Articles
The Shapes of Economic Recoveries
On June 8, 2020, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), which has official responsibility for determining U.S. business cycles, announced that February 2020 marked the end of an expansion that began in 2009 and the beginning of a recession. The NBER defines a recession as “a decline in economic activity that lasts more than a few months”.
Social Security and Medicare Financial Challenges
Most Americans will eventually receive Social Security and Medicare benefits. Each year, the Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds release lengthy reports to Congress that assess the health of these important programs. The newest reports, released on April 22, 2020, discuss the current financial condition and ongoing financial challenges that both programs … Continued
2019 IRA Contribution Deadline Extension
There’s still time to make a regular IRA contribution for 2019. You have until your tax return due date (not including extensions) to contribute up to $6,000 for 2019 ($7,000 if you were age 50 or older on December 31, 2019).
What Happened to Your Portfolio During the Panic of the COVID Crisis?
How much did your portfolio go down in the start of the COVID-19 stock market crisis? How does it compare to the stock market and other blended portfolios?
What Happened to the Price of Oil?
On April 20, 2020, the price of a futures contract for West Texas Intermediate crude — the benchmark for U.S. oil prices — fell below zero for the first time in history, dropping more than 306% in trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange and ending the day at -$37.63 per barrel. Why did this happen?
Charting COVID-19 & The Stock Market
COVID-19 has severly impacted the global economy. Charts help with story-telling, perspective and analysis. Let’s dive into the story of COVID-19 as it stands today
Summarizing the CARES Act.
This emergency relief package is intended to assist individuals and businesses during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and accompanying economic crisis. Major relief provisions are summarized here.
Due Date for Federal Income Tax Returns and Payments Postponed to July 15, 2020
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the due date for filing federal income tax returns and making tax payments has been postponed by the IRS to July 15, 2020.
Investor Coronavirus Update – Waiting it Out
Coronavirus cases continue to spike and the market continues to drop with uncertainty. The stock market just experienced it’s fastest 30% drop ever. Having a plan is crucial. Being diversified is crucial. When will we start to see a recovery?