This year, assorted economists and journalists have contended that the U.S. is on the edge of a new recession. Yet recent indicators hint that the economy is doing a bit better than some analysts think.

Is a rally ahead? You may have heard that stocks tend to do well in the fourth quarter. History affirms that perception: while past performance is no guarantee of future results, the last quarter of the year has historically been the best quarter of the year for U.S. equities. As data from Bespoke Investment Group notes...

Is it all negative, or are there opportunities to consider because of the crisis? Many economists think a Greek default is inevitable. As we enter 4Q 2011, Greece has a debt-to-GDP ratio of about 160% (and that percentage is rising). While Greece accounts for less than 3% of Eurozone GDP, ripples from a Greek default could strain the European banking sector and global financial markets.1,7

TWO NEW IDEAS, ONE INVOLVING A TWIST - The government still has some options to stimulate the economy. What can Washington do now to help consumers, housing and stocks? Options remain. The Obama administration and the Federal Reserve are reportedly considering two interesting tactics: one first employed 50 years ago, and another that could bloom into a multi-faceted effort to aid homeowners under pressure.

August 2011 is on pace to become the roughest and most volatile month for the stock market in almost three years. Where exactly will this correction bottom out? How long will buyers stay on the sidelines? Two crucial questions await answers – but before turning to those questions, consider the developments that really hurt equities in the middle of August.

You’ve done a great job creating your retirement nest egg… but now that you need to begin pulling money out, how much can you take without fear of running out of money? Until recently, most advisors had a good answer for you. That is until the economic turmoil of the last decade. Now that answer has become a lot more complicated. Many advisors used to say it was safe to pull out 4% of your portfolio a year without fear of running out of money. But here’s what happened in the last decade.

When you look at the icons of the investment industry, the ones that make money year after year, you find they all follow these 6 simple things to one degree or another. We say these are simple, because they are… just as it’s simple to lose weight by eating less and exercising more… But as we all know, it’s easier said than done.

Will the markets feel stress as the deadline to raise the debt limit approaches? August 2 looms. That is the absolute deadline for raising the federal debt ceiling, according to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. The U.S. actually “hit” the $14.3 trillion ceiling on May 16 but took “extraordinary measures”, in Geithner’s words, to avoid default. (Those measures included suspension of Treasury payments to the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund and the Federal Employees' Retirement System Thrift Savings Plan.) While Congress will surely vote to raise the debt cap by August 2, our politicians are mostly transmitting contention.1,2

We all experienced the satisfaction of seeing our home prices soar during the 90’s and into the 2000’s. We also saw our property taxes go up in unison. However, many of us have seen our home values decline in the past few years… but have we seen our property taxes decline as well? Probably not. The National Taxpayer’s Union estimates that up to 60% of the country’s homes are assessed too high. You can fight city hall, if you feel your home has been assessed too high. It’s not easy or automatic, but it can be very rewarding.

Many people have done a great job saving for retirement, but who are turned around when it comes to actually spending their savings. And it’s not surprising because it is the exact opposite mindset. (saving vs. spending) Here are 5 withdrawal mistakes most often seen…

I don’t know about you, but I use this time of year to get organized. You know, clean out my desk and files… or at least put them in some semblance of order. One of the questions I often get from my clients that are trying to do the same thing is…”What records do I have to keep, and which can I shred and throw away?” So in honor of getting the year off to an organized start, I thought I’d give you my 4 rules of shredding...

During my years as a Wealth Manager, I’ve reviewed many beneficiary forms for 401ks, IRAs and life insurance policies. It’s unusually common that even the smartest or wealthiest people make very basic… but very costly mistakes when it comes to this basic task.

It was four days before Christmas and the town sat still, as if Old Man Winter had forgotten the snow everyone was wishing for. Grandpa and I worked at the department store where he asked kids what they wanted for Christmas while I distributed candy canes and small presents. Grandpa’s beard was real, bushy and full. Some of the kids who tugged it were quite surprised. And when he ho ho-ed, his stomach shook. Grandpa was Santa Claus, no question.

So much has changed in the last few years. The financial system took it on the chops. Interest rates are at historic lows. The economy is languishing. But the real question is… should we make any major changes to our retirement strategy?

In the last few years we’ve all faced some hard economic realities. Do we feel richer or poorer? Well, that might have less to do with how much money we have, and more to do with our view of that money. There’s a story that really brings this idea to a point:

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month

“I need money!” Well, not me specifically… I’m talking about when my clients call me and let me know that they would like to withdraw some of their funds. You didn’t work all those years and diligently put money away to die rich, did you? You did it so that you could live comfortably and have money there when you needed it. Right?