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What to do with heirlooms.

When most folks think about their estate plan, little attention is paid to the personal property in your estate. That may include Mom’s engagement ring, Dad’s 1969 Camaro, or anything else of sentimental or monetary value. The most common and least effective way of dealing with this is often a clause in the will which states that all of your personal property shall…

Merrill Edge releases this national, biannual study of more than 1,000 mass affluent Americans 1 to take an in-depth look at their ever-evolving financial concerns and priorities. Economic uncertainty and a lack of financial planning seem to be creating this burgeoning trend of dependence on others for financial security,” said Aron Levine, head of Consumer…
Streamlining your presentation for clients is one way to be more a more effective presenter.

Each week MDRT and AdvisorNews bring readers advice on topics encompassing the financial services industry including case studies, practice management, tips for success and much more.

New home sales are dropping, an area of concern for economists.

WASHINGTON— Sales of new U.S. homes plummeted 8.9 percent in October, as the number of newly built, unsold homes sitting on the market climbed to its highest level since 2009.. Sales of existing homes have tumbled 5.1 percent this year, the largest annual drop recorded by the National Association of Realtors since July 2014. “The main reason it’s cooling is home…

Nationwide Mutual Insurance issued the following news release:. The Nationwide Retirement Institute (R) announces America’s Retirement Voice, a new research report that examines issues affecting retirement security, based on insights from the retirement saving behaviors of the nearly 2.5 million defined contribution plan participants Nationwide…

Voya Financial research found several ways that people who work with a financial adviser can better prepare themselves for retirement. According to Voya, 94% of those who work with an adviser feel they have prepared themselves for estimating their monthly retirement income needs. By comparison, 42% of those without an adviser do not feel prepared at all.

Most Asian stock markets have advanced after Wall Street gained following a suggestion by the chairman of the Federal Reserve that the pace of interest rate increases might slow next year. Benchmarks in Tokyo, Seoul and Sydney advanced. Chairman Jerome Powell appeared to suggest the Fed might pause rate hikes next year. That relieved investors who worry a 9-year-old bull market might come to an end if rates rise too fast.
Fed Chairman Jerome H. Powell testifies before a joint hearing of Senate committees

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell cast a bright picture of the U.S. economy Wednesday and appeared to suggest that the Fed might consider a pause in its interest rate hikes next year to assess the impact of its credit tightening.

Asian markets are mostly higher ahead of a meeting between the U.S. and China at the Group of 20 summit this week, despite President Donald Trump’s comments that it’s “highly unlikely” he’ll hold off on raising tariffs as Beijing requested. South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.8 percent and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 jumped 1 percent on Tuesday.

Stocks are opening modestly lower on Wall Street following a big gain the day before. Technology and health care stocks were among the biggest losers in early trading on Tuesday. Apple and drug maker Bristol-Myers Squibb both fell. United Technologies dropped percent after announcing a plan to split itself into three companies.

By Art Steinmetz, Chairman and CEO, and Aniket Shah, Head of Sustainable Investing, at OppenheimerFunds. Interest in sustainable investing has grown dramatically in the last decade, as environmental, social, and governance issues have gained prominence, and investors have come to recognize the materiality of ESG factors to financial performance.
The TCJA has made changes to HELOC loans.

Your Client’s Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) may have become a whole lot more expensive recently. Their tax deduction may have been eliminated. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 eliminates the deduction for interest paid on home equity loans and lines of credit unless they are used to buy, build or substantially improve the taxpayer’s home securing the loan. This suspension begins in 2018 and is slated to phase out in 2026.

Nov. 26– GIVING TUESDAYTHE TUESDAY FOLLOWING BLACK FRIDAY AND CYBER MONDAY– KICKS OFF A SEASON FOR GIVING BACK.– the Tuesday following Black Friday and Cyber Monday– kicks off a season for giving back. It’s estimated that the number will drop to 18 million for 2018 returns– or about a bit more than 10 percent of individual returns, according to the Joint Committee on…

Most notably, California- based real estate investment trust Macerich Co tends to outperform in the final month of the year. Like the rest of the broader stock market, the shares of Macerich have struggled in November. From current levels, another 8.01% gain in December would put Macerich stock around $52.65 to start 2019..
New York's Regulation 187 is the subject of two lawsuits.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors’ New York chapter filed a lawsuit to stop the state’s controversial best-interest rule. The rule is “arbitrary and capricious” and was crafted outside of the New York Legislature, the lawsuit claims, which has the proper authority.
Cyber Monday sales may not be enough to boost the market.

Even a blockbuster holiday won’ t divert the market’ s attention from the rising interest rates that could hurt car and home sales next year and the escalating trade war between the U.S. and China that’ s expected to slow global economic growth. Fears about a consumer spending slowdown in 2019 outweigh any positive signs of a strong holiday, said Tom Forte, analyst at…
How and when you should talk to your family about money.

Family and money are not the easiest conversations to have- especially when gathering for a family occasion or holiday. Nevertheless, these conversations are appropriate, and should be had if you are curious and looking to be helpful. This conversation should happen with family members that you care about.

Nov. 21– The U.S. stock market swooned again Tuesday, adding to a slate of losses as Bay Area stalwarts such as Apple, Tesla and Twitter all were hit by a decline that showed few signs of slowing down before the Thanksgiving Day holiday. “Many investors are just helplessly watching their red screens and gains for the year dissipate in a matter of days,” said Dan Ives,…

Oil prices tumbled another 6.6 percent as Wall Street reacted to rising oil supplies and concerns that global economic growth will slow down, a worry that’s intensified because of the trade tensions between the U.S. and China. U.S. crude has plunged 30 percent since early October. Retailers also skidded. Target’ s profit disappointed investors as it spends more…
What can advisors do to calm nervous investors?

Since mid-October the stock market has been volatile to investors, soaring upward one day and crumbling the next. This week alone the Dow Jones lost 913.25 points. So, has the six-week slide left investors skeptical of the market and its growing volatility?

The economic expansion continues, but it might be winding down. See how to best invest money if that is true.

While the U.S. economy is in the late stages of what will probably go down as the longest-ever economic expansion, there remain ample opportunities in the market, according to RBC Wealth Management’s Global Insight 2019 Outlook. “None of the major indicators we monitor are signaling that a U.S. recession is on the way or about to start, which means there are still…

NEW YORK- Big technology and Internet companies tumbled again Monday, leading to broad losses across the stock market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average briefly fell 500, triggered partly be a steep 4.5 percent decline for Boeing Co.. Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide Investment Management, said investors are dumping the high-profile…

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 can mean good news for folks standing to inherit property. Now that a taxpayer’s lifetime estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer tax exemption is more than $11 million, most people should no longer fear transfer taxes and can fix obsolete estate plans or create new ones to reduce the capital gains burden on heirs and…

–Today, Ernst& Young LLP released the results of a survey of Millennials across the country, highlighting how the generation has defined itself a decade after the Great Recession. In 2016, an EY and Economic Innovation Group survey found a general lack of optimism among Millennials. “Millennials are willing to put in the hard work to advance their careers, and they…

What are the primary considerations in saving for retirement? Starting early in your career, put away as much money as possible. Albert Einstein once remarked, the most powerful force in the universe is compound interest- the earlier you start saving, the more you accumulate.

Beginning in 2018, the TCJA effectively doubled the estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax exemptions for U.S. citizens. These exemptions now amount to $11.2 million for individuals and $22.4 million for married couples. On Jan. 1,2026, the exemption limits will return to 2017 amounts adjusted for inflation.
What stocks have Buffett's attention?

Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B, $216.03), took a few more bites of Apple (AAPL) stock in the most recent quarter. But the big news is that he’s bonkers for bank stocks.

The past decade has seen an explosion in new exchange-traded funds. Investors have flocked to ETFs because they trade like individual stocks, but offer the diversification benefits of mutual funds- all at a low cost. But not all funds attract investors, and ETFs are dying off at a near-record rate this year.

Prior to the Department of Labor’ s 2015 fiduciary rule proposal, funds paying higher loads to brokers tended to attract more assets. But a new report by Morningstar found a statistically significant shift away from load sharing, with a notable reversal in flows to those type of funds after the DOL fiduciary rule was proposed. Morningstar’ s report builds off of a…

The traits you use to define success are directly related to how you can excel in this business. Continue to embody the ideas above and add to your list, just as I have throughout my career. Observe your mentors and other professionals across industries to round out your qualities and strive toward success.

The FPA announced to chapter leaders on Nov. 2 that it would pursue a new business model in 2019. This week an email sent out by Executive Director and CEO Lauren Schadle to FPA members detailed the changes coming to the organization.

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION COMMISSIONER KARA STEIN, DELIVERS REMARKS AT THE 2018 SEC STAFF ROUNDTABLE ON THE PROXY PROCESS, AS RELEASED BY THE SEC. Welcome to the SEC staff`s roundtable on proxy process. I would also like to thank Michele Anderson, Julie Davis, and the entire SEC team who worked so hard to bring this roundtable to fruition.
With election results still pouring in, what do they mean for investors?

The election results are in. What does that mean for investors? In the past 90 years, the U.S. economy and the stock market have done well no matter what party was in control in Washington.

In the midterm elections that took place on Tuesday, November 6 th, 2018, Democrats took control of the House of Representatives while Republicans expanded their majority in the Senate. Business Insider compiled the opinions of some notable names in the financial world. There’ s not a lot of common consensus so far as the financial impact of the midterm…

Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement and Trust has published its ninth annual Retirement Study, finding once again that employees are being asked to shoulder more responsibility for directing their own retirement savings effort. Lori Lucas, president and CEO of the Employee Benefit Research Institute, helped Wells Fargo leaders Joe Ready, head of Wells…
Retirees risk harming their finances unless properly prepared for tax implications.

STUART– In unpredictable economic times, many donors may be wary of making large donations of cash, even to charities they would otherwise like to support. Nonprofits are therefore increasingly encouraging donors to make gifts of non-liquid assets, including real estate. Although real estate holdings make up a significant share of the assets for U.S….
Have tech stocks peaked?

Stock losses accelerated as markets closed on Monday, pulled down by a broad sell-off in technology companies and revived worries that global economic growth is slowing.
Are you utilizing your client's home equity?

Reverse Mortgage Professional, American Advisors Group. The main goal of someone when they retire is to make sure they have protected the Longevity of their money, they can maintain a Lifestyle they are accustomed, to have the Liquidity needed to maintain that lifestyle, and to leave a Legacy to their heirs. Home Equity is often ignored in this thought process.

While the IAC is optimistic about the SEC’s REG BI proposal, it offered a few changes for consideration after reviewing public comments. A recent statement from the IAC suggests that their previous suggestions were not taken by the SEC.

Today, the resulting firm of HBKS Wealth Advisors has 100 employees, does business in five states and manages a portfolio of about $4 billion. Chris Sorce, a founding principal of what’s now HBKS Wealth Advisors, said the size of the portfolios he manages has changed. Sorce, who was joined by Brian Sommers, chief investment officer with HBKS Wealth Advisors, sat down…
Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.

Maxine Waters of California appears a lock to become the next chairman of the powerful Financial Services Committee. I’m not going to cry too many tears for Wall Street since they poured money behind the Democrats in these midterm elections. Readers will recall that good old Barney resisted every attempt to rein in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and said he wanted…

Ford is rated one step above junk by Moody’s Investors Service and two steps by S&P Global Ratings. The automaker has more than $150 billion of short- and long-term debt globally, and is one of the 15 biggest corporate bond issuers in the U.S. outside the financial sector. Hedge funds turned in their worst monthly performance in nearly three years in the first part…

Calling for a“ fresh dose of civility” in front of a star-spangled backdrop, Riskalyze co-founder and CEO Aaron Klein recently sat down for a conversation with Anthony Scaramucci, leading a wide-ranging conversation at the Fearless Investing Summit in San Antonio, Texas. With his background in private wealth management and having founded SkyBridge Capital,…