Stocks Equities were higher across all the major global indices. The US benchmark – the S&P 500 – rose 1.84%, the Russell 2000 added 1.47% and the NASDAQ gained 2.18%. Overseas, the developed markets (MSCI EAFE) rose 2.42% while the emerging markets (MSCI EM) gained 2.13%. In the US, mid- […]
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Have You Chosen Your Retirement Lifestyle?
We all spend decades working and saving toward the far-off retirement of our dreams. And while we may all have ideas about what we want to do, have you ever thought about what your actual retirement lifestyle will be? U.S. News and World Report recently outlined “10 Retirement Lifestyles Worth […]
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Is the Medicare Donut Hole Really Closed?
You may have heard that the coverage gap for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage — commonlyknown as the donut hole — closed in 2020. While it’s true that recent changes should reduce costs for many beneficiaries, the coverage gap still exists, and costs for some prescriptions may increase in […]
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Pension or Lump Sum: Which Should You Choose?
Traditional pensions, which promise lifetime income payments in retirement, have become less common in the private sector, with only about 10% of workers currently participating in a traditional pension plan. However, pensions are still widely offered in federal, state and local government employment, and 61% of workers expect a pension […]
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A Financial Wellness Plan Can Help Pave the Road to Retirement
If we’ve learned any lesson over the past year, it’s that no matter how carefully we plan and prepare, we’ll likely encounter unexpected hurdles. While a global pandemic has certainly underscored the need to pay close atten- tion to our physical wellness, it has also revealed the need to shore […]
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Weekly Market Commentary
All data is for the week ended June 18, 2021 Stocks Major US stock indices were down last week with the S&P 500 down 1.87%, the Russell 2000 losing 4.17% and the NASDAQ retreating 0.26%. Overseas indices also declined with the international developed markets (MSCI EAFE) and emerging markets (MSCI […]
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Weekly Market Commentary
Provided by our strategic partner Gradient Investments All data is for the week ended June 11, 2021 Stocks Equity indices were generally higher last week with the benchmark S&P 500 advancing 0.43%, the NASDAQ gaining 1.85% and the Russell 2000 rising 2.18%. Overseas markets were also positive with the […]
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Weekly Market Commentary
All data is for the week ended June 4, 2021. Note the week was shortened by the observance of Memorial Day. StocksThe major global stock market indices were all positive last week with the S&P 500 rising 0.64%, the NASDAQ up 0.49%, international developed markets (MSCI: EAFE) adding 0.73% and […]
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Weekly Market Commentary
Gradient Investments Weekly Talking Points 6/1/2021 All data is for the week ended May 28, 2021 StocksThe US equities market was relatively quiet last week as people geared up for the most active holiday weekend in over a year. The S&P 500 rose 1.20%, the Russell 2000 added 2.45% and […]
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What’s Your Strategy for Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits?
Deciding when to start taking your Social Security benefits can have significant financial consequences. Here are some of the factors you should think through. Deciding when to take social security is a bit like playing chess. You’ll need to strategize and think a few moves ahead to maximize your benefit […]
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