial resolutions are made—and broken—every January,

By Richard Eisenberg, Next Avenue You know that feeling when you’re having a delightful time at a picnic, but you start seeing storm clouds in the horizon? That’s pretty much what prospects for retirement look like for most working Americans, according to the latest annual survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and Greenwald

By Richard Eisenberg, Next Avenue Kerry Hannon has written for Next Avenue about work and personal finances since the site was founded in 2012. The journalist, 61, recently became a Yahoo! senior columnist; launched “The Second Act Show,” a biweekly streaming livecast with career coach John Tarnoff; and published a book, appropriately called “In Control

Topline Stocks finished lower on Friday, adding to recent losses despite stronger-than-expected jobs data, as investors continue to remain nervous about a slowdown in economic growth and experts warn of more market downturns ahead. Key Facts All three major indexes were down for at least the fifth week in a row: The Dow Jones Industrial

We’ve all heard the old adage, “A mother’s work is never done.” From surviving sleepless nights with a newborn, to navigating the tumultuous teen years, to gently guiding adult children through life’s challenges, a mother’s job is forever. Another complexity for mothers is safeguarding their family’s financial security while also saving enough for their own

By Ellen Marks, Next Avenue It might come as an email, disguised as a message from a friend who needs help buying a gift card. It might be a phone call, threatening jail time if you don’t immediately pay a fine for missing jury duty. Or it might be a budding online relationship with someone

We are headed for a major retirement crisis. If we do not act soon, the number of poor or near-poor people over age 62 will soar to 21.8 million people by 2045—up 25% from 17.5 million in 2018. In the next 12 years, 40% of middle-class older workers will become poor and near-poor elders. What

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education recently released a troubling report on the state of teacher preparation. Between the 2008-09 and the 2018-19 school years, the number of people completing a teacher education program plummeted by almost a third. The analysis also found that the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded in education dropped

Topline The stock market moved sharply lower on Thursday, reversing all of its gains from the previous session when the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a half-percentage point, as volatility remains elevated and investors continue to worry about risks to economic growth. Key Facts The market recorded its worst day since 2020: The Dow

Running to the sidelines in today’s market environment could result in significantly lower long-term returns It was a challenging first quarter for equity investors. After a relatively calm 2021, volatility was on the rise. The Dow, S&P, and NASDAQ NDAQ all finished the quarter in the red, turning in their worst quarterly performance since the

Topline The stock market surged higher on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 0.5% in a move widely-anticipated by investors, as the central bank continues on its path of aggressive monetary policy tightening in a bid to combat surging inflation. Key Facts Stocks moved higher following the Federal Reserve’s announcement: The Dow