Newsletters

July

• HOT TOPIC: Social Security and Medicare: The Clock Is Ticking

  According to this year’s Trustees report, Social Security recipients might face a benefit cut in 2034 unless Congress acts soon to strengthen the program.

• Locked Out? How to Break Into Today’s Housing Market

  Homeownership can still be an attainable goal, but it may take more planning, flexibility, and creativity than it did in the past.

• What Is Value Investing?

  At the heart of a value investing strategy is viewing the purchase of stock shares as becoming a part owner of a company.

• Midyear Checkup: Can You Contribute More to Your Retirement Plan?

  With traditional pensions in decline, it’s up to the individual employee to build retirement savings in a work-based account.

• Taxing Social Security Benefits: Clearing the Confusion

  The One Big Beautiful Bill Act did not change the rules for taxing Social Security benefits, but it did create a new deduction for seniors that could help reduce their tax burden.

• Teens Say Social Media Takes a Toll on Mental Health

  Many parents are concerned about the well-being of their children as they navigate the digital landscape.

June

• HOT TOPIC: Pressure at the Pump: Will High Gas Prices Shake the U.S. Economy?

  This article looks at why gas is so expensive, what it might take to stop the upward trend, and the potential effect of high gas prices on consumers and the broader economy.

• REITs Offer Income and Diversification

  Most broad stock funds contain real estate investment trusts (REITs), but for a more strategic approach, investors can choose from a variety of REIT funds and individual REITs.

• What Is Asset-Based LTCI?

  Hybrid long-term care insurance policies, also known as asset-based plans, combine the benefit of a life insurance policy or an annuity with the availability of long-term care benefits.

• What Can You Learn from Your Tax Return?

  Tax season may be over, but a completed tax return offers information that can help with financial strategy for the rest of the year.

• Variable Annuities: Strategies to Help Counter Retirement Risks

  Unlike retirement accounts, there are no federal contribution limits for variable annuities, and the investment gains won’t be taxed until they are withdrawn.

• Goodbye Passwords, Hello Passkeys

  As major tech companies, apps, and websites make passkeys their default security option, it’s likely you’ll be prompted to set them up to help secure your accounts.

August

• HOT TOPIC: What’s in the New Tax Legislation?

  This article provides an overview of some key provisions in the new tax law, commonly called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

• Have You Set a Retirement Savings Goal?

  Completing this simple worksheet can help establish a realistic retirement savings target.

• Buying a Condo? Focus on the Financials

  Condominiums are generally priced lower than single-family homes, but condo ownership comes with some special costs and financial implications.

• Investing with Market Cap in Mind

  Holding stocks in companies of varied sizes through mutual funds or exchange-traded funds could help increase portfolio diversification.

• How Savers and Spenders Can Meet in the Middle

  Couples with opposite philosophies regarding saving and spending often have trouble finding common ground. This article offers tips on working out financial differences.

• Home Appliance Economics

  The prices of new home appliances have declined over the last decade, but repair costs have gone through the roof. Here’s what to consider when facing appliance-buying decisions.