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 how to manage the economy through this. The best way to prepare ourselves and combat…

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 monetary benefits of a healthy lifestyle may offer helpful incentive. Being healthy not only makes…

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 has changed in recent years. If you have recently sold your home, or are considering…

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, which reflects what investors think will happen in the future, appears confident the economy will…

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 retirement. And more are either not too confident or not at all confident. Today’s retirees…

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 distress. Having a majority of healthy and stable small companies is a positive economic sign…

By Kevin Theissen Life as we know it has changed dramatically during 2020. As the coronavirus spread across the United States, cities and states issued shelter-in-place orders to slow the spread of the coronavirus and prevent healthcare facilities from being overwhelmed by critically ill patients. In May, when states started to reopen, Americans began to…

By Kevin Theissen Stimulus checks are arriving. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has distributed over $150 billion through over 88 million stimulus payments, according to Andrew Keshner of MarketWatch. If you have recently lost a job, or you’re having difficulty paying bills, your check may already be spent. However, if you’re still working, or remain financially comfortable,…

By Kevin Theissen During your accumulation years, you may have categorized your risk as “conservative,” “moderate,” or “aggressive” and that guided how your portfolio was built. Maybe you concerned yourself with finding the “best-performing funds,” even though you knew past performance does not guarantee future results. What occurs with many retirees is a change in…

By Kevin Theissen It is not difficult to understand that with the Covid-19 crisis, we all should know the value of having an established emergency cash fund. Beyond this crisis, have you ever had one of those months? The water heater stops heating, the dishwasher stops washing, and your family ends up on a first-name…

By Kevin Theissen The American Public Education Foundation recently found that Vermont schools are woefully short in helping prepare students to be financially literate. With a grade of “D,” many students are not learning to handle their finances smartly, avoid debt, better understand the economy and learn to make good decisions about their life and…

By Kevin Theissen The COVID-19 outbreak has put tremendous pressure on stock prices, prompting some investors to blindly and indiscriminately sell positions at a time when the entire market is trending lower. Worried investors believe “this time it’s different.” When the market drops, some investors lose perspective that downtrends, and uptrends, are part of the…

By Kevin Theissen Most children stop being “and-a-half” somewhere around age 12. Kids add “and-a-half“ to make sure everyone knows they’re closer to the next age than the last. When you are older, “and-a-half” birthdays start making a comeback. In fact, starting at age 50, several birthdays and “half-birthdays” are critical to understand because they…

By Kevin Theissen In recent weeks, we’ve seen several major stories in the news. On the political front, in addition to the arrival of the presidential election through the 2020 caucuses and primaries, we have just experienced the third presidential impeachment in American history. In international news, the latest coronavirus outbreak has hit China, now…

BY Kevin Theissen It is amazing how predictably irrational we humans are. There are certain things we cannot predict, but there are others that we are spot on, near 100% of the time. One of those is that when times are bad, “experts” start downgrading and cutting estimates. It’s as reliable as a sunrise. I…