Can the last quarter of 2011 live up to historical averages? Is a rally ahead? You may have heard that stocks tend to do well in the fourth quarter. History affirms that perception: while past performance is no guarantee of future results, the last quarter of the...
QUOTE OF THE QUARTER“Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear.” – Norman Vincent Peale QUARTERLY TIP When companies offer health insurance benefits to domestic partners, they are often taxable. A cost-benefit analysis can be illuminating and...
Will Congress pass it? What difference could it potentially make? On September 8, President Obama announced a new plan to improve the economy – the $447 billion American Jobs Act, a sequel of sorts to his past economic stimulus proposals. His announced goal: job creation without...
A look at the changes coming in 2012, 2013 & 2014. Companies sponsoring group health plans should be aware of the changes coming to the health insurance industry as part of the “second stage” of health care reform. These major and minor adjustments should be kept...
WEEKLY QUOTE“The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes.” – Lee Iacocca WEEKLY TIP Take a look at your withholding. It might be wise to adjust it before the end of the year, especially if you make estimated tax payments...
Some bulls see great opportunities in this correction. “The lower things go, the more I buy.” The legendary Warren Buffett said those words on August 9 in a chat with Fortune. Buffett is a buy-and-hold kind of guy, and even if you don’t buy into his...
Unimpressed with U.S. deficit reduction plans, S&P delivers on its warning Unprecedented and unsettling. Standard & Poor’s issued a historic downgrade of U.S. debt on August 5, sensibly waiting until the market week had concluded to send a shock wave toward global investors. It reduced America’s...
WEEKLY QUOTE“It takes a long time to grow young.” – Pablo Picasso WEEKLY TIP Try to pay for nights out with cash. Dinner and a movie might turn into a $150 night on the town; why pay 14% interest on the memory? WEEKLY RIDDLE There are 2 nouns in the English language that...
A lack of knowledge can lead to problems and disappointments for your heirs. Be vigilant, and be knowledgeable. Do you want to hand your heirs big tax problems? Would you like to hand the IRS a sizable chunk of your wealth? Probably not. But if you...
Will the markets feel stress as the deadline to raise the debt limit approaches? August 2 looms. That is the absolute deadline for raising the federal debt ceiling, according to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. The U.S. actually “hit” the $14.3 trillion ceiling on May 16 but...