What has upswings and downturns, troughs, peaks, and plateaus? Though such terms could easily describe a roller coaster ride, they are also commonly used to describe the business cycle. The business cycle – also known as the economic cycle – refers to fluctuations in...
At first blush, the idea of a bond that doesn’t pay interest seems oxymoronic. After all, isn’t a bond a debt instrument that pays periodic interest and repays the principal at maturity?1 Zero coupon bonds are indeed debt instruments, but are issued at a discount to...
According to one study, 43% of data breaches involve small businesses. Another study found that the average cost of a data breach incident for a company with fewer than 500 employees is $2.98 million.1 Business owners are required to protect their customers’ personal...
Stocks were under pressure last week as corporate earnings results, rising oil prices, and AI valuation anxieties unsettled investors. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index lost 1.95 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index declined 4.48 percent. By contrast, the Dow...
An insurance deductible is the amount you, the insured, pay before any claim is paid by your insurance carrier. Depending upon the type of insurance, a policy may set the amount of deductible, or offer you the ability to select a deductible amount. Deductibles serve a...
Stocks ended last week mixed as a tug-of-war between strong economic data, cooler job growth, and decades-high Treasury yields played out. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index edged down 0.27 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.45 percent. The Dow Jones...
Taxpayers and businesses spend an estimated 7.1 billion hours a year complying with tax-filing requirements, which is worth $388 billion in economic value just to comply with tax regulations.1 As complex as the details of taxes can be, the income tax process is fairly...
A retired couple age 65 can expect to need about $330,000 saved to cover healthcare expenses in retirement. With healthcare expenses in the spotlight, it’s incumbent upon us to make sure our retirement strategy anticipates these costs.1 But that’s not enough....
Stocks ended last week mixed as investors navigated the Fed’s rate decision, Treasury yields, oil prices, and the volatile AI trade. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index declined 0.09 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.72 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial...
When you turn 65, you become eligible for Medicare if you: Either receive or qualify for Social Security retirement cash benefits Or, currently reside in the United States and are either: a. A U.S. citizen b. Or, a permanent U.S. resident who has lived in the U.S....