March 2024
Productivity of U.S. workers increased by 2.7% in 2023 — well above the average annual rate of 2.1% since the end of World War II, and a dramatic change from 2022, when productivity dropped by 2.0%. It’s also a big... Read more
March 2024
Every year, the Internal Revenue Service announces cost-of-living adjustments that affect contribution limits for retirement plans and various tax deduction, exclusion, exemption, and threshold amounts. Here are a few of the key adjustments for 2024. Estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer... Read more
March 2024
Couples who have opposite philosophies regarding saving and spending often have trouble finding common ground, and money arguments frequently erupt. But you can learn to work with — and even appreciate — your financial differences. Money habits run deep If... Read more
March 2024
The Federal Reserve’s rapid series of interest rate hikes throughout 2022 and 2023 — initiated in an effort to bring down red-hot inflation — rippled throughout financial markets and the broader economy. People pay attention to the “Fed” to see... Read more
March 2024
The SECURE 2.0 Act, part of the federal spending bill passed in late 2022, ushered in new rules for workplace retirement accounts. For instance, starting in 2026, workplace plan participants with $145,000 or more in wages the prior year will... Read more
March 2024
Academic researchers have been exploring how investors’ personalities might affect their financial decisions and wealth outcomes. In one study, three finance professors (Dr. Zhengyang Jiang from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, Cameron Peng from the London School of Economics,... Read more
February 2024
It’s not easy to keep up with complex tax laws that always seem to be changing, much less figure out how they might affect you personally. Even so, it’s important to consider the potential impact of taxes when making many... Read more
February 2024
The start of a new year is typically a time when people resolve to implement or recommit themselves to a personal financial goal. This year, why not consider opening a 529 plan account, or increasing your contributions to an existing... Read more
February 2024
As you plan for retirement, you might not give credit a second thought, especially if your plan includes paying off your mortgage and other debts, and relying more on cash than credit. But retirement could last many years, and your... Read more
February 2024
Estate planning is the process of managing and preserving your assets while you are alive, and conserving and controlling their distribution after your death. There are four key estate planning documents almost everyone should have regardless of age, health, or... Read more