Helicopter Money
Should America consider this radical economic stimulus tactic? Imagine cash falling from the sky into the hands of grateful consumers. Fleets of helicopters hover over cities, dispensing massive flurries of $100 bills. Everyone gets their fair share of the money. Presto, economic stimulus. This is pure fantasy, of course, but some economists think that the Federal Reserve should consider its figurative equivalent. Picture the Fed and other components of the federal government
New Rule, Nicer Returns?
Could the new fiduciary rule effectively enhance portfolio performance for retirement savers? A change is coming. The Department of Labor is introducing a new rule regarding retirement accounts – a rule that is profoundly impacting the financial services industry. The rule will require financial services professionals to serve as fiduciaries when they provide advice about IRAs or workplace retirement plans.1,2 A fiduciary has an ethical and legal obligation to act in the clie
Characteristics of the Millionaires Next Door
The habits and values of wealthy Americans. Just how many millionaires does America have? By the latest estimation of Spectrem Group, a research firm studying affluent and high net worth investors, it has more than ever before. In 2015, the U.S. had 10.4 million households with assets of $1 million or greater, aside from their homes. That represents a 3% increase from 2014. Impressively, 1.2 million of those households were worth between $5 million and $25 million.1 How did t
Are You Insured?
Too many Americans have no life insurance. Their loved ones may pay dearly for that choice. September is National Life Insurance Awareness Month – a good time to think about the value and importance of insuring yourself. According to a recent Bankrate survey, 42% of Americans have no life insurance at all. They may not know that life insurance coverage has become much more affordable than it once was.1 Many people ask if life insurance is really worth the cost; maybe you are