According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, up to 10 million Americans lost their homes during the last financial crisis. Now, 10 years later, we’re only slightly above 2016’s low of 63 percent home ownership – at about 64 percent as of June 2018.1 While many metropolitan areas … Continue reading
Toward the end of 2018, before the midterms, Congress passed a proliferation of bills, many of which were bipartisan. The following is a roundup of recent legislation designed to provide economic stimulus and additional protections heading into 2019. The America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 directs the U.S. Army Corps … Continue reading
Newton’s laws of motion and gravity are often applied to economics and the stock market. What goes up, must come down. While this generally explains a natural path of the economic cycle, the key question for most investors is: When will it come down? While no one can predict market … Continue reading
Space: The final frontier. Or is it? The U.S. is again taking a serious look at space exploration, but there are many factors to consider. President Trump last summer called for the Department of Defense to move space operations to a sixth military branch, though funding such an effort would … Continue reading
In late September, the Federal Reserve raised its key short-term interest rate to 2.25 percent from 2.0 percent, in its third increase of the year.1 The good news is that higher rates offer the potential for higher returns on CDs, bank savings and other fixed-rated accounts that have been languishing … Continue reading
In particular, automobiles seem to be in the crosshairs of President Trump’s hard line on trade with the rest of the world. Here are a few reasons why:1 S. auto production represents about 2.7 percent of GDP. There are more jobs in motor-vehicle assembly than in computers and electronics, chemicals, … Continue reading
Real Estate Update What a difference a decade makes. After the real estate debacle of the Great Recession, home prices are now near record highs in many markets with mortgage default and foreclosure rates at near record lows, according to the National Association of Realtors, or NAR.1 However, Lawrence Yun, … Continue reading
“And that’s the way it is.” This is how Walter Cronkite signed off at the completion of his CBS Evening Newscast, which he anchored from 1962 until 1981. Widely recognized as a trusted source to deliver the news, Cronkite was known for his honesty and impartiality.1 These days, it’s hard … Continue reading
Many Americans who enroll in original Medicare also purchase a supplemental insurance policy, colloquially known as “Medigap.” Medigap covers some or all of the out-of-pocket costs associated with original Medicare — deductibles, copayments and coinsurance — helping to reduce financial risk. However, there is a wide array of Medigap plans … Continue reading
In a 2017 Nationwide Retirement Institute survey, financial advisors revealed some of the primary concerns of today’s pre-retirees, including maintaining their current lifestyle during retirement. These people also are less concerned with growing their assets; instead, they are focusing on drawing them down in a disciplined strategy without taking out … Continue reading