The U.S. Senate confirmed Scott Bessent as the next secretary of the Treasury, becoming the chief economic spokesman for President Donald Trump and his sweeping agenda of tax cuts, deregulation and trade rebalancing. Trump's first Treasury chief, Steven Mnuchin, garnered a single Democratic vote in his 2017 confirmation. He will be the first openly gay…
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Jackson National study: vast underestimate of health care, LTC costs for retirement
A recent study by Jackson National has found a vast underestimate by retirees and financial professionals of various retirement costs.
Carteret County homeowners need to prepare for sticker shock as they assess the anticipated rising cost of insurance and taxes that will begin in March with the arrival of new property valuations and again in June as new insurance rates become effective. Last week Carteret County homeowners received a warning for yet another financial hit with the…
After a 40-year career in the financial services industry, John Carter, President and COO of Nationwide Financial, announced his plans to retire from Nationwide at the end of this year.
FINRA, FBI warn about generative AI and finances
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a private corporation also known as FINRA, goes further: You need to protect your investment accounts from "generative artificial intelligence" or Gen AI. FINRA oversees member broker-dealers who do business in the U.S.. "Gen AI is making it easier for bad actors to fraudulently open new accounts using investors'…
Prudential study: Babies born today will likely need nearly $2M to retire
Generation Beta is the proposed name for the demographic beginning with 2025 and ending in 2039. This generation should start saving for retirement now, Prudential finds in a new study.
Economy performing better than expected, Morningstar says
The U.S. economy is heading for a soft landing, with some slowing expected midyear and rebounding at the end of 2025.
Registered investment advisors have an improved outlook and increased optimism following the U.S. election, according to the latest RIA Economic Outlook Index from Security Benefit in partnership with Greenwald Research.
How to get people to share personal information
You can learn a lot about people without seeming intrusive. Simply ask the right questions!
Trump pick for Treasury: extending tax cuts the ‘most important’ issue
Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, says letting the 2017 tax expire would unleash a $4 trillion tax hike that could crush the U.S. economy.
WASHINGTON- The Senate Finance Committee grilled President-elect Donald Trump's choice for Treasury Secretary Thursday. Scott Bessent, a South Carolina billionaire hedge fund manager, wasted no time getting to the crux of his confirmation hearing: the expiring Trump tax cuts. Democrats also questioned Bessent about Trump's tariff threats against Canada,…
Five retirement-industry trends to watch in 2025
An IRIC report forecasts the evolution of defined contribution plans in 2025 to improve support of workers’ long-term financial security.
A new report from the 2024 Workplace Wellness Survey published today by the Employee Benefit Research Institute and Greenwald Research finds U.S. military veterans reporting higher levels of financial, social, emotional and workplace well-being than their non-veteran counterparts.
US inflation picked up in December, though underlying price pressures ease
Wednesday’ s report from the Labor Department showed that the consumer price index rose 2.9% in December from a year ago, the highest since July, up from 2.7% in November. The slowdown in core price increases was greeted with relief on Wall Street, with Dow Jones futures pricing surging nearly 700 points on the report's release. Such concerns have sent interest…
Americans are more optimistic about the economy than they have been in years even as the effects of inflation linger, according to the 2024 Q4 Quarterly Market Perceptions Study from Allianz Life.
Social Security Fairness Act increases need for financial advice
The Social Security Fairness Act repeals two provisions that reduce or eliminate Social Security benefits for public sector workers.
It’s a new year: How will you reinvigorate your client service?
The new year presents new opportunities to provide premier client service and to connect with fellow financial professionals across the globe.
Corporate tax cuts aren’ t necessary— factoring in state taxes, the 25.8% U.S. rate is about average for industrialized countries and lower than in Japan and Germany. Combating that trend would require printing lots of money and inflation, inspiring a midterm election disaster for Republicans and rendering Mr. Trump a crippled lame duck. The U.S. economy has grown…
Fewer report having retirement savings than a year ago
New York Life’s 2025 New Year Outlook Wealth Watch survey finds that financial confidence persists for American consumers, despite ongoing financial pressures.
Brahim has been a member of FPA for many years and has served in various capacities on the Board of Directors of the FPA of Pittsburgh.
