The Federal Reserve increased interest rates to the highest level in a decade during its June meeting, and experts are anticipating at least two more hikes before the year’s end. While this could be viewed as a positive sign of the improving U.S. economy, some experts—such as Brian Chappatta of Bloomberg—are concerned that this aggressive […]
With terms like “volatility,” “market correction” and “rising risk” dominating headlines, BlackRock’s recently released public site Geopolitical Risk Dashboard helps clients understand how market volatility will affect their portfolios and business through three interactive charts. The dashboard acts as a barometer of the global risks facing financial markets by analyzing financial news stories, analyst reports […]
Since the surprise election of Donald Trump, mutual fund firms have scrambled to reassure both advisors and investors that the outcome will not have an immediate impact on markets. Immediately following election night, firms like Franklin Templeton and PIMCO analyzed how Trump’s campaign promises could affect investor portfolios and equity markets. Firms anticipated that a […]
The Department of Labor released a preliminary of version of its fiduciary rule on April 14, 2015 and the finalized version was made public a year later on April 6, 2016. Although September 6 marked five months since the rule’s release, it continues to be surrounded by ambiguity and uncertainty; an unfortunate situation furthered by […]
On February 23, 2015, President Barack Obama called on the Department of Labor to update its rules and requirements to ensure financial advisors put their clients’ best interests above their own. “It’s a very simple principle,” Obama said, “You want to give financial advice, you’ve got to put your client’s interests first.” The DOL released […]
MassMutual recently conducted a survey, just in time for the 80th anniversary of the Social Security Act, to see just how much Americans know about Social Security retirement benefits – or how little, as a mere 28 percent of the 1,513 Americans surveyed actually passed. This low passing rate is not surprising, given that only […]
Prudential set itself apart from other insurers by swiftly releasing an updated version of its existing white paper for same-sex couples after the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage. Prudential provides a topical Financial Planning for LGBT Couples After U.S. v. Windsor and Obergefell v. Hodges (PDF) white paper addressing how […]
Goodbye, Alexander Hamilton. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew announced in June that the $10 bill will soon feature a woman who played a pivotal role in in American history. In 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment gave women the right to vote; fast forward 100 years, and a woman’s likeness is slated to appear on the $10 bill. […]
Lawmakers introduced a new bill to the House of Representatives in May, which has the potential to radically alter firearm safety by mimicking the auto-insurance model. The legislation, which would hold gun owners accountable for their actions, is an effort to reduce violence and gun accidents. New York Representative Carolyn Maloney introduced the potential legislation, […]
The Supreme Court’s recent decision to preserve the subsidies/premium tax credits for healthcare plans purchased on public exchanges, regardless of whether they are state-run or provided directly through Healthcare.gov, has sparked a frenzy of headlines across the industry. Healthcare insurers want to ensure that consumers understand the implications of the decision on their current and […]