- Fulfillment, Frustration and the Pursuit of Success
Financial Pros Have Independence on Their Minds
Examining the Mindset of U.S. Financial Professionals, a survey released today by Schwab Independent Branch Services, finds that while client-facing financial professionals are generally fulfilled and optimistic about their careers, they are brimming with entrepreneurial drive and drawn to independence.
read more - How Does Divorce Compound Retirement Risk?
Better education is needed to help consumers build and protect retirement income
Divorced Americans are at greater risk of not being able to maintain their standard of living in retirement, according to new research conducted by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College with the support of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU).
read more - Who Are Gig Workers and How are They Faring?
Some Surprising and Some Not-so-surprising Findings from the New Bureau of Labor Statistics Survey
While the term “gig economy” may conjure images of Millennials driving for Uber, the reality is that workers in alternative employment arrangements are far more likely to be Gen Xers or Baby Boomers.
read more - Surprises in Retirement Income: Overlooked and Coveted Nest Eggs
Using Retirement Insights to Shape Personalized Products and Solutions
Surprises in retirement income sources range from oversized roles for dividends and taxable brokerage to extremely high expectations for retirement accounts in new findings from Hearts & Wallets, the source for retail investor data and insights.
read more - Medicare’s Financial Condition: Beyond Actuarial Balance
With income diminished and expenses on the rise, sustainability now a central focus
Each year, the Boards of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance (HI) and Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) trust funds submit a report to Congress on the Medicare program’s financial condition
read more - Gender, Generation and Financial Knowledge
New Study from FINRA Shows Millennial Women Beginning to Close the Gap
In a recent study using data from its National Financial Capability Study, the FINRA Foundation found that women consistently lag behind men on financial and investor literacy scores across generations. Lower levels of financial and investor literacy among women may impede their ability to accumulate wealth and make sound financial decisions.
read more - Trade and Interest Rates Continue to Fuel Volatility
Mixed results as politics dominate the headlines
Last week stocks showed mixed results as political headlines continued to dominate the news. The Dow lost 0.89% and the S&P 500 was almost flat with a 0.02% gain. The NASDAQ, on the other hand, reached a record high on Thursday and ended the week up 1.32%.
read more - Impact Investing at Tipping Point
Study: Over 70% of affluent, next-gen donors are already engaged
Over 70% of Millennials and Gen-Xers have made an impact investment versus just 30% of Baby Boomer and older investors, according to a study released today by Fidelity Charitable, an independent public charity and the nation’s second-largest grantmaker.
read more - Go Forth… And Disrupt
Schwab Challenges Independent Advisors to Be Disruptive Forces in the Industry
Bernie Clark, leader of Schwab Advisor Services, asked independent advisors today: “Are we driving change or being driven by it?” and urged them to challenge themselves and resist the temptation to think “this is working just fine” given the extraordinary growth and success that the independent model has seen in the last decade.
read more - AIG Helps Launch the Alliance for Lifetime Income
To Empower and Educate Consumers and Financial Advisors on the Importance of Having Protected Lifetime Income
AIG (NYSE:AIG) today announced it is a founding member of the Board of Directors for the Alliance for Lifetime Income (Alliance), a new industry coalition of 24 leading financial services organizations whose goal is to educate Americans about the importance of protected lifetime income solutions and empower them to take action.
read more - Considerations On Market Crashes, Irrational Exuberance & Redefining Prudence
The "Great Recession" - Ten Years After
by Steve Selengut
I thought you might be interested in some thoughts about the investment climate around the time of the "great recession". You may find them disturbing, or enlightening, depending on where you think we are today. But two things are fairly certain... not a whole lot has changed, and a look to the past often provides…
read more - Two Lawsuits with Implications for the Coverage of Millions of Americans
With potentially far reaching implications for the Affordable Care Act and the Medicaid program—and the millions of Americans who depend on them for their health insurance
by Sara R. Collins
Significant legal challenges have marked the history of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) since its passage in 2010, and have largely determined the outlines of the law’s current structure. Similarly, as Sara Rosenbaum argues in a brief published this week, the courts have substantially shaped the Medicaid program over its 53-year history.
read more - Fidelity Asks: Are You Making The Most Out Of Health Savings Accounts?
Many are not maximizing HSAs – A misunderstood savings opportunity
Today, Fidelity Investments® announced it has continued to see double-digit growth of its health savings account (HSA) business, adding 112 new employers in 2017 that provide HSAs to their employees. Account openings are also on the rise, with Fidelity’s 837,800 individual account holders representing $3B in assets, a 50 percent increase from 20171.
read more
