According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 16.5 million people rely on contingent or alternative work arrangements for their income (See Note 1 Below). Often referred to as the "gig economy," these nontraditional or contingent work arrangements include independent contractors, on-call and temp agency workers, and those who sign up for on-demand labor through smartphone [...]
Defensive investment strategies share a common goal — to help a portfolio better weather an economic downturn and/or bouts of market volatility. But there are some key differences, including the specific criteria by which particular stocks are selected. If you are nearing retirement or just have a more conservative risk tolerance, one of these defensive [...]
Here are 10 things to consider as you weigh potential tax moves between now and the end of the year. 1. Set aside time to plan Effective planning requires that you have a good understanding of your current tax situation, as well as a reasonable estimate of how your circumstances might change next year. There's [...]
Another year is drawing to a close, but so far neither market volatility nor market-moving headlines have shown any signs of winding down. As we reflect on a challenging 2018 and look for bright spots in 2019, confidence in continued steady growth in the U.S. economy remains. The list of the market’s concerns is long, [...]
The biggest names in technology powered stock market gains and bouts of volatility in 2017, and the trend continued into 2018. The S&P Information Technology sector index posted a 13.19% total return from January through July 2018, compared with 6.47% for the broader S&P 500 index (See Note 1 Below). Wall Street analysts and the [...]
Each year, the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) conducts its Retirement Confidence Survey to assess both worker and retiree confidence in financial aspects of retirement. In 2018, as in years past, retirees expressed a higher level of confidence than today's workers (perhaps because "retirement" is less of an abstract concept to those actually living it). [...]
It’s been a difficult stretch for fixed-income investors since yields bottomed in the summer of 2016. As shown on the following chart published on the LPL Financial Research Blog, the 2-year cumulative total return for the broad high-quality bond market (as represented by the Bloomberg Barclays Aggregate Index) is negative for the first time in [...]
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, passed in December of last year, fundamentally changes the federal tax landscape for both individuals and businesses. Many of the provisions in the legislation are permanent, others (including most of the tax cuts that apply to individuals) expire at the end of 2025. Here are some of the significant [...]
Many people decide to begin receiving early Social Security retirement benefits. In fact, according to the Social Security Administration, about 72% of retired workers receive benefits prior to their full retirement age (See Note 1). But waiting longer could significantly increase your monthly retirement income, so weigh your options carefully before making a decision. Timing [...]
Should stock investors sell now? It’s been a good year for stocks — for the year-to-date period ending September 30, 2016, the Standard & Poors 500 has returned 7.84% despite the year’s rocky start in January and early February. But has performance been too good? Seven-and-a-half years into the bull market, valuations are high and [...]