Whenever stock prices take a hit, volatility generally increases. By that I mean daily price swings become more extreme – both in size as well as in speed – as compared to longer-term averages. That’s the situation in which we found ourselves after COVID-19 decimated world economies. When was the last time you saw the…
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This may seem like an unusual year to be talking about required minimum distributions (RMDs) since Congress has temporarily eliminated them in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But they haven’t gone away. After all, the government does need to collect the taxes they allowed you to defer throughout your working years. If you’re a…
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There are really two questions here. The first is whether or not the cost of the CARES Act and the other federal government rescue/stimulus spending packages could drive the U.S. government into bankruptcy. The second concerns the impact on our children and grandchildren of the mountain of federal debt that will be left to them.…
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Federal tax benefits for the charitably-inclined have undergone a seismic shift over the past three years. Between the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the SECURE Act of 2019, and the three acts passed earlier this year collectively known as the CARES Act, the federal government has not only changed the rules but has…
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During times of stress we naturally feel the urge to do something, if only to create the illusion that we have some degree of control over the situation. But after a market meltdown advisors will tell you (correctly) that selling stocks now would achieve nothing except to lock-in losses. So doing nothing, especially if you…
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As I write this the S&P 500 had ended the day’s trading with a 12% decline. That’s the second greatest one-day loss in its history, and we are sure to hear all about it in the media. We will also be told that the S&P 500 is in “bear market” territory, the term used to…
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