There’s no denying that U.S. markets are on shaky ground.

The U.S. economy has turned in a stellar performance this year. But mounting problems, from trade tensions to jittery financial markets and political gridlock in Washington, are expected to sharply slow growth in 2019.

Sammons Financial Group is building a 200,000-square-foot office with plans for additions in the future, the Des Moines Register reported. The company has pledged to add 200 new jobs to its existing base of 510 employees.

Consumers may go online to get information about life insurance, but advice from an agent is still a big part of the insurance-buying process. That was the word from Deloitte’s annual Insurance Industry Outlook for 2019.

Stocks went into another slide Thursday in what is shaping up as the worst December on Wall Street since the depths of the Great Depression, with prices dragged down by rising fears of a recession somewhere on the horizon.

The financial services industry is conceding defeat on passing a retirement security package in 2018. But Sens. Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, have introduced the Retirement Security & Savings Act, a broad set of reforms designed to help Americans save more for retirement. It will be considered in the next session.

Holistic planning and financial wellness are two of the themes that life insurance agents can expect to see in their business in 2019, according to an industry analyst. The challenge for agents is “How do I continue to do what I’m really good at – life insurance – but also be more for my client?”

Long-term care insurance can take fear of the unknown out of financial planning for worst case health scenarios. And it can ease the burden on family members who might feel beholden to provide the care out of love or a sense of obligation.

As the Fed edges closer to ending its rate hikes altogether, its decision-making has become trickier. No longer will the Fed be able to signal weeks in advance the near-certainty of a shift in rates.

The Federal Reserve is increasing interest rates by 0.25 percent, equaling a hike in late September. Clients might not fully understand the implications of the rising interest rates, or how it impacts their portfolio. This offers a golden opportunity for advisors to provide an education and bond with clients.

Weeks after Bellamy Gamboa disappeared, her ex-boyfriend and father of her toddler twins confessed to killing the mother of four at the Virginia Beach home they shared over the summer. But a Virginia judge will not declare her dead, which would release life insurance benefits.

Stock markets are up slightly as investors look ahead of an expected rate hike by the Federal Reserve. After a mixed performance in Asia, European indexes were up modestly and futures pointed to gains on Wall Street later Wednesday. Dow futures were 0.9 percent higher, while those for the S&P 500 were up 0.8 percent.

Democratic state attorneys general from 18 states filed a motion Monday night challenging a Texas federal judge’s ruling that struck down the Affordable Care Act. The motion, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, asks the court to clarify the impact of the ruling and confirm that the ACA is still the law of the land.

Sammons Financial Group will lay off an unspecified number of employees during the first quarter of 2019. The company cited efficiencies and automation as reasons behind the layoffs, which follow last month’s announcement of layoffs by Nationwide.

Fewer than half of retirees agree that they have built a large enough retirement nest egg, with only 16 percent “strongly” agreeing and 30 percent “somewhat” agreeing, according to a new survey by nonprofit Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies.

Asian stocks are lower, tracking losses on Wall Street as traders brace for an interest rate hike by Federal Reserve. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index was 1.8 percent lower and the Shanghai Composite index dropped 1 percent. Investors fear more monetary tightening would weigh on U.S. growth.

All signs point to 2019 being a good year to be a financial advisor. The regulatory shackles are in abeyance, while surveys show consumers are happier and better prepared when they get financial advice. In addition, annuities are on the way back and more Americans are gaining access to retirement plans.

Authorities say Ronald Warren Powell accepted more than $800,000 of investor funds and misappropriated those funds for his personal benefit instead of investing the money. Powell also received money from two victims paying life insurance premiums, but he failed to remit those premiums to the appropriate insurance companies.

Based on expectations for economic growth and monetary policy, along with the fiscal tailwinds of government spending, reduced regulation and lower taxes, LPL Financial Research expects 2019 may be a good year for equity investors. The company forecasts GDP growth of 2.75 percent.

Democrats vowed to fight “tooth and nail” against U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor’s ruling, which said Congress’ decision to zero out the “individual mandate” penalty for shirking insurance in the Republican tax bill invalidated the rest of the law.

A federal judge in Texas has ruled President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor ruled Friday that last year’s tax overhaul knocked the constitutional foundation from under the health care act dubbed by critics as “Obamacare.”

Hybrid life/long-term care insurance policies solve two problems: the life insurance gap among American households and the continued high cost of standalone LTCi.

The end of a tumultuous year is in sight. We had markets surging and crashing, the strongest growth since 2014, and the start of a trade war. Yes, political chaos that overlaid the economy.

Ohio National officially broke service contracts today on select variable annuities with a guaranteed minimum income benefit rider. Producers continue to have questions about what that precedent-setting decision means, but all are waiting on a federal court to decide on lawsuits.

With just days left to enroll, fewer people are signing up for the Affordable Care Act, even though premiums are stable, more plans are available and millions of uninsured people can still get financial help. A status report Wednesday from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services showed nearly 20 percent fewer new people signed up.

Sixty-six percent of small business owners who do not offer a retirement plan today are likely to consider an open Multiple Employer Plan, according to a new survey 1 from Empower Retirement. Two separate proposals, one in the U.S. House and one in the Senate, would broaden the scope of open MEPs by allowing more small businesses to band together.

An Illinois man serving 45 years in prison for the murder of his wife has failed in his bid to overturn his conviction on appeal. Chad Cutler had purchased $700,000 of additional life insurance on his wife shortly before her death, prosecutors said at trial.

Fixed index annuity sales and variable annuity assets hit record quarterly highs during the third quarter, according to the Insured Retirement Institute. Deregulation and product innovation are expected to fuel strong annuity sales into 2019, one analyst says.

Nearly one in five (18%) respondents said they will include financial planning in their resolutions for next year, with millennials once again leading the way at 27 percent. Fewer Americans are troubled about financial issues like stagnant wages (23%) and job security (18%) than they were in 2017 (30% and 26%, respectively).

Republicans released a revised end-of-year tax package this week that includes tax relief for victims of recent natural disasters, delays or repeals several Obamacare-related taxes, and jettisons the extensions of many expired breaks that had been included in an earlier bill.

The stock market is up and down and most analysts expect the Federal Reserve to raise short-term rates during its meeting this month and continue to raise rates in 2019. The wild swings of the economy are likely to continue, necessitating a cautious investing approach.

High-net-worth investors have slowed their investments into stocks, bonds and mutual funds and instead are exploring opportunities in private equity, real estate and hedge funds, according to a new investor survey. Investors affirmed their continued interest in nontraditional investments.

A majority of workers are stressed over their finances, costing companies approximately $2,000 per employee. Most respondents admitted to worrying about personal finances while at work, with one-third doing so more than once. Three in five respondents think getting financial advice at work would reduce their stress.

Sixty-nine percent of Millennial business owners work with an insurance agent, followed by Boomers at 66 percent and Gen X at 59 percent. The most common reason for working with an insurance agent among all generations is the trust that business owners place on the guidance and expertise from an agent.

A National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ working group is satisfying neither side with an annuity sales model law that is out for public comment. The draft avoids many of the controversial issues the working group debated over the past year.

Forty-four percent of financial advisors say their confidence level in the economy is about the same as it was this time last year. Thirty-eight percent are less confident, while 18 percent are more confident. The results come via a new survey by ALPS Advisors.

Last year’s tax reform effort dramatically changed many of the traditional tax deductions and strategies. Advisors need to know these changes in order to best plan for their client’s financial well being. Here are a few tips for this tax season.

Since December 2015, the FOMC has raised short-term interest rates, then near zero, eight times, with another increase indicated for December. Stocks’ big decline last week makes this harder.

Up to 14 states are ramping up efforts to put agents under a fiduciary duty. New York is furthest along with a best interest rule, which faces an industry lawsuit that could be decided early in 2019. Otherwise, the NY rule is slated to take effect in August 2019.

AM Best cited increased profitability, improved regulatory and tax environments and a strengthening U.S. economy in adjusting its 2019 life insurance/annuities outlook from negative to stable. Also, an overall reduced balance sheet risk due to a proactive approach taken by companies in recent years is seen as a positive trend.

Sheriff’s deputies have obtained an arrest warrant for a fourth suspect wanted in connection with an alleged murder-for-hire plot that left Austin jeweler Ted Shaughnessy dead in his home in southwest Travis County in March. Police say the suspects, which include family members, sought life insurance proceeds.

Overall national health spending grew at a rate of 3.9 percent in 2017, almost 1 percentage point slower than growth in 2016, according to a study conducted by the Office of the Actuary at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

A government report says the nation’s health care tab hit $3.5 trillion last year, or $10,739 per person. But behind those staggering figures is some fairly good news: The rate of growth slowed for the second year in a row, according to economic experts at the federal Health and Human Services department.

Tuesday’s stock market sell-off worried investors, who are also concerned about the so-called “yield curve.” But other indicators point to a cooling economy that should remain solid for a few years to come, says Brad McMillan of Commonwealth Financial Network.

Does the Fed have “an absolute duty” to push the unemployment rate as low as it can go until we see real evidence of inflationary pressures? This columnist thinks so. Just five years ago, the median estimate at the Fed was 5.4 percent. Now it’s much lower.

Sixty-five percent of institutional investors predict that the decade-long US bull market will end in the next 12 months, bringing to a close the historic bull market that brought record-high stock prices and record-low volatility. But even as they anticipate more turbulent times, six in ten investors say they feel prepared to handle the risks.

LIMRA and Wink were both correct with last week’s “universal life is up” and “universal life is down” reports, respectively. The key is how the data is viewed. Overall, new premium rose quarter-over-quarter from 2017.

The Trump administration wants to see the nation’s health-care system move away from government mandates and toward a more free-market direction. A report outlines some recommendations, including expanding availability of health savings accounts (HSAs).

Stocks tanked on Tuesday as the goodwill generated by a truce between the U.S. and China over trade evaporated over confusion about what the two sides actually had agreed upon. The market gained on Monday after the Trump administration said U.S. and China agreed to a temporary cease-fire in a trade dispute.

A recent survey revealed that 95 percent of agents think digital technology is important to their success. This is an increase from 58 percent in 2016. These digital must-haves will keep you in touch with the times and in touch with customers’ needs, so you can connect in the ways that matter.

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell says we have no choice but to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. GM says it will be closing five plants and laying off 14,000 workers because of the added expense of importing steel and aluminum plus and the added taxes on U.S. vehicles abroad.

Athene Holding says a “first-of-its-kind” pension plan termination transaction with Bristol-Myers Squibb covers more than 24,000 active employee participants, retirees, beneficiaries, and former employees. Athene will administer annuity contracts that could total $3.8 billion in the deal.

A.M. Best recently met with the Ohio National management team to discuss a series of recent events, including the insurer being sued several times for a decision to end trail commissions on certain annuities. A.M. Best is sticking with its strong ratings for now.

Most business owners focus primarily on the day-to-day operations of the business and the operational strategy, but very few give sufficient attention to how they will exit the business. Owners often wait until it’s too late to consider various options, at which time the only answer might be selling the business to a third party.

The average economic up cycle since the end of World War II lasted only about five years, and this economic expansion has been chugging along now since summer 2009. It’s certainly looking likely that an economy that has recently grown at a rate of around 3.5 percent will slow down next year.

The average American shopper will spend around $975 on holiday gifts, according to past spending trends and estimates from the American Research Group and the National Retail Federation. Although shoppers have various payment options at their disposal, the use of credit cards remains a popular and financially savvy way to handle purchases.

A group of business economists foresee economic growth remaining solid next year, with unemployment falling further and only a slight chance of a recession. But they express concern about potential risks, notably from trade conflicts.

The latest Merrill Edge survey reveals Americans’ increasingly complex relationship with their money, significant others and financial futures. Fifty-six percent of Americans say they want a partner who provides financial security more than “head over heels” love (44 percent).