Thanks to the internet and YouTube, doing-it-yourself has taken on a new life.  For example, a young person we know was able to diagnose a problem with his clothes dryer, then order the key part and install it, thus saving the cost of an in-home repair.  Information that once might have been hard to find…

The U.S. stock market continued to power along with a well-stimulated economy and COVID reopenings, as the S&P 500 SPDR ETF (SPY) gained 8.4% in the 2nd quarter. The U.S. bond market (as measured by the US Aggregate Bond ETF – AGG) returned 1.8%, and a 60% stock/40% bond portfolio gained 5.7%.  Year to date, the…

Your reference guide to 2020 Tax Rates, College Savings Incentives, IRA and 401(k) Contributions, ABLE Accounts, and Social Security Benefits. Please click this LINK.

A trial has been set for August to determine the disposition of Aretha Franklin’s estate.  Initially everyone assumed the famous singer had died without a will.  However, three hand-written documents were later discovered that appeared to potentially be wills, some under the sofa cushions, and their terms were inconsistent.  In particular, questions were raised over…

Last year seniors were given a reprieve from the requirement to take minimum distributions from their IRAs and qualified retirement plans.  The suspension of the rules, included in the CARES Act, was enacted at a time when the stock market had moved sharply lower, and so it was intended to prevent a forced emptying of…

The U.S. stock market continued to climb out of and above the hole it dug in 2020, with the S&P 500 SPDR ETF (SPY) gaining 6.4% in the 1st quarter. The U.S. bond market (as measured by the US Aggregate Bond ETF – AGG) declined 3.4%, and a 60% stock/40% bond portfolio gained 2.5%. For…

DEAR TRUST OFFICER:   I have $6,000 to put into an IRA before I file my tax return for 2020.  Which is better, the traditional IRA or the Roth IRA? — TARDY SAVER DEAR TARDY:   There is no simple answer to your question, unfortunately.  Do you qualify for the tax deduction for the contribution…

Imagine two archivists sifting through old stock charts 1,000 years from now and saying to each other “2020 must have been a great year!”  The U.S. stock market finished a very bad year on a very strong note, with the S&P 500 SPDR ETF (SPY) gaining 12.1% in the 4th quarter. The U.S. bond market (as measured…

Have you ever received a mailer about a “free dinner” at a local restaurant? All you must do to earn your $50 steak and $12 glass of cabernet sauvignon is listen to a “financial advisor” give you a pitch about “strategies to protect your nest-egg,” or “how to ensure a stress-free retirement in these turbulent…

DEAR TRUST OFFICER: I understand that you are a “corporate fiduciary.” What is that exactly? Aren’t you just a different flavor of stockbroker or financial planner?—SHOPPING FOR ADVICE DEAR SHOPPING:  “Fiduciary” is a legal term that describes the duties that one party owes to another in a business relationship. A fiduciary duty is the highest…