Life is for the Living, and so is Life Insurance
If something were to happen to you, would your family be able to manage financially? Life insurance can help. Read all about it in this week’s Insurance Tip.
Does Your Employer Misclassify You as an Independent Contractor Instead of as an Employee?
Employees may be misclassified as independent contractors. This makes a huge difference when it comes to taxes. Learn more in this week’s Tax Tip.
How do Economists Measure Inflation, and Why Does It Matter to Investors?
You see inflation affect prices every time you go to the grocery store. But how does the Fed measure it? We explain in this week’s Financial Tip.
Money Talks – August 26, 2017
This week on “Money Talks,” Bil Lako, CFP®, and Troy Harmon, CFA, CVA, are joined by Senior Associate Jarrett McKenzie, CFP®, CWS®, to discuss the week’s market performance, Consumer Sentiment for August, and housing news. They also delve into the inaction we’ve seen from Washington, D.C. and how an investor should react. Jarrett brings to the table a discussion on Private College 529 Plan as an alternative to state-sponsored education savings plans. He discusses the features and provides advice for those interested in sending their child to a private college. The experts round out the show addressing listeners’ questions on Facebook, establishing an IRA or Roth IRA as a young professional and combining multiple 401(k) accounts from previous employers.
Case Study: Private College 529 Plans Allow You to Buy Tuition at Today’s Prices
This week, Senior Associate Jarrett McKenzie, CFP®, CWS®, joins hosts Bil Lako, CFP®, and Troy Harmon, CFA, CVA to cover Private College 529 Plans that allow you to lock in today’s tuition prices at select private colleges and universities nationwide.
Market Roundup: Stocks Notch First Weekly
The U.S. indices closed mixed on Monday, as both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 Index added slight gains, while the NASDAQ shed some points. Financial and technology brands led decliners. Those moves reversed the next day as Technology companies led a broad upswing in stocks, likely because investors scooped up shares following the recent declines. The market fell Wednesday as political turbulence and disappointing earnings weighed on stocks in a quiet trading session. Crude oil prices ticked up amid a smaller-than-expected decrease in inventories. Energy Information Administration figures showed reserves fell by 3.3 million barrels in the past week versus expectations of a decline of 3.5 million barrels. The decline continued Thursday as stocks dipped on a variety of economic news. Existing home sales decreased in July. National Association of Realtors data showed home resales slipped by 1.3% last month to an annual rate of 5.44 million, versus expectations of a 0.9% increase. Looking elsewhere, initial jobless claims ticked up last week, as the Department of Labor showed new claims increased by 2,000 to 234,000. Indices ended trading with mixed moves on Friday with the Dow and S&P 500 posting gains while the NASDAQ was down. In economic news, orders for durable goods dipped in July. Orders for products designed to last three years or more decreased 6.8% last month, following a 6.4% increase in June.
Q&A Time: Facebook, IRAs and Multiple 401(k) Accounts
The “Money Talks” experts round out the show addressing listeners’ questions on Facebook, whether a young professional should establish an IRA or Roth IRA and the benefit to combining multiple 401(k) accounts from previous employers.
A Mixed Friday
Indices ended trading with mixed moves on Friday. The Dow and S&P 500 posted gains while the Nasdaq shed some points. Home Depot and Chevron led advancers on the Dow while telecom and energy brands bolstered the S&P 500’s ascent.
Financial Changes Needed when a Family Expands
A growing family needs to evaluate and adapt their financial plan. We list out the financial areas you should review in this week’s Marietta Daily Journal Article. Read the Article
Hiring Your First Employee
As a business owner, are you stretched too thin? It may be time to consider hiring your first employee. Learn what you need to do in this week’s Business Tip.