The U.S. Federal Reserve has a highly unenviable task— to drive inflation back down to its target rate of just 2%. In June 2022, inflation had soared to a 42- year high of 9%. To the Fed's credit, by June 2023, inflation had declined to 3.1%.
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Understanding IRA Required Minimum Distributions
In 2019, IRAs represented one-third of total U.S. retirement assets, providing an important income source for retirees.1 But, just as you formed a strategy and adhered to rules for investing in your IRA, you must also understand when and how to take your required minimum distributions. You are permitted to delay the first distribution until April 1 of the year…
Women are candid about their fears and concerns when it comes to their health.
Trade groups express concern about regulatory process on DOL fiduciary rule
A group of 11 industry trade associations sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Labor and others expressing concerns about the regulatory process with regard to the Department of Labor’s proposed “Retirement Security Rule: Definition of an Investment Advice Fiduciary.”
7 in 10 preretirees say ‘no way’ they can retire at age 65
As more Americans begin turning 65 this year than at any other point in history, many are coming to grips with a cold reality: this is not going to be their parents’ retirement.
Women share their challenges in the financial services industry
As women make their way up the corporate ladder in the largely male-dominated financial services industry, many have faced obstacles.
Working backward to move forward: Debt management strategies
By Renee Hanson Tackling debt can feel like navigating a maze. For individuals burdened by high levels of debt, the…
Empower reaches tentative deal with 13 ex-advisors it sued for poaching
Empower reached a settlement agreement with 13 advisors who left the firm to create a competing advisory business.
—The European Central Bank will likely use its Thursday meeting as a prelude to a first interest rate cut in June as the rich world’ s central banks, including the ECB and the U.S. Federal Reserve, assess how soon receding inflation will let them loosen credit for businesses and consumers. Broad stock market indexes fell immediately in the U.S. on Wednesday and bond…
Investors pummeled U.S. stocks on April 10, lopping over 400 points from the Dow Jones Industrial Average, after a hotter-than-expected March inflation report that will likely force a major reset of Federal Reserve interest-rate cut outlooks. Headline inflation quickened to an annual rate of 3.5% last month, the Commerce Department said on April 10, while…
In 1913, Woodrow Wilson and his progressives promised that the Federal Reserve would avert both depressions and inflation, while preventing the wealthy from controlling America's financial markets at the expense of the poor. The Fed was designed to transfer wealth from the American people to the government, mostly through the hidden tax of inflation.
‘Magic number’ for a comfortable retirement surges to $1.46 million
The “magic number” for a comfortable retirement has reached an all-time high at $1.46M, rising more than 50% since the pandemic began.
Nearly two in three Americans say they worry more about running out of money than death with concerns about inflation, Social Security and taxes contributing to the fear, according to the 2024 Annual Retirement Study from Allianz Life.
Help women retire with confidence and dignity
Women face a multitude of obstacles that require a tailored approach to retirement planning.
More than 50,000 taxpayers in Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming have so far used the new online IRS Direct File program this tax season, according to the agency. The IRS estimates that 19 million taxpayers are eligible to use the new program in advance of the April 15 tax…
Empty buildings, tight credit, high interest rates set stage for commercial real estate collapse
Remote work, a holdover from the pandemic, is leaving downtown office space empty and depressing property values even as billions in loans come due. At the same time, in an effort to tame inflation the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to the highest point in decades, which makes it difficult to refinance distressed loans. “Another quarter of vacancy increase…
Do I need to notify Social Security and Medicare about the move? Yes, if you're a Social Security and Medicare recipient you definitely need to let these Federal agencies know when and where you move so there are no hiccups in your benefits or coverage. You can update both your Social Security and Medicare contact information online by simply using the "My Profile"…
The result was a week of big gains and losses, especially on Thursday when geopolitical concerns and musings on how many interest-rate cuts the Federal Reserve will make this year, freaked markets. Crude oil climbed to $86.91 a barrel, 4.5% gain for the week. The national retail price of gasoline averaged $3.59 on Saturday.
RALEIGH, N.C.– It seems the cost of just about everything is going up these days while most paychecks seem to stay the same. "The Fed has raised the interest rate eleven times so that's a lot of raising," she said. According to the U.S. Federal Reserve's most recent Survey of Consumer Finances report, the personal savings rate has dropped to 3.4 percent.
As retirement crisis looms, here's one billionaire's plan to fix it
Remy Blaire brings the latest business headlines from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange as markets open for trading Thursday, April 4. REMY BLAIRE: I'm Remy Blaire- reporting from the New York Stock Exchange. This figure will be crucial when the Federal Reserve makes its next decision on interest rates– currently markets are pricing in a 97 percent chance…
