2018 Standard Mileage Rates Announced
Those who track mileage for work will be glad to know the IRS adjusted the 2018 standard mileage rate for inflation. Read more in this week’s Tax Tip.
Stocks Slip
Stocks ended trading in the red zone on Wednesday. Caterpillar led decliners on the Dow amid a variety of economic news. Fourth-quarter gross domestic product was revised.
Red Territory
Indices traded into the red zone on Tuesday. Walt Disney and Nike led decliners on the Dow. Stocks dipped on a variety of economic news.
New Blended Retirement System for Military
The Office of Financial Readiness now offers a new military retirement system that blends a defined benefit annuity with a defined contribution plan. Read all about it in this week’s Financial Tip.
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: A Look at Accelerated Depreciation
With the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the deduction limit for Section 179 doubles to $1,000,000 for property placed into service after Dec. 31, 2017. For businesses, this is a robust benefit that is likely to stimulate additional growth, as it provides an immediate tax benefit for businesses that purchase anywhere from $1 to $2,500,000 worth of…
Money Talks – February 24, 2018
This week on “Money Talks,” hosts Bil Lako, CFP®, and Troy Harmon, CFA, CVA, are joined by our Chief Economic Adviser, Roger Tutterow, Ph.D., to discuss the latest minutes from the January Federal Open Market Committee meeting, jobless claims and interest rates. The experts also delve into a discussion on how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changes, for businesses and corporations may affect the economy. They discuss how companies may take advantage of corporate tax rates, the repeal of corporate AMT, the reduced tax rate for repatriated profits, and increased Section 179 and bonus depreciation. The experts also answer listeners’ question on Keurig/Green Mountain’s plans to buy Dr Pepper Snapple, the latest scam affecting taxpayers, and the $8-million-dollar-question of, “When is the recession?”
Case Study: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Promises Big Changes for Businesses
Hosts Bil Lako, CFP®, and Troy Harmon, CFA, CVA, are joined by our Chief Economic Adviser, Roger Tutterow, Ph.D., and delve into a discussion on how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changes for businesses and corporations may affect the economy. They discuss how companies may take advantage of corporate tax rates, the repeal of corporate AMT, the reduced tax rate for repatriated profits, and accelerated depreciation.
Market Roundup: While Equities Advanced Modestly, Volatility was Prevalent Throughout the Week
The U.S. Markets were closed Monday, commemorating Presidents Day; however, the break from trading didn’t stop indices from sliding into red territory on Tuesday, marking the first declines for the indices since they entered correction territory on Feb. 8. The decline continued Wednesday as concerns about higher interest rates resurfaced with the release of the Federal Open Market Committee meeting minutes from the January meeting. The Fed minutes showed the central bank plans to keep gradually raising short-term interest rates throughout 2018. The day’s losses were broad, across all 11 sectors of the S&P, while bond rates saw a fresh four-year high. In housing news, existing-home sales dipped in January, with sales falling 3.2% from December and were down by 4.8% from January 2017. Early signs showed the major indices would snap a two-day losing streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed with a gain of 0.66%, while the S&P 500 rose 0.11%. The tech-laden NASDAQ Composite Index closed down about 0.1%. The weekly jobless claims fell 7,000 from the previous week’s revised level of 222,000. This brought the four-week moving average down to 223,750. Indices finally closed with gains on Friday, as Technology sector stocks led the way up. Gains were led by the NASDAQ, but the broad-based S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average also enjoyed the accelerated rally in the final hours, pushing them into positive territory for the week.
Q&A Time: Dr Pepper Snapple Merger with Green Mountain, Tax Scams and the Next Recession
The “Money Talks” experts answer listeners’ question on Keurig/Green Mountain’s plans to buy Dr Pepper Snapple, the latest scam affecting taxpayers, and the $8-million-dollar-question of, “When is the recession?”
A Green Friday
Indices closed with gains on Friday. Technology brands including Intel, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and IBM stepped up. Stocks rallied on a variety of economic news.