Various factors have made some states more attractive than others, influencing the migration of citizens from state to state. Weather, taxes, jobs and housing affordability are among the primary factors incentivizing people to move from one state to another. The …
Tax Rule Changes For 2019 – Tax Planning Various changes are effective for the 2019 tax year beginning January 1, 2019. The changes affect most every tax payer both as an employee and self employed business owners. A provision in …
Credit Score Calculations Will Change In 2019 – Financial Planning In response to pressure from regulators and the banking industry, credit reporting firms will offer modified credit scores starting in 2019. The modifications include the calculation of utility and cellphone …
The Common Occurrence Of Government Shutdowns – Fiscal Policy Government shutdowns have been a common occurrence over the years under most every president. The length of the shutdowns have varied from 2 days in 1981 under President Reagan to 21 …
U.S. Became Net Oil Exporter In 2018 – Oil Industry Overview December marked the first time ever that the U.S. exported more crude oil and fuel than it imported, a result of ambitious U.S. production and the lifting of a …
Short Term Bond Rates Rise – Fixed Income Review Shorter term bond yields rose closer to longer term bond yields, thus further flattening the Treasury bond yield curve, an economic gauge closely followed by market analysts. The benchmark 10-year Treasury …
Global Equity Markets Decline – Equity Review Volatility throughout the trading year kept stock valuations tough to determine. A popular process that analysts use to value stocks is based on Price Earnings (PE) ratios, calculated by dividing the current market …
January 2019 Macro Overview Weariness among investors escalated towards the end of 2018 as uncertainty surrounding trade, the Federal Reserve, a government shutdown, and global economic growth lingered into the new year. Even during the turbulent year of 2018, the …
As the number of elderly has grown nationwide, so has the need for caregivers. The baby boom generation, the largest demographical segment of the U.S. population at 74 million, are now entering their late 60s and early 70s. Many are …
The alteration in the standard deduction and how taxpayers have been accustomed to using it may be the single most important factor for tax planning into 2019. The increase in the standard deduction is designed to simplify taxes for millions …
Global oil prices declined sharply in November, with the domestic benchmark (WTI) falling 22% for the month, the single largest monthly drop in 10 years. The steep drop in price is a result of increased production by U.S. producers as …
The recent trend in rising rates slowed in November as expectations intensified that the Fed may not raise as ambitiously in 2019 as initially projected. The yield on the 10-year Treasury bond fell from 3.24% at the beginning of the …
Major U.S. equity indices stabilized in November as markets reassessed October’s pullback. The Dow Jones Industrial and S&P 500 indices made up of larger cap stocks rebounded over 1.5% in November, outpacing the tech heavy Nasdaq index for the month. …
As natural disasters mount from wild fires in California to hurricanes and flooding in Texas, Florida and the East coast, insurance claims are in the billions of dollars and growing. Most major insurance companies offer and issue various types of …
Over the past few months, the demand for used automobiles has been rising, with the difference in prices between new autos and used autos the largest it has been in years. Consequently, as the demand for used cars has increased, …
The Group of Twenty (G20) summit in Argentina produced two significant trade deals for the United States, a revised trade agreement with Canada and Mexico as well as a trade tariff truce with China. The trade arrangements were initially received …
Yields rose across all fixed income sectors in October, with the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rising from 2.99% to 3.23% mid-month. Even with the current rise in rates, yields are still below historical averages. Some analysts are expecting a …
Part of the tariffs imposed by China on U.S. goods from the United States included crude oil when first announced in June. The Chinese have since reconsidered the tariff and have left it off the initial list of $16 billion …
Some believe that the dollar’s rise may continue as investors seek stability in the world’s healthiest economy. U.S. capital markets remain the largest and most liquid of all financial markets globally, attracting international investors. The Trade Weighted U.S. Dollar Index, …
Stocks in all categories suffered in October as the month saw declines across all major indices. The initial imposition of tariffs hit U.S. company earnings in October as well with rising material costs hindering profits. Aluminum, steel and smaller components …