Due to Covid-19, Americans are spending more time at home than ever before, leading to a record amount of spending on home improvement. It’s not that big of a surprise since many Americans now find their homes are doing triple […]
Category: Money Matters
Column, Money Matters
How can women prepare for retirement?
When our parents retired, living to 75 amounted to a nice long life, and Social Security was often supplemented by a pension. The Social Security Administration (SSA) estimates that today’s average 65-year-old woman will live to age 86½. Given these […]
Column, Money Matters
Should you be in the market?
by Kevin Theissen Some people in recent weeks may have been feeling that “the stock market seems to be doing so well but I’m not participating.” A look behind the headlines helps tell the story. A CNBC study found that […]
Column, Money Matters
How much will you need for retirement?
By Kevin Theissen “Will I outlive my retirement money?” That’s one of the top fears for people who are starting to prepare for their retirement years. So I have to tilt my head a bit when I see headlines that […]
Column, Money Matters
Focus on truth
By Kevin Theissen As we face increased uncertainty about our lives, work and the markets, it can be easy to become anxious and fearful. We may face more surprises as we learn to live with the pandemic and figure out […]
Column, Money Matters
Putting a price tag on your health
By Kevin Theissen We hear over and over again how important it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But being healthy for its own sake isn’t easy — especially when you’re facing down temptation or battling procrastination. For some, the […]
Column, Money Matters
Tax rules when selling your home
By Kevin Theissen It seems the local real estate market has picked up recently, perhaps due to people wanting to move from larger cities to more rural areas. How the gains from the sale of a primary residence are taxed […]
Column, Money Matters
Has the economy begun to recover?
By Kevin Theissen As coronavirus restrictions ease and businesses reopen, the American economy should gain steam. Data released in May and June, including employment, payroll, and manufacturing numbers, suggested the economy may have hit bottom in April. The stock market, […]
Column, Money Matters
Certain uncertainties in retirement
By Kevin Theissen The uncertainties we face in retirement can erode our sense of confidence, potentially undermining our outlook during those years. Year after year, few retirees say they are very confident about having enough assets to live comfortably in […]
Column, Money Matters
How to rescue small businesses
By Kevin Theissen In April, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY) surveyed U.S. small businesses. It reported, late in 2019, before the coronavirus crisis, 35% were healthy, 35% were stable, 23% were at risk, and 6% were in […]