According to LPL Research’s analysis of the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) recently released Beige Book, business sentiment on Main Street has declined in recent months as the economy navigates the latest wave of COVID-19, but nevertheless remains elevated as business leaders look past current obstacles. Still, COVID-19 related business challenges persist. While price increases are starting […]
Category: Blog
Life Insurance and Divorce
Protecting Your Family’s Future Sometimes in life, things don’t work out as planned. One of the most trying examples is when a couple decides they can’t make their marriage work and, subsequently, files for divorce. Divorce can take a significant financial and emotional toll on a couple, their children, and other family members. In the […]
Global Monetary Policy and What Likely Comes Next
The Covid-19 pandemic was an unprecedented shock to a large majority of global economies. But the economic damage was met with an extraordinary global monetary response with the Federal Reserve (Fed), European Central Bank (ECB), the Bank of Japan (BOJ) and the Bank of England (BOE) all providing emergency levels of monetary accommodation. As seen […]
Personal Money Management
Help Your College Student “Make the Grade” As Melanie Marshall (a hypothetical case) prepares to head off to college, she’s looking forward to her newfound independence. Although Melanie will be on her own for the first time, her parents, Joan and Al, can at least rest assured they’ve schooled her well in handling her personal […]
How is Delta Affecting Consumer Behavior?
How is the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in the United States linked to the spread of the Delta variant affecting the U.S. consumer’s behavior? We look at some consumer confidence focused high-frequency data for clues on how this uptick in COVID-19 cases appears to be moderating behavior rather than having the dramatic effects that […]
Jackson Hole Economic Symposium Preview
Since 1978, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City has played host to central bankers, policymakers, academics and economists from around the world at its annual economic policy symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which is slated to begin this week. This year’s symposium, “Macroeconomic Policy in an Uneven Economy,” will take place from Thursday to […]
A Closer Look At The High Yield Muni Market
As mentioned in the most recent Muni Market Monitor, high yield muni funds have accumulated $24 million of net inflows year to date, representing ~20% of total inflows to the total municipal category. With the prospects of higher individual tax rates and the continued need for after-tax income, tax-aware investors have found shelter in the higher […]
Leadership Changes Coming to the Federal Reserve?
The Chairperson of the Federal Reserve (Fed) is appointed by the President of the United States and serves a four-year term. The current Chairperson, Jerome Powell, has held that position since 2018 so his initial term is ending early next year. As such, markets are beginning to wonder if Powell will be reappointed or if […]
Why Invest?
To accumulate wealth, people may choose to invest their money into various types of investments. Investing creates opportunities that otherwise would be difficult to manage due to the consistency of contributing to the investment. However, investing involves risks including possible loss of principal. No investment strategy or risk management technique can guarantee return or eliminate […]
Choosing a Retirement Plan for Your Business
You’re an entrepreneur and you’re not looking back. You’ve opened your own business, whether alone or with partners, and you’ve achieved success. Now you’re thinking about retirement, not just for you, but also for your employees. Offering a retirement plan can help your business attract and retain employees, while making it easier for you to […]