After the wild ride of 2020, the U.S. stock market was relatively calm in 2021, but there was still plenty of volatility. There were 55 days when the S&P 500 index — generally considered representative of U.S. stocks — closed with a rise or fall of 1% or more from the previous day’s closing price.
$1,657 – Average monthly Social Security benefit for retired workers after the 2022 COLA. It was $1,565 before the COLA, an increase of $92 per month. Source: Social Security Administration, 2021 The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2022 is 5.9%, the largest increase since 1983. The COLA applies to December 2021 benefits, payable in
Here are some things to consider as you weigh potential tax moves before the end of the year. Defer Income to Next Year Consider opportunities to defer income to 2022, particularly if you think you may be in a lower tax bracket then. For example, you may be able to defer a year-end bonus or
Women who worked full-time earned just 82 cents for every dollar earned by men in 2020. Women also earned less than men in almost all of the 350 occupations tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. More women work in lower-paid industries than men, and even women in higher-paying fields tend to have fewer years
The COVID-19 economic crisis tested the mettle of all Americans, particularly working mothers. Research shows that the pandemic’s impacts on women have been far-reaching and potentially long-lasting. Now that the U.S. economy is picking up steam, it may be more important than ever for women to re-examine their retirement planning strategies. Effects of the COVID-19
The opportunity to acquire company stock — inside or outside a workplace retirement plan — can be a lucrative employee benefit. Your compensation may include stock options or bonuses paid in company stock. Shares may be offered at a discount through an employee stock purchase plan and held in a taxable account, or company stock
During March 2021, the widening availability of COVID-19 vaccinations, signs of improving economic conditions, and a third, $1.9 trillion stimulus package brought about more optimistic growth projections. Even though a healthy economy could be good news for many businesses and the financial markets, rising inflation expectations caused a multi-week sell-off in U.S. government bonds that
Debt poses a growing threat to the financial security of many Americans — and not just college graduates with exorbitant student loans. Recent studies by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College (CRR) and the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) reveal an alarming trend: The percentage of older Americans with debt is at its
U.S. assets invested in socially responsible strategies topped $17.1 trillion at the start of 2020, up 42% from two years earlier. Sustainable, responsible, and impact (SRI) investments now account for nearly one-third of all professionally managed U.S. assets.1 This upward trend suggests that many people want their investment dollars to pursue a financial return and
If you lose a job, switch employers, or step into retirement, you might consider rolling your retirement plan savings into an IRA. But this isn’t your only option; it could make more sense to keep the money in your previous employer’s plan or move it to your new employer’s plan (if allowed by the plan).
