More than 79 million foreign tourists visited the United States in 2019, adding $254 billion to the U.S. economy. Residents of Canada and Mexico accounted for almost half of the total, while the countries below were the top 10 sources of overseas visitors. Travel restrictions and lockdowns due to COVID-19 have severely disrupted the flow of foreign tourists in 2020. It's too early to know the full extent of the damage to the tourism sector, but the effects may continue for some time after the … [Read more...]
2019 IRA Contribution Deadline Has Been Extended
“Making a last-minute contribution to an IRA may help you reduce your 2019 tax bill. If you qualify, your traditional IRA contribution may be tax deductible. And if you had low to moderate income and meet eligibility requirements, you may also be able to claim the Savers Credit for 2019 based on your contributions to a traditional or Roth IRA. Claiming this nonrefundable tax credit may help you reduce your tax bill and give you an incentive to save for retirement. For more information, … [Read more...]
Spring Cleaning Your Way to Better Finances
Spring is a good time to clean out the cobwebs, and not just in your home or apartment. Your personal finances can benefit from a good spring cleaning, too. Here are some questions to ask yourself regarding your budget, debt, and taxes. Is there room in my budget to save more? A budget is the centerpiece of any good personal financial plan. After tallying your monthly income and expenses, you hopefully have money left over to save. But... is there room to save even more? Review your budget … [Read more...]
Think Twice Before Speculating on a COVID-19 Cure
“Headline-induced price swings suggest that investors are making investment decisions driven by hopes and fears, and possibly based on limited information.” As hundreds of companies race to develop vaccines and drug therapies that could help end the COVID-19 pandemic, news reports on successful or failed trials affect individual stock prices and can trigger swings in the broader market.1 Understandably, this highly contagious virus — and its severe economic repercussions — has a knack for … [Read more...]
Mid-Year Is a Good Time to Fine-Tune Your Finances
The first part of 2020 was rocky, but there should be better days ahead. Taking a close look at your finances may give you the foundation you need to begin moving forward. Mid-year is an ideal time to do so, because the planning opportunities are potentially greater than if you waited until the end of the year. Renew Your Resolutions At the beginning of the year, you may have vowed to change your financial situation, perhaps by saving more, spending less, or reducing your debt. Are these … [Read more...]
Four Questions on the Roth Five-Year Rule
The Roth "five-year rule" typically refers to when you can take tax-free distributions of earnings from your Roth IRA, Roth 401(k), or other work-based Roth account. The rule states that you must wait five years after making your first contribution, and the distribution must take place after age 59½, when you become disabled, or when your beneficiaries inherit the assets after your death. Roth IRAs (but not workplace plans) also permit up to a $10,000 tax-free withdrawal of … [Read more...]
Keeping Cool: Investment Strategy vs. Reaction
After losing ground in 2018, U.S. stocks had a banner year in 2019, with the S&P 500 gaining almost 29% — the highest annual increase since 2013.1 It's too early to know how 2020 will turn out, but it's been rocky so far, and you can count on market swings to challenge your patience as an investor. The trend was steadily upward last year, but there were downturns along the way, including a single-day drop of almost 3% on August 14. That plunge began with bad economic news from Germany and … [Read more...]
Coping with Market Volatility: Be Willing to Take Advantage of Market Downturns
“Smart investors are prepared to weather the inevitable rough patches.” Anyone can look good during a bull market. Smart investors are prepared to weather the inevitable rough patches, and even the best aren't successful all the time. When the market goes off the tracks, knowing why you originally made a specific investment can help you evaluate whether those reasons still hold, regardless of what the overall market is doing. If you no longer want to hold an investment, you could take a … [Read more...]
Too Much Oil with Nowhere to Go
“There is too much oil, and the industry is running out of places to put it.” On April 20, 2020, the price of a futures contract for West Texas Intermediate crude — the benchmark for U.S. oil prices — fell below zero for the first time in history, dropping more than 306% in trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange and ending the day at -$37.63 per barrel.1 Essentially, this meant that investors who would soon be obligated to take possession of a barrel of oil were willing to pay someone … [Read more...]
Coping with Market Volatility: Be Sure to Use Appropriate Benchmarks
“It's important to understand how market swings relate to your own savings and investments.” Do you find yourself glued to the daily news reports on market movements wondering about your own savings and investments? Before you make any hasty decisions, be sure you understand how these reports relate — or don't relate — to your individual portfolio. The variance in the returns of different portfolios is largely attributable to their asset allocations. If you have a well-diversified … [Read more...]
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