A Moreno Valley man has pleaded guilty to a federal charge after authorities say he ran a two-decade-long Ponzi scheme that defrauded more $24 million from at least 200 investors. Paul Horton Smith Sr., 59, pleaded guilty on Monday, Jan. 8, to one count of wire fraud, the U.S Attorney "s Office said. From July 2000 to May 2020, Smith operated Riverside companies named…
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Helping clients discover their executor
How to help clients evaluate suitable candidates and select the best executor.
3 trends in aging to watch in 2024
An aging population faces a patchwork of care options, making the need for planning crucial.
5 key takeaways to avoid off-channel communications penalties in 2024
With regulators expected to continue cracking down on off-channel communication in 2024, these five key steps will help avoid penalties.
There was a debate, as is the case today, about the pending failure of Social Security. I expected to be OK in the event of a Social Security collapse since I would have a pension plan. Should older people be able to live on their Social Security checks?
—Sotheby’ s defended itself at a trial Monday against accusations that it helped defraud a Russian oligarch out of tens of millions of dollars, saying it knew nothing of wrongdoing by an art buyer who advised the billionaire on buying works by famed artists like Amedeo Modigliani and Leonardo da Vinci. Sotheby's attorney Sara Shudofsky told a jury in an opening…
Despite perceived benefits, most Americans aren’t working with a financial professional
Although many Americans surveyed believe that working with a financial professional would benefit them, most are not doing so.
A new year is always a good time to consider how the economy might perform. Mainly, the Federal Reserve increased the federal funds target rate from essentially zero at the beginning of 2022 to over 5% by mid-2023. Specifically, the yield on a three-month Treasury bill has been lower than on a 10- year note since mid-2022.
A 2020 study for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago found income for survivors dropped an average of 37% in the three years after a spouse’ s death compared with the three years prior. You may have to figure out how to get by without your spouse’ s paycheck or, if you were both receiving Social Security, how to live on a smaller benefit. If you have minor children, you may…
Where is the economy headed in 2024?
Where is the nation’s economy headed in 2024? What impact will interest rates, the election, and the job market have?
At their recent meeting, the leaders of the Federal Reserve indicated they would likely reduce their key policy interest rate in 2024, perhaps multiple times. The Fed began raising its key interest rate in early 2022 in an attempt to stop the surging inflation rate, which peaked at a yearover-year rate of 9.1 percent in June 2022. The Fed has stated on numerous…
Discussing efficient market hypothesis theory and arbitrage as an anomaly
The efficient market hypothesis theory states that the market prices securities fairly and efficiently, and investors are unable to outperform the market consistently.
Overconfidence exposes many Americans to financial scams
Although 90% of adults are confident in their ability to detect financial scams, more than a quarter reported falling victim at some point.
"Kakkera and Saeedi used their informational advantage to make millions in combined illegal gains in the stock market," the U.S. Department of Justice said in announcing the men "s sentences, which were handed down in Southern District of New York federal court. A July 2020 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charge against Bhardwaj, Kakkera, Saeedi and four…
Less than half of Americans think the economy will improve in 2024 while many Americans are keeping more money out of the market, according to the Q4 Quarterly Market Perceptions Study from Allianz Life.
Kane will collaborate with other national volunteer leaders and the association’s CEO to advance FPA’s strategic priorities and elevate the association as a leader of the profession.
On a yearly basis, the IRS adjusts more than 60 tax provisions for inflation to stop what is known as "bracket creep." For 2024, the standard deduction will increase between $750 and $1,500 from last year. The total standard deduction for a couple filing jointly will be $29,200 if they are under age 65 and not blind.
As we turn the page on another year, we are reminded we are a year older, and one of the largest issues we will face in 2024 and beyond is an aging population. North Carolina, like most states, is unprepared to deal with these numbers or their needs. Even with a 401, IRA, some type of pension or Social Security they worry about how they can afford to live into their 80 s or 90 s.
Bridging the wealth gap with female clients
Female clients control one-third of the wealth in the U.S., but are underserved by the financial industry.
Don't get on the unicycle. My friend is a comedic magician in Branson. The Federal Reserve's high-interest rates tempted some investors into CDs and Treasury bonds, only to miss out on the last few weeks of the year when the market took off.