Some of us share a common experience. You’re driving along when a police cruiser pulls up behind you with its lights flashing. You pull over, the officer gets out, and your heart drops. “Are you aware the registration on your car has expired?”You’ve experienced one of the costs of...
The past 100 years have seen changes in how people plan for their financial futures and how they live. Borders no longer restrict people from living in one country; their profession often takes them to parts of the world they never anticipated. Today, it’s not uncommon for a family...
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade on a worldwide scale. It is a place for member countries to settle arguments and negotiate trade deals. But what happens when negotiations between two counties go awry, and tariffs continue to...
Due to the duration risk of holding assets over time, a normal yield curve shows that bonds with a longer maturity have a higher yield and pay more interest than short-term bonds. Investors usually demand higher rates of return if their money is invested for a more extended period....
At some point, a successful business faces liquidation for all the right reasons. The business owner has built an asset that is now positioned to sell to another individual, a group of investors, or be acquired by a large corporation. Perhaps as the business has grown, planning has revolved...
As the economy shows signs of modest improvement, indications of downward shifting in U.S. production from the residual effects of the trade war are starting to surface, according to the May 2019 Federal Reserve’s Beige Book Report. The Beige Book Report compiles from information gathered by the twelve Federal Reserve...
Continuing education helps financial advisors stay informed of the latest industry and regulation changes while educating them on products and solutions to help their clients. Taking continuing education classes helps them become better at their job, too! Providing quality service by having the product knowledge to present the right...
The financial services industry is still recovering from the effects of the financial crisis. Positive impacts from the crisis include new regulations and clients taking an increasingly active role in their economic destiny. Reinforcing this is that all participants—financial advisors, clients, and regulators—are all welcoming the greater transparency and convenience that new financial...