Dear Rusty: I have a question about the family maximum SS retirement benefit. As I understand it, if the breadwinner is drawing retirement benefits or is deceased, the family maximum is calculated from a formula that yields a figure between 150 percent and 188 percent of the breadwinner's primary insurance amount- his or her monthly benefit if claimed at full…
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The Zurich- based Credit Suisse Group and the Honolulu- headquartered Trinity Investments, both investment firms, acquired the hotel at 3555 S. Ocean Dr. from Brookfield Asset Management, the same co-owner of the high-end outdoor shopping mall in the Miami Design District. The Diplomat closing is one of the largest in U.S. history, with the most recent being the…
Passage of the Secure Act 2.0 brings retirement crisis into focus
Recent statistics and surveys paint a scary picture of an aging American population that doesn’t understand the financial realities of retirement. The Secure 2.0 Act has helped shine a light on this issue.
NEW YORK- Wall Street climbed Wednesday to its best level since the summer following the latest hike to interest rates by the Federal Reserve, which said it's finally seeing improvements in inflation. Much of Wall Street is hoping that cooling inflation since the summertime means the Fed may raise rates just a bit more, before taking a pause and then possibly…
While the U.S. economy remains in growth territory this year, the odds are rising that it will stumble into a recession during 2023. Ongoing tightening by the Federal Reserve, slow growth abroad, the jump in energy prices caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the modest reversal of expansionary fiscal policy as the COVID recession recedes have combined…
Many investors were glad to see the end of 2022. But what's ahead this year? Several factors contributed to these results, including the moves by the Federal Reserve to aggressively hike interest rates to combat inflation, the Russia- Ukraine war, recession fears and increased concern over COVID-19 cases in China.
Study examines why consumers have confidence in making financial decisions
A recent study found that having – or not having – prior knowledge is what influences consumers most when it comes to making a financial decision.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said policymakers expect to deliver a "couple" more interest-rate increases before putting their aggressive tightening campaign on hold, even as they slowed their drive to curb inflation. Powell and his colleagues lifted the Fed's target for its benchmark rate by a quarter percentage point to a range of 4.5% to 4.75%.
Mortgage rates in U.S. fall again, hit 6.09%. The Federal Reserve on Wednesday announced a 25 basis-point hike to its benchmark interest rate, slowing the pace of its drive to tame inflation. The Fed controls short-term rates, but long-term rates, including 30- year mortgages,“ are a function of market expectations for the path of the economy,” said Mike Fratantoni,…
Those who had specific financial goals last year were two to three times more likely to say various aspects of their personal finances improved.
Advisors think we are in the worst investment climate since 2008 but are betting on U.S. stocks to outperform this year amid a tech rebound, new research shows.
More than 80% of U.S. investors say that companies need to more openly communicate the risks and opportunities that shape their standing as “responsible investments” – and 73% also say they are more likely to invest in a company that shares with investors its plans for effectively managing those factors.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said policymakers expect to deliver a "couple" more interest-rate increases before putting their aggressive tightening campaign on hold, even as they slowed their drive to curb inflation. Powell and his colleagues lifted the Fed's target for its benchmark rate by a quarter percentage point to a range of 4.5% to 4.75%.
For more than a year, the Senate and the House of Representatives discussed issues that needed to be addressed as a follow-up to the SECURE Act of 2019– including many small fixes to make retirement saving easier. Despite having bipartisan agreement, the bill languished until Dec. 23, 2022, when it was folded into the 4,000- page, $1.7 trillion 2023 Consolidated…
Republicans in Congress are seeking to scuttle new rules from the Biden administration that allow retirement fund managers to consider climate change and other factors that conservative critics call "woke capitalism." House and Senate Republicans plan to file a Congressional Review Act resolution to force a vote on dismantling new Labor Department rules…
For agents and advisors, dispelling LTCI myths is crucial to building sales
As agents and advisors look for ways to increase long-term-care insurance (LTCI) sales, they are discovering that dispelling common myths about LTCI usually goes a long way in helping to make a connection and attract new buyers.
There's a huge cost-of-living increase coming to Social Security recipients this year- the largest adjustment since 1981, thanks to pandemic-prompted inflation. Other dollar limits on Social Security payroll taxes, taxes on benefits, disability thresholds and qualifying for benefits also will be changing for 2023.. "Medicare premiums are going down and…
Conventional wisdom and a three-year plan
Why now is the time to help clients plan for higher taxes in the future
Some major REITs limiting cash-out requests from investors
At least three major real estate investment trusts have said they have shut the door, at least partially, on honoring investor cash-out requests following a huge surge in withdrawals as economic worries climb.
You need to consider many things in each stage of retirement planning. Eric Peterson, Founder of Peterson Financial Group, shares the four stages of retirement planning. If you have questions, visit AskEricPeterson.com or call 515-226-1500..
