Advisors

Ridofranz | Istock | Getty Images It’s been a nerve-wracking year for investors. With ongoing stock market volatility, high inflation and interest rate hikes, many wonder if we’re heading for a prolonged economic downturn.   “I think we have to be defensive,” said certified financial planner Ivory Johnson, founder of Delancey Wealth Management in Washington, D.C.

Leopatrizi | E+ | Getty Images As part of President Joe Biden’s historic student loan forgiveness plan, up to 8 million people could get automatic debt relief, according to the White House. Across the board, most people with federal student debt will be eligible for some forgiveness: up to $10,000 if they didn’t receive a Pell Grant,

Hispanolistic | E+ | Getty Images Money may not be top of mind if you’re in love, but it deserves some serious consideration if you want a lasting relationship. A partnership that pools resources and shares expenses can be a very good thing for a relationship and for each other’s financial well-being. However, different spending

Avalon_studio | E+ | Getty Images HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — There are four big trends impacting the economy and stock market right now, and uncertainty around each is creating challenges for investors, market experts and investment strategists said Monday at the Future Proof wealth conference. Those high-levels trends are inflation, the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate policy,

Daniel Trush was just 12 years old when a brain aneurysm rupture changed the course of his entire life. “I went into a coma, and I was in a coma for 30 days — and I was in the hospital and rehab for a total of 341 days,” said Daniel, who is now 38 and

Morsa Images | E+ | Getty Images Many investors worry a recession is coming amid rising interest rates, high inflation and stock market volatility. But the majority haven’t changed their portfolios, according to research from Fidelity Investments. Only 5% of 401(k) and 403(b) investors shifted asset allocations during the second quarter of 2022, the report

“It will be enough for us to start talking realistically about purchasing a home,” said Dara Zucker, 28, of student loan forgiveness. Zucker and her fiancé have been looking for a house in Tampa, Florida. They budgeted $250,000 for a 1,400-square foot home, but between the unpredictable housing market and her $38,877 student loan balance,

Camille Tokerud Photography Inc. | Stone | Getty Images Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries will get two checks in September, for a maximum sum of $1,682. But the second check is no reason to celebrate, as it is not extra money. In months where bank holidays occur, that pushes up the distribution date for payments. In

kate_sept2004 | E+ | Getty Images The youngest workers entering the workforce — Gen Z, who range in age from 10 to 25 — showed dramatic adoption of individual retirement accounts, according to second quarter data released by Fidelity Investments this week. Fidelity IRAs owned by that generation increased 87% over the second quarter of

Oscar Wong | Moment | Getty Images Most investors think of exchange-traded funds as a simple way to buy a diversified basket of individual stocks tracking an index or with exposure to a particular theme. But now there are also so-called single-stock ETFs, allowing leveraged bets on individual stocks. However, regulators and advisors warn these

Just months ago, the housing market remained in overdrive: surging home prices, historically low interest rates and unrelenting demand. However, data now suggests to some experts that the market is in a “housing recession.” For example, sales of existing homes in July fell by 5.9% from June, marking the sixth straight month of a decline

Sometimes a life raft can look a lot like a credit card. In an economy that has produced the highest inflation rate since the early 1980s, Americans are struggling to keep up with day-to-day expenses and are increasingly relying on credit cards to stay afloat. Amid a dramatic rise in the cost of living, credit card balances jumped 13% in

Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., and other lawmakers discuss the Social Security 2100 Act, which would include increased minimum benefits, on Capitol Hill on Oct. 26, 2021. Drew Angerer | Getty Images News | Getty Images Social Security crossed a new milestone when it reached its 87th anniversary on Sunday. The program was signed into law

Because of astronomical costs of care and support — often more than $100,000 per year — most individuals with disabilities will need government assistance such as Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid. However, they must shelter their assets carefully to not be disqualified from these programs. That’s where special needs trusts and ABLE accounts come in.

Geber86 | E+ | Getty Images Investors have obviously taken a beating so far in 2022. Technology stocks, cryptocurrencies and nearly everything else that shot up during the free money, zero-interest-rate era has cratered, while other market segments haven’t fared much better. This, of course, isn’t the first time in the recent past that equities

Connie Gores was in her mid-50s, with one daughter in college and another newly graduated, when she became keenly focused on preparing for retirement.  Gores, who worked in higher education and was a college president, met with a financial advisor set up by her former employer during the financial crisis of 2008. “The conversation changed

Yacobchuk | Istock | Getty Images What is retirement? When does it start? And how has Covid-19 affected Americans’ retirement plans? An ongoing survey of U.S. retirees and near-retirees suggests there’s a wide range of opinions on these fundamental questions and a rapidly changing perspective on what retirement will look like in the future. Last

In this article NFLX RDFN Holger Scheibe | The Image Bank | Getty Images While “Hiring Now” signs dot storefronts and highways across America, the job market may be starting to cool. The Federal Reserve’s decision to bring down inflation by raising interest rates has some projecting a slowing economy — and slower sales —

Dougal Waters | Getty Images Despite the economic and professional gains made by women over the last 50 years, gender gaps persist — and not just in rate of pay. Retirement readiness and financial know-how are key areas with notable gaps, according to two studies recently released by the TIAA Institute. For example, among workers

The gender wage gap has remained remarkably stubborn for decades and, inevitably, becomes a significant shortfall at retirement. In 2020, women made 83 cents for every dollar earned by men, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The gap persists despite women’s increasing levels of education and even widens among higher-income workers. By the end of her career, a full-time

MoMo Productions | Stone | Getty Images Retirees and those planning to retire soon are the people most threatened by high inflation, investment managers and financial experts said at CNBC’s Financial Advisor Summit. Inflation means a dollar today can buy fewer groceries and other household staples than it did a year ago, on average. Some

Getty Images The first half of 2022 has been a whirlwind for investors and financial advisors amid high market volatility. As they brace themselves for the second half of the year, a key way for them to succeed will be rebalancing, Omar Aguilar, CEO and CIO at Schwab Asset Management said at the CNBC Financial

Bloom Productions Amid ongoing market volatility, actively managed exchange-traded funds may have a place in your portfolio. Most ETFs, which trade throughout the day like stocks, are passively managed — which means a fund’s performance generally mirrors the ups and downs of whichever index it tracks. A small but growing share, however, are employing active

Amnajkhetsamtip | Istock | Getty Images Women are closing in on men when it comes to their self-evaluated financial prowess, recent research shows. Overall, 55% of women and 60% of men are confident in their ability to manage their finances, according to U.S. Bank’s 2022 Women and Wealth Insights study. That compares to 48% and

moodboard | Image Source | Getty Images Women face a unique set of challenges when it comes to retirement planning. Unfortunately, research shows female workers are coming up short compared to their male counterparts. The good news is there is room for women workers to take steps now to improve their prospects for a better-quality

JGI/Jamie Grill The Covid-19 pandemic really highlighted how financially troubled our society is. Debt levels are extremely high, bankruptcies are commonplace and many Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Today’s adults are suffering and may be setting the next generation up for trouble, as well. Tackling the financial literacy crisis in America begins in the

Stacy Francis Source: Stacy Francis Stacy Francis never planned to become a financial advisor, especially one for women going through divorce. But a candid talk with her grandmother shifted her career trajectory.  Her grandmother, Myra, was a victim of spousal abuse and, before passing, she confessed to staying in her marriage because she felt “financially

William_potter | Istock | Getty Images With the stock market getting volatile but the housing market still hot, reverse mortgages have become a more attractive tool for older Americans who need cash for retirement but want to stay in their homes. Home Equity Conversion Mortgage loan volume was up 26% in March, according to data

Tari Lee Sykes and her late husband, Charles Jeremy Sykes. She thought they’d have one more Christmas together. Yet a few days before the holiday, Tari Lee Sykes’s husband, Charles Jeremy Sykes, died after battling a rare lung disease for years. He’d never get to open the wrapped presents below their glistening tree. On top

Ariel Skelley | Digitalvision | Getty Images The double whammy of a declining stock market and rising interest rates has been pummeling homebuilder stocks this year, resulting in rock-bottom valuations. Those valuations make housing stocks look like the worst home in a bad neighborhood. But in reality, the industry is the cheapest house in an