Insights

Market Commentary: Fed Leaves Rates Unchanged, Could Begin Tapering of Asset Purchases this Year

The Federal Reserve met last week, and Chair Jay Powell indicated tapering this year is more likely than not. The decision on when to reduce the central bank’s purchases of government-backed bonds will likely be affected by the employment report released a week from Friday. If labor market strength resumes, the Fed appears likely to roll back its support.

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Proposed Bill Includes Tax Increases for High Earners, Retirement Account Changes

Last week, Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee released a draft of their proposed tax plan, which includes changes to corporate, personal and other taxes, as well as retirement plans – though Social Security would be untouched.

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Market Commentary: Consumer Demand Stays Strong, Continuing Trend Toward Lower Inflation

 Two U.S. economic reports provided reassuring news about the economy. The inflation trend moderated in August. Consumer price inflation (CPI) rose 0.3%, down from 0.5% the previous month and below estimates of a 0.4% increase (Figure 1). Excluding food and energy, prices increased just 0.1%.

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Market Commentary: Amid High Worker Demand, Job Openings Rise to 10.9 Million

July job openings increased to 10.9 million, up 779,000 from June. The record number suggests weaker August job growth was partly related to a low supply of workers and demand for workers remains robust.

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How to Manage Your Health Savings Account

Watch this webinar hosted by Carson’s Managing Partner of Wealth Solutions, Jamie Hopkins, and Senior Wealth Planner, Beth Schanou, to learn more about how to manage your health savings account.

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Creating Awareness Around Life Insurance

There’s an old saying that with the stroke of a pen we have the ability to affect generations upon generations of lives. 

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Market Commentary: U.S. Job Creation Slows, Emergency Unemployment Benefits Expire For 7.5 Million People

 The U.S. economy produced just 235,000 new jobs in August, missing expectations of 725,000. Unemployment dipped to 5.2%. Average hourly earnings rose 0.6%, partly because wages continue to rise more rapidly compared to the pre-pandemic pace.

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5 Tax Changes We Are Reviewing for Clients

In line with our desire to make your financial life less stressful, we do our best to share those planning items with you that are most relevant for your situation. We find that when we share the kitchen sink it’s easy to get overwhelmed and forget the important points. However, behind the scenes we are considering and reviewing many different legislative proposals and potential planning opportunities that may apply to your situation. With so many potentially big changes on the horizon, and the potential sunset of some provisions from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2025 we thought we...read the full article

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Health Savings Account (HSA) Worksheet

Did you know you can utilize a health savings account (HSA) to invest for your future? HSAs have many tax benefits, including tad-deductible contributions and tax-deferred growth. But is one right for you? This worksheet will help you determine if you qualify, as well as identify common mistakes consumers make with HSAs that you can avoid.

Download the checklist today to get started.

Got an HSA? Learn How to Maximize It

Are you healthy? Or are you anticipating some hefty medical bills coming up? Or do you want to save money in a tax-advantaged way for future medical expenses? If so, a health savings account (HSA) might be a good choice. An HSA is a tax-favored savings and investment account that’s used for qualified health care expenses and tethered to high-deductible health plans (HDHPs).

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