Don’t Get Swept Up In The Recession

Between February of 2020 and June of 2020 the Dow Jones Industrial Index moved violently from around 27,000 down to below 20,000 and then very quickly back to around 25,000. Anyone watching those market movements surely had a great amount of fear sweep over themselves regarding their retirement savings and their ability to trust the stock market to provide them with the capital appreciation that many of us used to take for granted. It has been a short window of time during which so many began to question what they could do to protect their retirement even as we start …

Recognize and Prevent Elder Financial Abuse

Yesterday was World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.   There can be many ways the elderly are abused by family or those close to them.  Let’s look at abuse from a financial aspect. Financial abuse can be a complicated subject, but at its most basic level it involves taking advantage of an older adult through manipulation or intimidation to steal their money or property. Elderly adults are some of the most vulnerable to financial abuse. Some of the biggest risk factors for older adults include: • IsolationIsolation can cause extreme loneliness in seniors, leaving them desperate for any sort of social …

Estate Planning in a Pandemic

The ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic has disrupted life in countless ways. The health crisis has led many people to examine their own mortality and realize that they are not prepared for the end of life situations. As the crisis continues to rage on, it is more important than ever to make sure that your will and other important estate planning directives are in place. According to Caring.com, 52% of people over the age of 55 do not have a will or other vital estate planning documents in place. While it can be a bit more challenging to get these directives …

CARES Act Creates Tax Relief

In March 2020, the unemployment rate was 4.4 percent; just one month later the number had skyrocketed to 14.7 percent-the highest figure since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Some 29 million Americans are now temporarily or permanently out of work. COVID-19, the pandemic coronavirus, in many ways, has crippled the U.S. economy. The good-or at least better-news is that the federal government has made a flurry of tax and process decisions that should bring relief to many in the form of The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security program, or The CARES Act. Here’s a quick review of the …

Stimulus Payments Won’t Cut Into Your Tax Refund

In March 2020, the Federal Government passed the CARES Act. This act, a result of the massive COVID-19 pandemic that has infected over one million Americans, was responsible for the establishment of a variety of federal aid designed to assist individuals throughout the country in getting through unemployment and the ongoing pandemic. The most well-known component of the CARES Act was its direct cash payment. These payments, which began to be sent in April, supplied individuals with $1,200 if they had previously filed as individuals making up to $75,000, $112,500 if they filed as the head of households or $150,000 …

Is The Stock Market Making You Nervous Lately?

The history of the stock market is littered with examples of times when the market takes a dive downwards. However, there are a lot of reasons to believe that the latest market dive is one of the more extreme that most people have ever seen. Thus, it makes all the sense in the world that a lot of investors are on edge or nervous about market conditions right now. The Search For Alternatives No one likes to lose money, and it is particularly painful when it comes as suddenly as the most recent market crash came. Thus, many investors have …

Beware of Coronavirus Scams

It appears the novel coronavirus is causing more than just damage to people’s health. This situation is causing some people to experience serious financial harm from scammers. They are taking advantage of individuals for their money. These are individuals who are well-intentioned and often uninformed. Scams There have been many different types of coronavirus scams created. The bottom line with all of them is they’re designed to get your money or your information in order to get to your money. Too many people have a desire to help those who have been hurt by the coronavirus. Their good intentions do …

Has Being Quarantined Changed Your Thoughts of Retirement?

 The pandemic has some rethinking retirement plans, as this event has a lot worried about their post-career years.  The sentiment of US citizens aged 65 and older echoed across the nation is that they have worries about their decisions regarding retirement now that the pandemic has seeped into the country. Concerns over too much togetherness and fears of boredom surfaced in the last few months. This has prompted seniors to wonder if they’ve saved enough for a decent pension and how would a retirement fare if the “togetherness” we’re experiencing at home during the pandemic lasted for the rest of …

Updated Stimulus Check Info

If you’re still someone waiting and wondering about the status of your Stimulus Check, we are here to help you understand it all. The following information will focus on what you need to know about the stimulus checks the government will be sending out in the weeks to come. Who is Getting Stimulus Checks? In Mid April, the IRS started sending out stimulus checks to all American taxpayers who fall within the stimulus check guidelines. What people are looking for is clarification about who should be expecting a payment. First, all American taxpayers 18 years of age or older who …

COVID-19 Was Your Retirement Plan Test?

Countless Americans are worried about the impact that Covid-19 will have on the health of their families and friends, and indeed their own well-being. However, there is another concern that could  impact you. In preparing for retirement, investors should prepare for all sorts of investment environments, and that includes downturns like Covid-19. While it may seem out of the ordinary, remember that it has been less than 15 years since the last financial downturn, and while the growth seen over the past ten years has been substantial, it is now clear that it is sandwiched between two bear periods. Therefore, …