New Legislation The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 contained significant reforms that impacted many people’s financial lives. This COVID-19 relief bill was hotly debated in the news, but the appropriations bill also changed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA. Well guess what? The changes are here! If you are attending college […]
Last fall, the Social Security Administration announced its annual cost-of-living (COLA) adjustment. Around 71 million Americans will receive a 3.2% increase in their Social Security Income benefit for 2024, bringing the 2024 increase back down to earth after last year’s multiple-decade high increase. While the 2024 increase is less consequential than the previous year, discussing […]
Jan 24th, 2024
Key Takeaways from 4Q 2023 After an ugly third quarter and even start to the fourth quarter, markets regained their footing in November and finished the year strongly in positive territory. Consistent with how markets have traded the past 18 months, the pivot coincided with the Federal Reserve’s meeting on November 1. Following that meeting, […]
Allegheny Financial Group advisor Ian Cerminara, CFP®, recently sat down with Director of Research, Joe Clark, CFA, to discuss trending topics in today’s investment world and some considerations to ponder as we approach a new year. A trending way to structure a client’s portfolio is thematic investing. Can you give us an overview of thematic […]
Dec 19th, 2023
No one gets married with the plan to divorce eventually, but it is widely understood that roughly half of all marriages end in divorce. That statistic gets grimmer for second and third marriages. A divorce is one of those events in life that can be overwhelming, both mentally and financially. Divorce can be difficult financially, […]
Nov 30th, 2023
As you move through your working years and get closer to retirement, there are a lot of things to consider to be sure you’re prepared. Have you created a financial plan to determine if you can reach your retirement goals? Are you saving enough? Are you taking advantage of the retirement benefits you are offered? […]
Oct 25th, 2023
Retirement marks a significant transition in one’s life. We all hope for a smooth transition from salaried to retired life. As you approach the five-year mark before retirement, it’s crucial to start making strategic decisions to ensure a smooth and financially secure transition. In this article, we’ll explore the top five considerations you should keep […]
Oct 10th, 2023
Key Takeaways from 3Q 2023 Financial markets had a challenging third quarter driven by the big three: inflation, Treasury yields, and oil. As the Federal Reserve (Fed) indicated, interest rates would stay higher for longer, resulting in the 10-year U.S. Treasury Bond climbing to a 16-year high of 4.62%, and the S&P 500 Index trading […]