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The BRIC acronym, without the “S,” was introduced in 2001 by the Goldman Sachs chief economist who highlighted the prodigious growth and investment prospects of Brazil, Russia, India, and China combined. In 2009, Russia...

Financial markets lived up to their reputation during the month of August, which has a record for being difficult. On the first day of August, markets had to contend with a downgrade of U.S. long-term debt by the rating agency, Fitch.

Fixed income investors have had a rough time over the last few years. Normally a staid asset class, core bonds (as proxied by the Bloomberg Aggregate Bond Index) have seen negative returns over the last two calendar years and could...

The vital role of inflation in planning for children’s college expenses In today's rapidly changing economic landscape, proper planning has become more critical than ever. When it comes to saving for children's college expenses,...

The Federal Reserve (Fed) often uses the Jackson Hole Symposium to announce tweaks in policy. Other central bank leaders are also worth watching as investors try to perceive where rates will be in the coming months. In this piece, we...

From unemployment to a sudden health crisis to a crippling accident, being financially prepared for life's many challenges may smooth the road ahead. Whether you are just starting out or have been working toward financial health for...

Volatility has returned right on queue as U.S. equity markets continue to pull back from overbought levels. The recent jump in interest rates has proven to be too much too fast for stocks to absorb, especially for the heavyweight and...

Investors’ perceptions of a financial crisis are different among generations As the global economy grapples with uncertainty, investors' perceptions of a financial crisis diverge significantly along generational lines. While...

It’s different this time. The four (or five) most dangerous words in investing. We’ll take the risk and use those words here as we break down the recent decision by credit rating agency Fitch to downgrade U.S. government...

Sectors hit include air travel, insurance, oil production and entertainment The path to retirement can often seem daunting, with the end goal appearing distant and difficult to reach. This sentiment has only grown in recent years, as...

Earnings season is mostly behind us with about 85% of S&P 500 companies having reported second quarter results. The high level results aren’t particularly impressive, but if we peel back the onion, the numbers are encouraging....

As we’ve just passed the midpoint of the year, now is the perfect time to assess your financial well-being by conducting a review. Just like a routine health checkup can ensure your physical health, a financial checkup can help...

Making economic forecasts and stock market predictions can be humbling. It’s especially tough when you expect stocks to go higher and get a big drop instead...

The economy is doing better than expected, and the markets are responding accordingly. In this piece, we discuss some of the factors that cause us to think the Federal Reserve (Fed) hiked for the last time in this cycle as inflation is...

Proponents of active portfolio management believe that a skilled investment manager can generate returns that outperform a benchmark index. Advocates of passive investing argue that the best way to capture overall market returns is to...

The first half of the year probably didn’t go the way many fixed income investors had hoped, particularly after the historically awful year last year...

Why is diversification so important? The simple reason is that it helps manage the risk of loss in your portfolio.When investing, particularly for long-term goals, there are two concepts you will likely hear about over and over again...

Earnings season is upon us as some banks and a small handful of other blue chip companies have already reported results for their quarters ending June 30...

All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal, and there can be no guarantee that any investing strategy will be successful.Dollar-cost averaging does not ensure a profit or prevent a loss. Such plans involve...

Now that we’re beyond the midpoint of the investing year, it’s a great time to look at where we’ve been—to help position your portfolio for the latter half of the year. Our Midyear Outlook: The Path Toward...

Our 2023 investing outlook started with a theme of returning to normalcy. Considering 2022’s market volatility and the aftereffects of the pandemic, the idea of finding balance was certainly a welcomed change. It’s a theme...

Setting investment goals means defining your dreams for the future. When you're setting goals, it's best to be as specific as possible. For instance, you know you want to retire, but when? You know you want to send your child to college, bu

Four Retirement Plan Trends to Watch in 2023Tips so employers can help employees plan a confident and stable retirement Amidst a backdrop of a volatile market and potential inflationary pressures, these shifts can shape the future of...

All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal, and there can be no assurance that any investment strategy will be successful. And asset allocation and diversification alone cannot guarantee a profit or eliminate...

The long dormant capital markets have recently begun showing signs of interest from institutional investors and deal makers anxious to bring companies to market. While activity remains muted at best, expectations are focused on 2024,...

We know it’s old news at this point, but on June 8, 2023, the S&P 500 entered a new bull market. After such a strong rally off the October lows, this young bull probably needs a breather. A look at the charts suggests this market...

Know what to do if you inherit an IRA from a spouse or someone elseAs we get older, it is likely that we might inherit an IRA from mom or dad – or we need to counsel mom or dad as they inherit an IRA after one of them dies. The...

As the economy is likely downshifting, investors should take heed that the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) current stance is eerily similar to early 2007.  During that time, the Fed held a tightening bias since they believed the...

What is a Roth IRA?A Roth IRA is a tax-advantaged individual retirement account to which you can contribute after-tax dollars. A Roth conversion is when you take earned income from another retirement account and put it into a Roth IRA...

The more money that you can save when you are working, the easier it should be for you to retire and enjoy your golden years. Unfortunately, Social Security may no longer provide a sufficient income to live on during retirement. To...

Every so often Washington likes to remind us how hard it can be to get things accomplished. The most recent example is the debt ceiling—the amount Congress can borrow to pay its bills. It seems like we have this debate every few...

The Federal Reserve (Fed) meets this week where it is largely expected to not raise short term interest rates for the first time in 15 months. However, Fed messaging has been all over the place in recent weeks. While some Fed officials...

Perhaps you’re just starting to save for retirement, or within a few years of retiring. Unfortunately, it’s common to take a wrong turn, or make bad financial decisions, as you continue on your journey toward retirement. By...

Stocks have had a nice run, but at higher prices, the bar for further gains gets higher. We have recently made the case in this publication that there are a lot of reasons to expect the market to go higher between now and year end. But...

Remember, it is never too early to start planning for your future The time to begin planning for your financial future is now. So, when it comes to preparing for retirement, the earlier you start, the better.Here are some steps to help...

The mega-cap technology companies have powered the broad market higher this year. In fact, the 8.1% gain in the S&P 500 year to date has been driven entirely by six mega-cap stocks: Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), NVIDIA (NVDA), Meta...

The thought of retiring may be intimidating for anyone—but if you own your own business, handing your "baby" to new owners might be enough to stop you in your tracks. What might you do to set your successor up for success? What...

Economists like to remind us there is no such thing as a free lunch. In investment parlance, that just means all investments carry risk—even cash. And the big risk with cash is reinvestment risk. That is, while short-term rates...

Whether you are an employee in corporate America or a small business owner, retirement is a part of life. For many, the thought of retiring and whether or not you are ready to take those first steps might be overwhelming or...

First quarter earnings season is nearly complete, and it has caused us to regret titling our earnings preview commentary on April 10, “Malaise Continues.” While the “better than feared” label fit the past couple...

State-mandated retirement plans result from legislation requiring employers to provide their employees with retirement savings opportunities. Businesses can comply with these laws by enrolling their employees into a state-sponsored...

Spring is often thought of as an uplifting time, marked by growth and renewed hope as we emerge from the long months of winter and look ahead to the rest of year. Investors saw signs of such renewed hope in recent weeks, especially on...

Much has been written lately about the threats facing the reserve currency status enjoyed by the U.S. dollar. “De-dollarization” headlines appear on a near-daily basis, suggesting the dollar’s reign is in looming...

In generalPerhaps you are self-employed or own a small business. Or, you may be directly involved in running a corporation or a tax-exempt organization. In any of these cases, you generally have the option of establishing a retirement...

“Sell in May and go away” is probably the most widely cited stock market cliché in history. Every year a barrage of Wall Street commentaries and stories in the financial press floods in about this popular, but overused...

If you're paying attention to the news, you've probably come across story after story on the health of Social Security. And depending on the actuarial assumptions used and the political slant, Social Security has been described as...

Investors use various analogies to describe the importance of small businesses in the domestic economy. Some refer to the small business sector as the backbone or the lifeblood of the economy. At this current stage of the cycle, we...

How does divorce affect Social Security retirement benefits? After a divorce, you can claim retirement benefits based on your own earnings record (if you have been employed and have accumulated enough credits over the years), or you can...

The commercial real estate (CRE) market has recently captured the spotlight after being flagged as the next potential shoe to drop following last month’s banking turmoil. While rising rates have weighed on financing costs and the...

Most often, the first question a prospective employee will ask is about your company’s benefit program. And in my experience, the two most often-asked questions are about health insurance and an employer-sponsored retirement...

The financial markets’ resilient performance during March was striking, despite pockets of uncertainty surrounding the strength of the economy—and not to mention concerns over the durability of the banking system. The ability of the market

First quarter earnings season kicks off this week with some big banks reporting toward the end of the week. In some ways this quarter’s earnings season will probably be déjà vu all over again—earnings declines and...

 With April’s federal tax filing and payment deadline on the horizon, Americans are dotting their i’s and crossing their t’s as they prepare for the countdown to Tax Day. But before you rush to get that return...

Do you have a yearly tradition of reviewing your financial plan?It is Masters time again, and we ask why is the Masters so special? Well, it starts because the tournament’s co-founder – Bobby Jones– was one of the...

Financial markets and the Federal Reserve are reading from two different playbooks. Who is right? The markets are pricing in several rate cuts by the end of this year, while the Federal Reserve communicated more rate hikes with an...

A lot has changed in the past few weeks, both in terms of expectations for interest rates and lost confidence in the health of the banking system as a result of the sharp rise in interest rates that has led to some things...

Tips to Help Your Retirement Planning as You Move Towards Your GoalsGeneration Z, the youngest working generation, is commonly thought of as being consumed with the present and uninterested in the future. However, recent research has...

For decades the number of single-parent households has been rising worldwide, with the U.S. having the highest rate of children living in single-parent households. Economic well-being for these households is concerning since it is up...

The Federal Reserve (Fed) has a history of raising short-term interest rates until something “breaks.” Considering the Fed has raised rates from a near-zero level to 4.75% (upper bound) over the course of only one year, it...

A Backdoor Roth IRA is a strategy that allows individuals who earn too much to directly contribute to a Roth IRA to still contribute to one indirectly. The strategy takes advantage of a loophole in the tax code that allows individuals...

Last week did not play out how we anticipated. Coming into the week, it was all about Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell’s congressional testimony and the February jobs report. Instead, we got a shockingly fast collapse of...

Financial markets have experienced quite a bit of change this year in just two short months. We started the year hopeful that stocks would benefit from a better economic and monetary policy environment by the spring, but recent...

Suggesting an economy makes “no landing” makes no sense. Analogies eventually break down, especially this one. Economic activity does not stop like an airplane eventually does, but rather the economy will settle into a...

The U.S. has not been debt free since 1835 – should you be debt free? As 2023 heats up, talk about the national debt spiraling out of control will too.But what is the national debt and should investors worry about it? More...

Recruiting and retaining employees who are both qualified and motivated is an ongoing challenge for most businesses. One way to build staff loyalty and increase productivity is to put policies in place to help your employees balance...

While concerns about the debt ceiling have been increasing, markets, businesses, and the economy are likely to see only minimal impact until we are days, or maybe a few weeks, from the “x date,” the date on which the...

There are many reasons why people save money. For some, it is so they can enjoy a certain amount of financial confidence and freedom, while others squirrel away money for emergencies or future plans like the down payment for a home,...

Markets have adjusted to several changes this year. The pace at which inflation has cooled is slowing. The market has started to believe the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) “higher for longer” message. The bar for earnings...

The legacies of our past presidents are among the most important lessons we learn in school, but our history books often leave out the quirky and fascinating facts that made the lives of our leaders so remarkable. You probably...

Soft landing or no soft landing, that is the question, with all due respect to William Shakespeare. But while this may be the most commonly asked question these days, it may not be the most important or the toughest. That honor goes to...

Looking for ways to save "I love you" on Valentine's Day? Then you may want to consider opening a spousal individual retirement account (IRA). This gift says, "Let's grow old together comfortably," and shows your partner that you care...

Whether you’re one to set ambitious New Year’s resolutions or simply use the beginning of the year to reset on a few habits, there’s almost always some value in reflecting on the past year before looking ahead. The...

Investors got more excited about international investing late last year. Some of that was chasing better returns, as developed international equities solidly beat the U.S. over the last three months of 2022. Some was the increased...

Long-term bonds generally provide higher yields than short-term bonds, because investors demand higher returns to compensate for the risk of lending money over a longer period. Occasionally, however, this relationship flips, and...

The script has been flipped in 2023. Last year’s underperformers have turned into outperformers this year, driving the S&P 500 Index up over 5% this month. The pace and composition of the rally have left many investors skeptical...

The latest episode of the debate between stock market bulls and bears has gotten more interesting. For every valid point from one side, there’s an equally compelling argument on the other side. Perhaps the best reason for the...

Financial wellness studies over the past few years indicate that investors desire financial wellness. The recent pandemic, economic and inflationary conditions, changes in work-life balance, and more responsibility for financial...

Fourth quarter earnings season is underway and probably won’t bring much good news. Lackluster global growth, ongoing profit margin pressures from inflation, and negative currency impacts are likely to translate into a...

The first step to improving your finances is to get organized. These top Amazon finds can help you create a monthly budget, plan your spending, and safely store your important insurance or personal documents for easy access when...

We believe accountability and modesty are among the keys to success in this business. In striving for those qualities, LPL Research has a tradition of starting off a new year with a lessons learned commentary. We got some things wrong...

Regardless of whether you prepare your taxes yourself or use a professional's services, it's a good idea to gather the information and documentation you need well in advance of your actual tax filing date. Below, we've listed some key...

2022 was a dizzying year as markets and the global economy continued to find itself out of balance due to the still present aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the policy response to it. If 2022 was about recognizing imbalances...

New Year, New Goals: Your Countdown to Financial Health: For many people, a new year provides a new start—and nothing says "new start" like a fresh new set of financial goals. But setting these goals is easier said than...

When it comes to New Year's Resolutions that include financial goals, writing them down and being visible is essential to your success. After you’ve written down what your financial resolutions for the New Year are, tell others...

The Federal Reserve (Fed) wrapped up its last Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting of the year last week, where it hiked short-term interest rates for the seventh time in as many meetings, taking the fed funds rate to 4.5%...

Despite the S&P 500 Index starting December with five consecutive days of losses, we think December is down but not out. December often starts slow but historically has been a strong month. There are also some potentially supportive...

As you grow your wealth, you may find the desire to give back to others and support causes and organizations you believe in through philanthropic giving. Philanthropy often casts a broader net of giving over charity as it helps society...

Economic and corporate data support the initial strong reads on holiday retail sales despite the macro headwinds, reinforcing the idea that today’s consumer is in a better position than usual at this point in the business cycle....

Although we are all obligated to pay our fair share of taxes, few of us would be pleased to pay taxes unnecessarily. Because taxes lower the actual return on your investments, you should be...

Recent inflation data has tempered expectations for future Federal Reserve tightening, including a potential peak in the terminal rate near 5.0% in May or June of 2023. While the market has welcomed this news, history suggests the path...

You might be thinking about retiring, but how do you know when you are really ready for it, mentally and financially? For decades, the normal retirement age was 65. This was when you became eligible for Social Security and Medicare....

Increasing the cost of capital for businesses, increasing capital investment costs required to fund the fast growth of the business, thus lowering returnsThe growth vs. value debate has been pretty one-sided in 2022, with value...

In an increasingly paper-free society, organizing your financial documents can still be a challenge. No matter how simple or complex your financial picture might be, it takes some thought-out organization to keep your tax...

If you’re in search of a way to reduce your tax bill and give back to the community, a donor advised fund may be worth considering. Also known as a DAF, a donor advised fund is a charitable investment strategy you can use to...

Midterm elections are upon us, with Election Day on Tuesday. Republicans are strongly favored to win the House, and the Senate is roughly a tossup. We believe either outcome would be market-friendly, although the bigger market driver...

When was the last time you gave yourself a financial checkup? As the saying goes, there’s no time like the present. This is especially true when it comes to reviewing the current state of your finances and figuring out what you...

October is now behind us and it has delivered on its track record as a historically favorable month for stocks, offering some respite for investors as major equity indices rose for the month. The downside pressure on equities had...

With a series of important economic indicators suggesting the economy is declining and inflation is finally decelerating, albeit very slowly, markets are beginning to factor in that the Fed may soon transition to a less aggressive...

It may be easy to forget we're nearing the end of the year. Even during the busy end of year rush, it's a good time to reevaluate your 2022 finances and turn an eye toward 2023. What can you do now to potentially improve and streamline...

If the U.S. economy enters a recession, the causes and potential outcome will be hotly debated. At LPL Research, our starting point is always looking at history. This week’s commentary will remind us of three things we know about...

Expectations are very low for this earnings season. The challenges are many, with intense cost pressures and slowing economic growth at the top of the list. The chorus of analysts and strategists calling for big cuts to estimates has...

Specific questions to help frame your thinking as you talk to your heirs. The murkiest part of estate planning is to discuss when and how to distribute your assets to your heirs.

You've worked long and hard for years, saving diligently through your employer-sponsored retirement savings plan. Now, with retirement on the horizon, it's time to begin thinking about how to tap your plan assets for income.

As Federal Reserve (Fed) officials continue to emphasize the Fed’s commitment towards restoring price stability, the dollar marches ever higher. Markets are currently pricing in another 75-basis point rate hike at the November 2...

Investing can be a roller coaster—and, when the market starts dropping, it may even feel more like a haunted house. With recession fears mounting, what can investors do to stay the course and escape unscathed? Here we discuss...

First, we want to acknowledge the tremendous damage and displacement caused by Hurricane Ian. Our thoughts are with those impacted by this devastating storm. This has clearly been a challenging year for households.

On October 16, China will begin its 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing. This plenum is especially significant because it is expected that President Xi Jinping will be granted an unprecedented third term,...

More consumers are conducting financial transactions online and may become vulnerable to tracking, hacking, identity theft, phishing scams, and other cyberspace risks. While nothing can guarantee complete safety on the Internet,...

The LPL Research Strategic and Tactical Asset Allocation Committee is increasing its recommended interest rate exposure in its tactical allocation from underweight to neutral.

Inflationary dynamics continue to surprise to the upside, and markets now expect the Fed to pursue one of its most aggressive rate hiking campaign in years. U.S. Treasury yields continue to move higher as well.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jay Powell reiterated his warning that getting inflation under control will require some pain. Powell is likely making these warnings based on the arcane, clunky relationship between inflation and unemployment....

Land a great new job? Now is the perfect time to think about your 401(k) and retirement plan, whether you had one before or not. Saving for retirement is important at all ages, so don’t let this opportunity fall to the bottom of your list.

The difficult 2022 for stocks may not get much easier because as we now wait for better news on the inflation front, we have to contend with a seasonally weak month of September.

Getting your financial health in order may help alleviate stress and give you some breathing room to improve your life in other ways.

Weekly Market Commentary: Earnings growth of 6-7% doesn’t sound very exciting, but given the challenges corporate America has faced, we consider the nearly-complete second quarter earnings season a resounding success.

The earlier you seek financial advice, the more this advice might help your business as it grows. Here are five ways a financial professional could be your ally as a small-business owner.

Existing home sales fell 5.9% in July, the sixth consecutive month of declines as higher interest rates weigh on housing affordability and prospective buyers. As the housing market slowed, so did prices.

For non-profit organizations where every penny has a purpose, having the services of a financial professional can be incredibly valuable.

The need for regular saving and investing spans many life stages. Through the years, your goals will change and your strategies will shift, but don’t be alarmed.