Second marriages can be complicated, especially if children from a previous marriage are involved. Open discussions about financial matters followed by agreed-upon decisions and actions will go a long way in improving the relationship. For weekly insights, follow The Welch Group every Tuesday morning on WBRC Fox 6 for the Money Tuesday segment. […]
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has exacerbated an already jittery stock market. It wasn’t too long ago when the Dow peaked at 36,799.65 on Jan 4th, 2022, and has since fallen more than 8%. Likewise, the S&P peaked at 4,796.56 and has fallen more than 10% during that same time. Commentary on Russia’s invasion has run […]
Inflation is at the forefront of everyone’s mind as the most recent year-over-year Consumer Price Index (CPI) reading for December came in at 7.1%. The inflation reading was the highest in almost 40 years and is particularly concerning considering the most recent average hourly earnings data showing an increase of only 4.7%. For weekly insights, […]
One of the biggest concerns currently surrounding markets is inflation and how to defend against it. The search for yield is intense! The Consumer Price Index on all items shows inflation increasing 6% year-over-year, not to mention checking/savings accounts, and most sovereign bonds yield below 2%. One tool that can be effective for your savings […]
We are often reminded of the importance of saving for retirement, but why do so many people let the opportunity slip through the cracks? My experience is that, for many people, current lifestyles tend to soak up all the income. The desire is there, but the free cash flow is not. There is a fresh […]
A lot of people make donations to their favorite charity or religious organization. And in most cases, the individual writes a check and, hopefully, takes a charitable tax deduction when it is tax-filing time. An often-forgotten tax strategy is the Qualified Charitable Deduction (QCD). The QCD is a different take on securing a tax benefit […]
Fidelity Investments recently completed a review of their 401(k) and IRA account holders and found that the number of accounts crossing above the $1 million value mark compared to 2020 rose by 74%…over 750,000 account holders. Can you use your 401(k) plan to become a millionaire? The answer is Yes, and to help you get […]
COVID has caused Americans to rethink what it takes to be considered ‘wealthy.’ Charles Schwab and Company recently completed its annual Modern Wealth Survey of 1,000 Americans. Their findings concluded that one needs $1.9 million in personal net worth to be considered wealthy. That number is down from the pre-COVID definition of wealthy at $2.6 […]
Our last SquareOne blog covered retirement savings for individuals with defined contribution retirement plans through their employer – the 401(k) with the Employer Match. However, suppose you are one of the 36% of private industry workers whose employer does not offer a defined contribution plan. In that case, you may be looking for options on […]
Could delaying Social Security be the key to winning the retirement game? For many couples, the answer is a definite “Yes.” For most pre-retirees, the full SS retirement age is sixty-six (and a few months). That is the age when you can receive your full benefits based on your work history. However, you can begin […]