After losing in Congress, President Donald Trump is counting on the courts to kill off “Obamacare.” But in the biggest case, a federal judge in Texas ruled last December that the ACA is unconstitutional and should be struck down in its entirety. At the urging of the White House, the Justice Department said this past week it will support the Texas judge’s opinion.

Trump’s latest pick to help lead the Federal Reserve has received a rocky reception from top economists. They’re raising several red flags about whether Stephen Moore is qualified to be a governor for the world’s most influential central bank. Moore is a former Trump campaign adviser who helped design the 2017 tax cuts and co-authored “Trumponomics.”

A judge is striking down the Trump administration’s small-business health insurance plan, calling it an “end run” around consumer protections. The Thursday ruling by U.S. District Judge John Bates in Washington, D.C., is the second setback in a week for the administration’s health care initiatives after another judge blocked Medicaid work requirements for low-income people. President Donald Trump has hailed the small-business plans as a big success, but their impact is hard to measure.

The U.S. has never managed to sustain a low rate of unemployment without generating imbalances that lead to a recession. This suggests that a recession is near as the U.S. is currently at or near what economists consider “full employment.” JP Morgan’s chief economist comments on this and other economic factors.

Purchasing a home just became a lot cheaper, thanks mostly to the Federal Reserve’s decision to put its interest rate hikes on hold for now. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac says the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage plunged to 4.06 percent this week, down from 4.28 percent last week. That’s the steepest weekly drop in a decade.

March is Women’s History Month. As such, it’s the perfect time to celebrate the historic women who paved the way for all of the women currently working in the financial services industry by acknowledging the triumphs and obstacles they faced and sharing their stories.

Last December, the curve between three-year and five-year Treasury notes and that between two-year and five-year notes inverted. And last Friday the curve between the U.S. three-month note and the 10-year note inverted. The last time it happened was more than a decade ago, and seen as a signal that a recession may be coming.

The lower tax rates set by the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act means income taxes are “on sale,” says Deborah A. Miner, a tax expert and executive with Western & Southern Financial Group Distributors. Clients and advisors who take proactive advantage could see their retirement nest eggs expand significantly.

A survey of 1,000 middle-income Americans with household incomes between $29,000 and $106,000 was completed in February and found that many families are not taking steps toward a secure future. Only half of middle-income Americans believe their financial security will improve in the next five years.

If Democrats are anxious to turn attention aware from the Mueller report and toward the issue of health care, President Donald Trump is giving them an opening. Trump on Tuesday called on Republicans to revive the effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The Trump administration is also asking a federal appeals court to strike down the entire law, known as “Obamacare.”

Six insurance industry professional associations and four life insurance carriers have joined forces to address issues that affect the industry. The leadership teams of the associations have been meeting regularly since 2016 to discuss “what we might be able to do in the spirit of better communication, collaboration and ultimately perhaps even consolidation,” said Warren May of Principal Financial.

Long-term care insurance sold well in 2018, the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance reports. According to the association, of the roughly 350,000 individuals who purchased coverage, roughly 16 percent opted for traditional health-based long-term care insurance.

The government says 11.4 million people have signed up for coverage this year under former President Barack Obama’s health law. That’s just a slight dip from 2018. Despite the Trump administration’s ongoing hostility to “Obamacare,” a report released on Monday from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services finds that enrollment is remarkably steady.

The Trump administration told a federal appeals court Monday it thinks all of Obamacare is unconstitutional, marking an escalation in its fight against the 2010 law. Justice Department lawyers previously had argued that if the courts found Obamacare’s “individual mandate” is no longer constitutional, then consumer protections for people with pre-existing conditions — could not stand, either.

House Democrats are set to announce their version of a health care bill, according to an advisory from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. The proposal comes as more than 100 House Democrats support a “Medicare For All” bill introduced in February by Progressive Caucus co-chair Representative Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.

As the 2018 income tax filing season heads down its final stretch, many Americans are finding themselves with surprise tax bills. One area that can lead to unwanted surprises come tax season is required minimum distributions.

While President Trump has urged a continued policy of cheap money to keep businesses and consumers borrowing, the Fed has felt pressure from conservative economists to boost interest rates and cut back its swollen balance sheet so it will be better able to fight the next recession.

Trump said Friday he’ s picking his close ally Stephen Moore to fill an open seat on the Federal Reserve Board. Moore has told The Washington Post that he and the president have spoken about the Fed and that Moore felt Trump’ s other nominees to the Fed board were too conventional and didn’t understand the president’ s economic vision.

Existing home sales surged 11.8 percent in February from January, the strongest boost the industry has since December 2015, the National Association of Realtors said.

In a unanimous decision, the Illinois Supreme Court has affirmed the judgment of the Illinois Appellate Court and ruled that fixed indexed annuities are not securities under Illinois state law.

Rite Aid shareholders have backed a plan to lift the struggling drugstore chain’s stock price and keep it from being kicked off the New York Stock Exchange.

For the first time since 2007, AIG Companies has taken over as the top seller of annuities according to LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute. In addition, there are two new companies in this year’s top five compared to 2017 sales.

Prospects are good at putting up smokescreens. For advisors, that means we need sales tools to address these half-truths and white lies when we talk to prospects. Here is how you get to the truth.

Combined, the Federal Reserve’s moves signal no major increases in borrowing rates for consumers and businesses. And together with its dimmer forecast for growth this year — 2.1 percent, down from a previous projection of 2.3 percent — the statement it issued after its latest policy meeting suggests it’s grown more concerned about the economy.

The Federal Reserve did the expected today and is holding interest rates to the current range of 2.25 to 2.5 percent. The central bank’s new theme of patience and flexibility reflects its calming response since the start of the year to slow economic growth at home and abroad, a nervous stock market and persistently mild inflation.

The Federal Reserve is expected to end its latest policy meeting Wednesday and all but sure to keep its key short-term rate in a range of 2.25 percent to 2.5 percent, still low by historical standards. And most analysts think the policymakers will scale back their projection of rate hikes this year from two to one or perhaps even none.

New research released today from Lincoln Financial Group reveals that while women place high importance on planning for retirement and their family’ s future, they are facing gaps that are keeping them from reaching the positive outcomes they seek.

Seniors are facing financial challenges seniors as they age and develop more medical problems, all which must be addressed by retirement funds, Social Security payments and Medicare. Some seniors have retirement funds or pensions, which can help bring in some income, but many seniors do not have enough to put away.

About $1.46 trillion in student loan debt has many millennials, as well as others, hiding their wallets and putting big ticket commitments on the back burner. Plain and simple, many young consumers just aren’t ready to consume. And many sure don’t want to shop until they drop like their parents.

After a rocky ride through a government shutdown and stock market turmoil, retail sales rose a slight 0.2 percent in January, a measurable improvement following a deep 1.6 percent drop in December, when holiday spending should have been in full throttle.

Indexed life sales for the fourth quarter were $617.4 million, up more than 16.8 percent compared with the third quarter, and up more than 7.2 percent compared to the fourth quarter 2018. Annual indexed life sales were over $2.1 billion.

With approvals from government regulators in China and Canada still outstanding, Genworth Financial has again delayed the closing of its planned acquisition by a China- based investment company. Genworth and China Oceanwide Holdings Group announced the latest extension of their merger agreement late Thursday.

Deloitte’s annual M&A Outlook recorded 681 transactions in 2018 across the insurance sector, up from 621 deals in 2017. That robust M&A activity should continue this year, the report says. The appetite for insurtech capability is one of the “five buckets” that Deloitte authors separate potential 2019 M&A drivers.

The LIMRA study reported fourth-quarter new premium was flat, compared with fourth quarter 2017. Policy count was flat in the fourth quarter and for the year. This is the third consecutive quarter of flat policy count and the second consecutive year without policy growth.

Maryland policymakers should collaborate with the SEC in its effort to develop appropriate, cohesive, and workable standard of conduct rules, but should not create additional regulatory layers until the SEC completes its national standard, industry representatives testified Wednesday.

While global economic expansion is expected to continue, indicators are growing that 2019 and 2020 gains will be slower and subject to more downside risks. The outlook for the global economy has weakened since Stratas Advisors’ previous update in the fourth quarter of 2018.

If your clients feel dread when they think about retirement instead of gleeful anticipation, it could be because they don’t know exactly what their goal is. Here’s how to help them target a savings amount and how to get there.

Trump’s fiscal 2020 budget would shift $1.2 trillion in Medicaid spending over 10 years to block grants starting in 2021, while eliminating funding Obamacare’s expansion of the program in dozens of states. “Congress has already rejected attempts to block-grant Medicaid, so it’s deeply troubling to see this administration double down,” one congressman said.

Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket manufactured goods edged up slightly in January, but the strength came from a big increase in the volatile aircraft category. In more encouraging news, a key category that tracks business investment plans posted its biggest gain in six months.

Today’s baby boomers are more financially prepared for death than life, according to the latest research from the Bankers Life Center for a Secure Retirement. Just 18 percent of boomers report that planning for retirement care is a high priority. 45 percent of boomers expect they will need long-term care at some point— but according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human.

A new lawsuit was field Monday challenging Ohio National’s decision to stop paying trail commissions on certain variable annuity contracts. Stephen K. Cook, an investment advisor representative with Triad Advisors, a Dallas, Texas broker-dealer, filed the class-action lawsuit in the Southern District of Ohio court.

The bank engaged in an “egregious pattern of consumer abuses,” U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters said at the outset of a hearing she is chairing regarding the fourth-largest U.S. bank. Tim Sloan’s appearance before the House Committee on Financial Services marks the second time he has testified on Capitol Hill over problems at the bank.

In a major policy shift, the American Council of Life Insurers will endorse a federal proposal requiring employers without retirement plans to provide workers with access to a payroll deduction for savings through an IRA, 401(k), or other qualified retirement savings plan. A bill to this effect is expected to be introduced in Congress this year.

The Affordable Care Act would be replaced with grants that states could use to subsidize private insurance coverage, and Medicaid would be replaced with a block grant instead of the current open-ended federal commitment. Future federal spending increases would be tied to the rate of general inflation, which is lower than health care inflation.

Genworth is halting long-term care insurance and annuity sales through the broker general agency channel. All LTCi and annuity products will continue to be sold through other channels, Genworth said. In-force policies are not affected, the insurer added.

Treatment for a motorbike accident in Panama cost her $20. Emergency dental surgery that might cost $10,000 or more in the U.S. was $4,500 in Paris. “The health care in a lot of places around the world is very good, as good as in the United States,” says Peddicord, who divides her time between Paris and Panama.“ Some places, it is better.”.

President Donald Trump’ s chief economic adviser said Sunday that U.S. economic growth can continue at 3 percent in 2019 and beyond, even as many private economists look for a slowdown this year as the effects of the 2017 Republican tax cuts wears off. Larry Kudlow, on Fox News Sunday, also rejected a suggestion that a U.S.- China trade deal is in trouble.

A bill regulating fixed indexed annuities cleared the Arizona State Senate this week by a 29-1 vote. The bill, which sets tougher rules for disclosures and illustrations, goes to the state House of Representatives for a vote.

In the 10 years since the current bull market began, just one stock has remained among the Top 5 most valuable companies: Microsoft. Back then, Microsoft was the only technology company in the group. Now, it’s joined by three others: Apple, Amazon, and Google’s parent company, Alphabet.

As the bull market for U.S. stocks celebrates its 10th birthday, joining the party has never been cheaper or easier. Investors can buy or sell stocks on their phone with the flick of a thumb, and for a much lower cost. And they also have more choices after the industry introduced thousands of funds. That said, investing in the market is still risky.

A National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ working group proposed a strong plan Thursday, including doubling the time indexes must be in existence to be used in annuity illustrations. Indexes must be in existence at least 20 years under the proposed change.

African-Americans view life insurance as more than a means to pay for final expenses. They are increasingly looking to life insurance as a way to transfer wealth and leave a legacy, according to a New York Life study.

Judge Joseph Spero of the U.S. District Court of Northern California in the ruling issued Tuesday night sided with patients in a class-action lawsuit that was filed in 2014 against United Behavioral Health (UBH), a subsidiary of the Minnetonka-based health care giant.

The Federal Reserve says the U.S. economy was expanding in January and February, but half the country was seeing fallout from the 35-day partial government shutdown. Some manufacturers expressed worries about weakening global demand for their products and adverse effects from President Donald Trump’s trade policies.

Lawmakers are proposing legislation to stabilize the Affordable Care Act insurance market, make coverage more affordable for consumers, and improve access to care by leveraging the bargaining power and administrative savings of public programs.

Aon disavowed any deal to acquire Willis Towers Watson, a potential blockbuster $24 billion takeover. One of the largest insurance brokers in the world, Aon was forced to address the rumors after a Bloomberg story published Tuesday.

Democrats portrayed Allison Jones Rushing, nominated to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, and Chad Readler, nominated to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, as referendums on controversial Trump administration stances. Readler was the lead lawyer at the Justice Department in a case over whether the Affordable Care Act is still constitutional now that its individual mandate has been zeroed out.

After reviewing FINRA’s monthly disciplinary reports, press releases, and online database, Eversheds Sutherland analysts found that in 2018 the amount of fines increased compared with 2017, although the number of cases and amount of restitution were down. In addition, anti-money laundering cases continued to lead to the largest amount of fines.