Congress Passes the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act What will the near-term impact be? Provided by Peck Financial Advisors On December 20, Congress passed the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, sending the final version of the GOP tax reform bill to President Trump’s desk. The legislation alters the Internal Revenue Code to a degree unseen since the 1980s, altering income tax brackets, marginal tax rates, key deductions and exemptions, and the taxation of corporations and...
Comprehensive Financial Planning: What It Is, Why It Matters Your approach to building wealth should be built around your goals & values. Provided by Peck Financial Advisors Just what is comprehensive financial planning? As you invest and save for retirement, you may hear or read about it – but what does that phrase really mean? Just what does comprehensive financial planning entail, and why do knowledgeable investors request this kind of approach? While the phrase...
Peck Financial Advisors Presents: M ONTHLY E CONOMIC U PDATE December 2017 THE MONTH IN BRIEF In November, the S&P 500 gained 2.81% and advanced for a thirteenth straight month – an unprecedented milestone in the index’s long history. Consumer confidence and investor confidence were both abundant, as further evidence arrived that the economy was growing at an impressive rate. Solid fundamental indicators, upbeat earnings announcements, and hopes for 2018 tax cuts motivated stock gains...
Should We Reconsider What “Retirement” Means? The notion that we separate from work in our sixties may have to go. Provided by Peck Financial Advisors An executive transitions into a consulting role at age 62 and stops working altogether at 65; then, he becomes a buyer for a church network at 69. A corporate IT professional decides to conclude her career at age 58; she serves as a city council member in her sixties, then...
Your 2018 Financial To-Do List Things you can do for your future as the year unfolds. Provided by Peck Financial Advisors What financial, business, or life priorities do you need to address for 2018? Now is a good time to think about the investing, saving, or budgeting methods you could employ toward specific objectives, from building your retirement fund to lowering your taxes. You have plenty of options. Here are a few that might prove...
When Will the Business Cycle Peak? As the recovery lengthens further, this is a natural question to ask. Provided by Peck Financial Advisors This decade has brought a long economic rebound to many parts of America. As 2017 ebbs into 2018, some of the statistics regarding this comeback are truly impressive: *Payrolls have grown, month after month, for more than seven years. *The jobless rate is lower than it has been for more than a...
Can We Afford to Live to 100? Our increased longevity poses a retirement planning challenge. Provided by Peck Financial Advisors Some of us may retire at 65 and live to 100 or 105. Advances in health care may make this a strong possibility. The corresponding question is: will we outlive our money? More people are spending more of their lives in retirement. According to the actuaries at Social Security, today’s 65-year-olds have roughly a 25%...
The Republican Tax Reform Plan What is in it? What could its changes mean for you, if they become law? Provided by Peck Financial Advisors Major changes may be ahead for federal tax law. At the start of November, House Republicans rolled out their plan for sweeping tax reforms. Negotiations may greatly alter the content of the bill, but here are the proposed adjustments, and who may and may not benefit from them if they...
Peck Financial Advisors Presents: Monthly Economic Update November 2017 THE MONTH IN BRIEF October saw the S&P 500 rise 2.22% in response to results from the fall earnings season, encouraging fundamental indicators, and anticipation of tax reforms. An impressive jump in personal spending complemented excellent readings on consumer confidence and purchasing manager indices; although, hiring suffered a setback. As the European Union contended with disunity in Spain, the European Central Bank revealed its exit strategy...
Retirement Plan Contribution Limits Rise for 2018 Slight increases have been made due to mild inflation. Provided by Peck Financial Advisors You will able to put a little more into your workplace retirement account in 2018. The federal government has boosted the annual contribution limit on some of the popular qualified retirement plans thanks to inflation and made other adjustments worth noting. Contribution limits for 401(k)s are rising by $500. This is the first increase...
ACA Open Enrollment Season Is Here After a November 1 start, the window closes December 15. Provided by Peck Financial Advisors This fall, the annual enrollment period to sign up for health insurance is shorter. In many states, it lasts only six weeks, from November 1 to December 15, and the federal government website link to health coverage, healthcare.gov, will be down for maintenance on many Sundays within that window of time. 1 Eight states...
Tax-Loss Harvesting A useful year-end move to counteract capital gains. Provided by Peck Financial Advisors It looks like 2017 will end up being a very good year for the stock market. Consequently, you may realize short-term capital gains. What will you do about them? You could do what many savvy investors do – you could “cash in your losses” and practice “tax-loss harvesting.” Selling losers to offset winners. Tax-loss harvesting means taking capital losses (selling...
