Even with the disappointing jobs report this past Friday, the good times just keeps on coming for equity investors, as all the major indexes finished in the black for the first full trading week of October. It was a week where we saw declines in both government jobs and private sector jobs, yet a week where we also witnessed the …
The 401k Plan Beneficiary Payout Issue
How does your 401k plan dictate beneficiary payouts? Some retirees have chosen to leave their retirement assets sitting in their 401k plans instead of rolling it over to an IRA once they retire. However, most retirees aren’t aware of their former Employers policies and procedures in regards to beneficiary payouts. Some companies may allow the beneficiary account to remain within …
A Sizzling September
The temperatures in Alabama weren’t the only thing that was hot during the notoriously scary month of September, as equities posted their best September in nearly 71 years. Much of the strength came during the second half of the month on better-than-expected economic news which beat back worries about a double dip recession. With an unexpected drop in initial jobless …
Do you owe Gift Tax?
Do you owe Gift Tax? Most people aren’t even aware a Gift Tax actually exists! Well, for simplistic purposes, gift tax is a tax placed on any gifts, which you have given to someone while you are still living. Even though you are allowed to give any amount b/w spouses with no gift tax affects, there is a current annual …
Bulls Continue To Stampede
While it certainly wasn’t as convincing as Alabama’s victory over the Duke football team this past weekend, the stock market ‘bulls’ continued to stampede ahead this past week as all the major indexes finished higher. This bullish train continues to chug down the track in a month that most pundits said would most likely be very tough for stocks to …
September Rally Continues
Who said September is the scariest month for the markets? Out of the seven trading days of the month so far, six have been positive. Stocks have moved out of their August doldrums and have moved steadily higher in September thanks to a series of encouraging signals on the strength of the U.S. economy. The latest came this past Friday …
A Labor Day Bounce Back
What a difference a month makes! Stocks snapped back from a dismal August, and over the course of the first three days of September all the major equity indexes picked up solid ground just when the markets were looking at a ‘fourth and long’ situation. (This in honor of the beginning of the collegiate football season.) First, consider the damage …
Is Your Will Worthless?
Is your Will worthless? While a wonderfully drafted Will helps to transfer wealth and hopefully minimize inheritance tax, a Will without proper estate planning can sometimes become worthless. Beneficiary designations, ownership titles, or transfer on death provisions all have affects which could negate a wonderfully drafted Will all together. It is important to make sure your complete estate plan involves …
A Rotten Week Ends With A Huge Upward Reversal
The key word for this past week’s stock market action could be summed up in just one word: reversal. The whole week came down to just one 90 minute stretch this past Friday – from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Alabama time– during which we got better-than-expected revisions to second quarter GDP, and a much over hyped speech from Fed …
Eight Questions to Ask About Roth IRA Conversions: ADVICE Column
In a previous article, I couldn’t tackle all the issues associated with this complicated conversion dilemma, nor can I completely finish them here. However, I’d like to propose a number of additional issues worth considering, based on feedback to my original article, in the hope that it, as well as other discussions, will prompt advisors to step back and at …