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Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits
Retirement and Social Security are inextricably linked. Not only did Social Security help establish the official U.S. retirement age at 65, it also provides a significant portion of today’s retirees’ incomes. Retirement and Social Security are inextricably linked. Not only did Social Security help establish the official U.S. retirement age at 65, it also provides a significant portion of today’s retirees’ incomes. Some of the earliest company pension programs began paying benefits at age 65.1 The [...]
Holiday Greeting – Halloween Trivia Anyone?
Halloween is almost upon us! Whether you’re wearing a costume, decorating your yard/house, or handing out treats, you won’t be alone. More than 179 million Americans are expected to participate in 2017’s Halloween festivities – and spend more than $9 billion doing it. See what you know about Halloween 2017 by taking this fun quiz. 1. What is the most popular Halloween activity?1 a. Dressing in costume b. Carving pumpkins c. Handing out candy [...]
LifeStyle Newsletter – A Sturdy Case Isn’t All You Need to Protect Your Smartphone
Smartphones are incredibly handy. That may be why about three of every four Americans own them.1 On average, smartphone users spend almost three hours a day – 86 hours every month – using their phones. They send texts and email, interact on social media, listen to music and podcasts, watch videos or movies, take and send pictures, play games, read eBooks and online publications, get directions, make payments, and much more.2 Of course, there is [...]
Taking Care of Business
Business ownership is increasing rapidly as more families depend on themselves as entrepreneurs of their own company as their lifelong mission and to provide for their family. According to an article from Forbes, 16 Surprising Statistics About Small Businesses, over 50% of the working population (120 million individuals) works in a small business and those small businesses have generated over 65% of the net new jobs since 1995. Not so small, indeed. Although it is [...]
College is Coming – Have You Started Saving Yet?
How times change! In 1940, half of Americans finished their education in eighth grade. College degrees were relatively rare. Just 6 percent of men and 4 percent of women had one.1 During the past 80 years, college has become far more popular. As interest in higher education grew, America’s network of colleges and universities expanded. Oxford Bibliography described it as:2 “A radically pluralistic system of public, private, and for-profit two- and four-year training institutes and colleges [...]
Holiday Greeting – Happy Labor Day!
Labor Day is about a lot more than the end of summer and the start of a new school year. The holiday, which celebrates American workers, became a federal holiday in 1894 and was created to recognize the contributions and achievements of the labor movement. History.com explained:1 “…at the height of the Industrial Revolution in the United States, the average American worked 12-hour days and seven-day weeks in order to eke out a basic [...]
After the Diagnosis: Making a Plan for Alzheimer’s
In a 2002 interview with Mike Wallace, former First Lady Nancy Reagan said she often reread the love letters written by her husband, former President Ronald Reagan. The letters, which had sustained and enriched their relationship, helped Mrs. Reagan reconnect with her husband and remember the man he was before Alzheimer’s claimed him.1 An excerpt from her book, I Love You, Ronnie: The Letters of Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan, reads:2 “No matter what else was going [...]
Back to School: How to Finance & Plan for Rising Educational Costs
Ah . . . routines are back in full force as school is back in session. College students everywhere begin the mantra of complaining about their education while parents scramble to finance it. An excellent education is beyond defining in value when we consider how an education affects our future, but the costs associated with that education can inhibit the ability of some attaining it. In 2016, tuition costs at a University ranged from [...]
Beware of Spam!
While some may be concerned about the iconic American meat that arrives in a rectangular 12-ounce tin (and is inexplicably popular in certain island states and American territories), more should be wary of its namesake – the spam that arrives digitally as email, text, and social media messages.1 The latter type of ‘spam’ took its name from the former. During the 1970s, Monty Python performed a sketch about a café that offered Spam in [...]
LifeStyle Newsletter – Artificial Intelligence Deserves Some Thought
The idea of Artificial Intelligence (AI) may bring to mind movies like Terminator, Wall-E, and Transcendence, but the reality of AI is expected to help people find answers to some significant issues. For example, a PwC survey found:1 • 68 percent of respondents believe AI will help with cyber security/privacy issues • 66 percent believe AI will help improve treatments for cancer and other diseases • 58 percent believe AI will help educate disadvantaged [...]
Holiday Greeting – Happy Birthday, United States of America!
On July 4, 1776, the American colonies claimed independence from Britain. This declaration eventually led to the formation of the United States. As we celebrate the birth of our great nation, test your knowledge with this brief quiz.1 1. Which of these is one of the longest rivers in the United States? a. Red River b. Colorado River c. Missouri River d. Roe River 2. What is the supreme law of the land? a. [...]
What Comes Next? Bull, Bear, Correction?
The bull market in U.S. stocks has been charging ahead for more than eight years.1 While that’s young in people years, it’s ancient in bull market terms. Since World War II, the longest bull market in U.S. stocks lasted for almost nine-and-a-half years. The shortest sputtered out after just 13 months. On average, bull markets last for slightly less than five years, according to Fortune.2 So, how much longer will this bull market persist? No [...]
