-Darren Leavitt, CFA Markets pushed back on an early week sell-off to close at record highs for the S&P 500 and NASDAQ. A building sense that the market is due for a pullback was met with inline consensus inflation data, continued outperformance in the...
KEY POINTS More Americans are expected to turn 65 through 2027 than in any time in history. Despite the ‘silver tsunami,’ the correct age to retire is still in question. A fight is brewing in Washington over whether the mandatory retirement age for airline pilots...
Weekly Market Commentary – 2/16/2024 -Darren Leavitt, CFA Wall Street took a breather last week as hotter-than-expected inflation data forced investors to recalibrate their expectations for rate cuts from the Federal Reserve. Mega-cap issues that have been...
If you have a dream destination in mind, careful planning and a willing boss could help you make the move ahead of schedule Rob Nehrbas was winding up his career as an executive at an Arizona-based laser device company he’d sold to a bigger competitor when he realized...
Weekly Market Commentary – 2/9/2024 -Darren Leavitt, CFA The S&P 500 hit another record high and topped the 5000 level for the first time as investors focused on better-than-expected Q4 earnings. The economic calendar was light this week but showed...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport Ever since the SECURE Act created a 10-year payout rule for most IRA beneficiaries, that topic has garnered the bulk of conversation. This is understandable. Not only was the 10-year rule a brand-new...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport We’re getting lots of questions about the SECURE 2.0 change that allows annuitized IRA annuities to be aggregated with non-annuity IRA funds for required minimum distribution (RMD) purposes. This change...
Weekly Market Commentary – 1/19/2024 -Darren Leavitt, CFA The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average hit record highs on Friday despite a reset of monetary policy rate cut expectations. Mega-cap technology issues outperformed with a jump start from the...
When setting up your financial retirement plan, you’ll likely consider various options for how you plan on covering the bills in your golden years. With soaring inflation and aggressive rate hikes from the Fed, annuities have become more popular recently, as those...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport QUESTION: I have been funding a 529 account for over 15 years and no longer need to add deposits. Could I change the beneficiary to myself and then convert to a Roth IRA, assuming I have met the...
Weekly Market Commentary – 1/12/2024 -Darren Leavitt, CFA US Markets gained ground in the second week of 2024, attributed to mega-cap issues in the Information Technology and Communication Services sectors. The Equal-weight S&P 500 was up 0.2%, while the...
Weekly Market Commentary – 1/5/2024 -Darren Leavitt, CFA After nine weeks of gains, the market fell in the first week of trading in 2024. Interestingly, the losses incurred this week largely came from areas of the market that outperformed last year, namely...
Inflation adjustments and the phase-in of Secure 2.0 provisions have implications for retirement savers and retirees alike. The dawning of 2024 will usher in more changes than usual on the retirement-planning front. As is typical with the turn of the calendar page,...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport When the bell dropped in Times Square last Sunday night, a bunch of new provisions from the SECURE 2.0 legislation kicked in. This article will focus on the Roth-related changes that are effective in 2024....
Weekly Market Commentary – 12/22/2023 -Darren Leavitt, CFA US equity markets inked an 8th consecutive week of gains as investors continued to foster the soft landing narrative. Trading volumes lightened as the week progressed and corporate news was relatively...
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Follow Us on X: @theslottreport Question: I have a traditional IRA with a portion being nondeductible contributions. The last nondeductible contribution I made was in 2009. and I have my Form 8606 showing the...
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport Thinking of opening up a new solo 401(k) plan for 2023? Thanks to SECURE 2.0, you don’t have to rush to get it done by year end. A solo 401(k) is an excellent retirement savings vehicle for self-employed...
Weekly Market Commentary – 12/15/2023 -Darren Leavitt, CFA The Bull market continued its rally streak to seven consecutive weeks, something not seen since 2017. Wall Street threw a “pivot party” as the US Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee meeting ended...
As 2023 comes to a close, many Americans are turning their attention to 2024 and contemplating resolutions for the new year. Many focus on financial resolutions. as people seek to earn more or create breathing room in their budget. For some, making a commitment...
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Follow Us on X: @theslottreport The investment advisory firm of Bad Santa & the Grinch continues to disseminate misinformation and lousy, no good, rotten-to-the-core IRA advice. As we saw in “Bad Santa & The Grinch Offer...
