Wills and trusts are common documents used in estate planning. While each can help in the distribution of assets at death, there are important differences between the two. What Is a Will? A last will and testament is a legal document that lets you direct how your property will be dispersed (among other things) when
About 80 million Americans actively participate in employer-sponsored defined contribution plans such as 401(k), 403(b), and 457(b) plans.1 If you are among this group, you’ve taken a big step on the road to retirement, but as with any investment, it’s important that you understand your plan and what it can do for you. Here are
By now you know that Congress has passed a $2 trillion relief bill to help keep individuals and businesses afloat during these difficult times. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act contains many provisions. Here are five that may benefit you or your business. 1. Recovery Rebates Many Americans will receive a one-time
A rollover is the movement of funds from one retirement savings vehicle to another. You may want to make a rollover for any number of reasons — your employment situation has changed, you want to switch investments, or you’ve received death benefits from your spouse’s retirement plan. There are two possible ways that retirement funds
Do you find yourself glued to the daily news reports on market movements wondering about your own savings and investments? Before you make any hasty decisions, be sure you understand how these reports relate — or don’t relate — to your individual portfolio. The variance in the returns of different portfolios is largely attributable to
With the stock market closed last Monday in observance of Memorial Day, Tuesday’s trading led to solid returns for each of the benchmark indexes listed here. The S&P 500 climbed past the 3000 mark for the first time since March, only to trickle below by the end of the day. The small caps of the
Stocks opened the week with mixed returns. The S&P 500 stayed level, the Dow fell by almost half a point, and the Nasdaq finished the day up three-quarters of a percent. Crude oil prices dropped by nearly one percent. Positive news came from New York last Monday as Governor Cuomo indicated some businesses would be
On April 20, 2020, the price of a futures contract for West Texas Intermediate crude — the benchmark for U.S. oil prices — fell below zero for the first time in history, dropping more than 306% in trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange and ending the day at -$37.63 per barrel.1 Essentially, this meant
Your ability to earn an income may be your most valuable asset. It might be difficult to make ends meet if you are unable to work due to illness or injury. According to one report, only 34% of men and 20% of women said they felt extremely confident in supporting their households during a period
The U.S. population was 328,239,523 in 2019, an increase of 0.5% over 2018. This was the fourth consecutive year of slowing population growth due to fewer births, more deaths, and lower immigration from other countries. Forty states and the District of Columbia gained population, while 10 states lost population. Here are the winners and losers
