Fundamentally, the topic of tariffs is good. Government leaders implement tariffs on foreign products and services to restrict imports by tacking on additional taxes or fees. The aim is to make foreign products less attractive to domestic consumers. Establishing tariffs, proponents argue, helps correct trade inequities and boost domestic production and growth. Proponents assert that well-targeted tariffs foster fair trade and create a more open and robust international marketplace. Opponents, … [Read more...] about How Will Trump’s Tariffs Impact Your Investments?
Keith Schaafsma
Are You Prepared for Mental Decline?
No one likes to think about cognitive decline in themselves or their loved ones. But, for many families, this is an incredibly important topic to address. In fact, 5.5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, including 10 percent of people aged 65 and older. When they pass away, one in three seniors has Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. Understand the Signs and Symptoms of Cognitive Decline Distinguishing between cognitive impairment and common aging traits can be challenging. … [Read more...] about Are You Prepared for Mental Decline?
Making Your 2018 Financial Resolutions
The New Year is upon us, bringing a fresh opportunity to consider your goals. For 2018, we are taking a different approach to resolutions. Instead of giving you a laundry list of tasks to accomplish, we want to encourage you to make this the year you really own your financial life. Imagine fast forwarding your life to December 31, 2018, and looking back on the year. What do you think you will have accomplished? How did your financial life change? What roadblocks did you remove? Answering … [Read more...] about Making Your 2018 Financial Resolutions
Financial Issues to Consider in Remarriages
About one-third of U.S. residents ages 15 and older have been married at least twice, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Remarriage among American ages 55 and older is on the rise, while their younger counterparts are becoming less likely to have remarried. Remarrying later in life can create several complex financial, legal, and emotional matters that should be addressed. Be candid about your financial situation. Couples who are marrying for the … [Read more...] about Financial Issues to Consider in Remarriages
Should a Trust be the Beneficiary of Your IRA?
For many Americans, the assets in their Individual Retirement Account represent a significant portion of the wealth they hope to leave to their loved ones. However, trusts and inherited IRAs are complex vehicles that have a lot of details to get right. Advantages to Naming a Trust as an IRA Beneficiary While directly inheriting an IRA is perfectly fine for many heirs, it can be inappropriate in some situations. If you name minor children or grandchildren as beneficiaries without … [Read more...] about Should a Trust be the Beneficiary of Your IRA?
Why Market Timing Does Not Work
Few words characterize today’s financial markets like uncertainty. When overseas economic issues can rob investors of months of gains and speeches by Federal Reserve officials cause markets to flip-flop unpredictably, investors are left wondering what they should do. In an attempt to make major market movements work for their portfolios rather than against, some investors attempt to time the market. Market timing is the strategy of trying to predict future market movements to time … [Read more...] about Why Market Timing Does Not Work
Teaching Your Children About Money
Are the young people in your life financially literate? By helping them learn about money, you give them an important head start on important life skills like developing good savings behavior, living within their means, and avoiding many common financial pitfalls. Unfortunately, many young Americans are not learning the right financial lessons. Research shows that 46 percent of teens don’t know how to create a budget and 55 percent would like to know more about managing money. Here are some … [Read more...] about Teaching Your Children About Money
