Planning Article

September 2024 – By Tom Rueger CFP^®

More people than ever are tapping into their 401(k)s and IRAs to manage financial emergencies. According to the Vanguard Group, early withdrawals from retirement accounts reached an all-time high of 3.6% in 2023, up from 2.8% the previous year.

Market Minute

September 2024 – By Kyle Rohrwasser

Treasury yields were down 25 basis points at 2 years and were down 19 basis points at 10 years over the last week. As a result, the current 2-year/10-year treasury spread widened into positive territory.

Planning Article

August 2024 – By Shelley Lein CFP^®

One of the most powerful savings tools is a Health Savings Account. An HSA has better tax benefits than both Roth and pretax retirement savings accounts, provided the distributions are used for qualified medical expenses. If you meet the requirement of having a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP is a health plan with a deductible of at least $1600 for self or $3200 for family in 2024), it can be a tool to not only save on taxes but to provide for medical expense coverage in retirement.

Market Minute

August 2024 – By Scott Rosenquist CFA^®

Employment data for the month of July came in below expectations with 114,000 jobs added while the unemployment rate moved higher to 4.3% from 4.1% in the previous month. This is the fourth month in a row showing a higher unemployment rate although it is coming off a historically low base. The weak report raised questions about the strength of the economy and what it may mean for future monetary policy decisions. It is important to note that monthly economic reports are subject to revision and can be volatile month to month.