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5 Things You Didn’t Know About 529 Plans
When it comes to saving for your child’s education, 529 plans are a popular choice due to their tax advantages and flexibility. However, there are several lesser-known aspects of 529 plans that can enhance your saving strategy. Here are five things you might not know about 529 plans: 1. You aren’t limited to the 529…
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Are You Following the Financial Herd?
Herd mentality is the tendency to follow the actions of a larger group, even when those actions might not be in one’s best interest. When it comes to finances, herd mentality can have significant implications for your investments and retirement planning. The first step to avoiding this common bias is understanding its prevalence. Second, is…
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Market Commentary 07/02/2024
The Markets Some good news and some volatility. Last week was a mixed bag as investors weighed positive economic news against concerns that stock prices for some chipmakers may not be sustainable. Here are the highlights: On Friday, one of the Fed’s favored measures of inflation – the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Index – showed…
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Market Commentary 06/25/2024
The Markets Are we at an inflection point? The transition to renewable energy has been moving forward and may be reaching an inflection point. In 2023, global renewable energy capacity increased by almost 50 percent, reported the International Energy Agency (IEA). Renewable capacity reached all-time highs in the United States, Europe and Brazil. However, the…
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Market Commentary 06/18/2024
The Markets Inflation is lower – and so are some retail prices. There was a lot of good news last week about the cost of products and services in the United States. In May, prices for gasoline and fuel oil, new cars, and clothing moved lower, while the cost of shelter, medical care, and eating…
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Market Commentary 06/11/2024
The Markets Another record high for the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 Index! Last week, the S&P 500 Index hit its 25th record high for 2024. Investor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence helped drive the index to a new high. About 30 percent of the Index is information technology stocks. The S&P 500 also benefitted from…
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Market Commentary 06/04/2024
The Markets Overall, May was a good month for investors. The adage, “Sell in May and go away,” would have been poor advice last month. Major stock indices in the United States finished the month higher. Connor Smith of Barron’s reported: Despite the positive returns, May was also a volatile month for stocks as investors…
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Market Commentary 05/29/2024
The Markets Perception versus reality. A recent Harris poll, conducted on behalf of The Guardian newspaper, found that there is some confusion about the state of the American economy and U.S. stock market performance. A significant proportion of the Americans who participated think the economy and the stock market are in rough shape. Here are…
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Market Commentary 05/21/2024
The Markets Reading the economic tea leaves. Tasseography practitioners read tea leaves to forecast the future. Some economic data serve a similar purpose. Policymakers, central bankers, economists, and investors look at leading economic indicators to forecast where the economy may be headed. Classic leading indicators include: Consumer confidence. Consumer spending is the largest contributor to…
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