Mortgage rates reached a 16- year high last week, further dampening demand from home buyers, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association released Wednesday. Mortgage applications fell 14.2 percent from the week prior, according to the MBA, amid rising mortgage rates, which stem from the Federal Reserve's persistent interest rate hikes aimed at…
Advisor News
Las Vegas resident Justin Costello, 42, was arrested by an FBI SWAT team in San Diego Tuesday night after several days on the run, according to authorities. A federal arrest warrant was issued for Costello on Sept. 28, in the U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington in Seattle after he was charged with 22 counts of wire fraud and three counts of securities…
Mythbusters: the impact investing edition
By Christopher Stroup Aligning your investments with your values almost seems too good to be true. Many ask, “What’s the…
The Fed has signaled that more interest rate hikes will likely be necessary to arrest the generationally high consumer price increases we’re currently experiencing.
We are now 18 months into inflation that is above the 2.0 to 2.5 percent level that the Federal Reserve targets as a normal rate of inflation. To slow that inflation rate, the Fed has raised their benchmark interest rate five times, from 3.25 to 6.25 percent. This has the effect of increasing the cost of borrowing, thus reducing consumer demand.
TAMPA, Fla.— For homeowners hit by Hurricane Ian, federally-backed mortgage company Freddie Mac put out a statement detailing their forbearance options to help with getting back on their feet after the storm. Freddie Mac said homeowners with their residences or businesses and places of work that are inside the Presidentially-Declared Major Disaster Area…
A recent Nationwide Agency Forward survey shows that consumers in the U.S. are feeling vulnerable as they perceive the worsening economy to be negatively impacting their personal finances, mental health and job security.
The fallout from the COVID-19 global pandemic, including inflation, market volatility and supply chain challenges, continues to impact business owners of all types.
A North Miami woman defrauded investors out of $4.6 million over less than two years and spent $1 million of the money on herself, for her wedding, vacations and other entertainment, according to a federal criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Miami. Paris-Pinder, as president of North Miami- based Pinder Associates, offered loan agreements to…
Making the most of Financial Planning Month
With October being Financial Planning Month, we asked two MDRT members for their recommendations for motivating clients to take action in creating a meaningful financial plan.
Study shows most retirees are financially fragile – and how advisors can help
A Stanford Center on Longevity study showed that most pre-retirees and retirees are financially fragile and want help from advisors.
Research finds DIY investors continue to rely on financial professionals
While an increasing number of Americans rely on multiple sources of information and advice to make investment decisions, 20% of households cite a financial professional as their primary source, according to a recent survey.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's efforts to cool down the economy are causing progressive criticism to heat up. And those are the comments of just one senator, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. The criticism of the Fed's interest-rate increases sometimes veers into demagoguery, just as did former President Donald Trump's attacks on Powell when the…
Risk-averse people, this is your moment in the spotlight. For roughly a decade, the same forces that plunged mortgage rates to record lows made no-risk savings earn next to nothing. But now the Federal Reserve has replaced its cheap money policies with sharp rate hikes.
During these times of economic uncertainty, as you battle inflation and a volatile, downward trending market, it's difficult to find any rays of sunshine. If you're in the process of purchasing a home, significantly increased mortgage rates will add a lot of money to your monthly payment. So even if you do find your dream house, that mortgage interest is blocking…
SHERIDAN— As the saying goes, time in the market beats timing the market. "I think the best way to invest is with a long view," said Jim Shellenberger, financial advisor for Frontier Asset Management in Sheridan. As the U.S. economy continues to contract, several Sheridan- based financial advisors said the best tactic may be to wait it out, but agree that there is no…
Structured outcome products return to the fore
Structured outcome products offer a measure of tangible equity risk management in the face of a market meltdown.
Hurricane Ian delivers powerful reminder of retirement location considerations
The catastrophe of Hurricane Ian battering Florida with 150-mile-per-hour winds provided a harsh reminder that Americans must prepare themselves for…
Despite the significant financial challenges brought on by the pandemic over the past two years, Americans who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, including Hispanic and Asian/Asian Americans) report receiving less professional assistance than they did a year ago, according to the 2022 Retirement Risk Readiness Study from Allianz Life.
