If you have qualifying children under the age of 18, you may be able to claim a child tax credit. (You may also be able to claim a partial credit for certain other dependents … Read More
During March 2021, the widening availability of COVID-19 vaccinations, signs of improving economic conditions, and a third, $1.9 trillion stimulus package brought about more optimistic growth projections. Even though a healthy economy could be good … Read More
The median number of years that wage and salary workers had been with their current employer was 4.1 years in January 2020. However, employee tenure tends to vary based on many factors, including the type … Read More
Home-improvement spending normally lags during recessions, but COVID-19 sparked an unexpected surge in do-it-yourself renovation and maintenance projects. Many households whose finances held up during the pandemic devoted time and money to making … Read More
On May 7, 2021, the Colonial Pipeline, which carries almost half of the East Coast's fuel supply from Texas to New Jersey, shut down operations in response to a ransomware attack. Colonial paid a $4.4 … Read More
If you pay attention to financial news, you are probably seeing a lot of discussion about inflation, which has reared its head in the U.S. economy after being mostly dormant for the … Read More
The Markets (second quarter through June 30, 2021) The second quarter began with stocks making solid gains in April. COVID vaccines became available to more Americans. The federal government and several states pushed forward with … Read More
An explosion in the number and variety of streaming services, coupled with more time spent at home in the last year, might have you wondering whether it's time to cut the cord … Read More
For the past decade, U.S. stocks have outperformed foreign stocks by a wide margin, due in large part to the stronger U.S. recovery after the Great Recession. In general, U.S. … Read More
Debt poses a growing threat to the financial security of many Americans — and not just college graduates with exorbitant student loans. Recent studies by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College … Read More
In January 2021, more than seven out of 10 workers were very or somewhat confident that they would have enough money to live comfortably throughout their retirement years. This was the highest confidence level since 2000 … Read More
June 20, 2021 marks not only the start of the summer season. It's also Father's Day, a special day to celebrate dear old dad. Here are five facts about fatherhood in honor of … Read More
U.S. consumers won't soon forget the troubling shortages of personal protective equipment during the early days of the pandemic, or when the first stay-at-home orders spurred panic buying and stress-inducing shortages … Read More
The Markets (as of market close May 28, 2021) Stocks were volatile in May, likely a reflection of strength in the U.S. economy as well as concerns about inflation and the timing of when … Read More
Children are often covered by a parent's health plan or by public health insurance such as the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). But young adults generally lose eligibility for CHIP at … Read More
In this issue we cover health coverage for young people, making gifts to children, the pros and cons of IRA rollovers, and how dollar-cost averaging may help build your portfolio. … Read More
Despite the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic, American workers and retirees remain largely optimistic about their financial prospects for retirement. In its annual Retirement Confidence Survey conducted in January 2021, the Employee Benefit … Read More
By one estimate, U.S. landlords were owed about $57 billion in unpaid back rent at the beginning of 2021. The average household that fell behind owed about four months of rent, or $5,600. Altogether, more … Read More
In March 2021, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.6%, the largest one-month increase since August 2012. Over the previous 12 months, the increase was 2.6%, the highest year-over-year inflation rate since … Read More
Many thanks to the Scottsdale Independent for featuring the new TrustBank Scottsdale location in their publication! … Read More