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No, this isn’t Joey Tribbiani (remember Friends?). 

[Note: We recently sent out a blast email to all of our clients who use email regarding the recent market volatility.  Please read it and let us know if you have any questions or would like to get together to discuss any changes to your circumstances.]

In November 2016 I listed some of the economic challenges that then President-Elect Donald J. Trump would need to address.  He had promised that GDP could reach 3% and a whole lot of other things.  So, how is he doing so far?  Here is a report card of sorts on what has, or has not, been accomplished economically.

 Look beyond this moment and stay focused on your long-term objectives.

Volatility will always be around on Wall Street, and as you invest for the long term, you must learn to tolerate it. Rocky moments, fortunately, are not the norm. 

A recent poll of pre-retirees suggests that truth risks being ignored.

Steady income or a lump sum? Last year, financial services firm TIAA asked working Americans: if you could choose between a lump sum of $500,000 or a monthly income of $2,700 at retirement, which choice would you make?1

Even with a thriving economy, many Americans continually struggle to save money.  While it’s certainly tempting to spend that extra cash, socking it away for the future in an IRA or investing in stocks makes much more sense.

Try out a few of these tips, and you may find yourself with extra money to put aside for college or retirement.

In a recent survey by JumpStart Coalition for Financial Literacy, only 26 percent of those between the ages of 13-21 said that they had been taught how to manage money. Yet, when they turn 18, kids are signing contracts for student loans, opening credit card accounts, and in many instances, living away from home with little financial guidance available.

Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked financial questions.  

Is your garage overflowing with bank statements and paid bills from ten years ago?  Are you unsure about what documents need to be retained and what can be tossed? Speaking of tossing, what documents can be tossed in the trash, and which should be shredded?  Are you wanting to finally get control of your documents?

Fall is a good time to assess where you stand and where you could be.

You need not wait for 2019 to plan improvements to your finances. You can begin now. The last few months of 2018 give you a prime time to examine critical areas of your budget, your credit, and your investments.

The nature of our economy could help it withstand the disruption.

A trade war does seem to be getting underway. Investors around the world see headwinds arising from newly enacted and planned tariffs, headwinds that could potentially exert a drag on global growth (and stock markets). How badly could these trade disputes hurt the American economy? Perhaps not as dramatically as some journalists and analysts warn.1,2