By Debbie Placke, Vice President and Manager, Financial Planning Strategies and Marketing
As we were ringing in 2020, who could have imagined what the following months could hold. In February, as news about the virus began, the economy started to spiral. There have been about 47 million unemployment claims since the beginning of the pandemic. That means that millions of Americans are now searching for financial solutions to keep them above water.
By Theresa Fry, Senior Vice President and Manager, IRA’s and Retirement Planning
With the first round of stimulus checks delivered and another round being discussed in Congress, now is a good time to review ways to make the most of the income you have received. For many, the stimulus checks were a welcome relief – calming anxieties over how to pay bills such as rent, mortgages, and utilities or provide food to put on the table.
By Theresa Fry, Senior Vice President and Manager, IRA’s and Retirement Planning
The year 2019 may feel like a lifetime ago, but if you haven’t yet filed or paid your federal income taxes for 2019, that deadline will be here before you know it. After the coronavirus reached pandemic status in March, one of the first announcements from the IRS was the extension of the 2019 federal income tax filing and payment deadlines to July 15,
By Jeffrey R. Wolfe, Senior Vice President, Manager of Wealth Planning Strategies
With the COVID- 19 pandemic there are a lot of changes in the world. Wearing masks in public, maintaining social distancing guidelines, etc. – it can be a lot. With all these changes, you may be overlooking a few key financial issues that could cost you in the long run. Here are some things to consider:
FSA Contributions – If you make Flexible Spending Account contributions for things like child care,
By Theresa Fry, Senior Vice President and Manager, IRA’s and Retirement Planning
College Refunds and 529 Plans
Recently, colleges and universities have begun issuing partial refunds for spring 2020 semester expenses. With campuses closing to in-person classes and the transition to online learning, more schools may be expected to follow suit. As a result, many students and parents receiving refund checks have questions about whether these refunds can be put back in to the student’s 529 plan and if it is a good idea to do so.
By Theresa Fry, Senior Vice President and Manager, IRA’s and Retirement Planning
If you find your spring holiday plans disrupted by the coronavirus, you may be encouraged that the federal government has planned another type of holiday appealing to retirement account holders.
The holiday? In addition to the federal stimulus checks, small-business loans and tax breaks making the headlines, the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed March 27 also makes available some relief for retirement account owners.
By Joanne M. Welker, CFA, Senior Vice President and Manager, Advisory Services
The equity market is down big today based on concerns of the coronavirus and its impact on supply of goods. Amazon is worried about Prime Day – i.e. Grappling with coronavirus outbreak, they are already taking steps to avoid supply-chain disruptions in China. While it can be seen how this would cause a reaction in the market,
By Joanne M. Welker, CFA, Senior Vice President and Manager, Advisory Services
Unlike last year at this time, 2019’s year-end statement should provide feelings of relief, pride, and satisfaction versus last year’s fear and consternation after the market’s decline in December 2018. Once you get past the celebratory feelings, there are some things you should consider and keep in mind when reviewing your year-end statements.
By Jeffrey R. Wolfe, Senior Vice President, Manager of Wealth Planning Strategies
As we come to the climax of the Scary Financial Mistakes series, you know how it’s going to end. The young victim just escaped the monster, made it to the car, turns the key and . . . nothing. Car won’t start, monster gets them, and moves on to the next co-ed. Now, what if you found out that the reason the car didn’t start was because they didn’t do something completely preventable,
