In one of the hottest national real-estate markets in decades, the U.S. has seen home prices in many markets skyrocket to new heights before decelerating mid-year 2022. The Federal Reserves actions, to combat inflation by increasing interest rates, also increased mortgage rates and priced many buyers out of the market. For those who need to track U.S. residential real estate…

Everything about the stock market and individual stocks is tracked for the benefit of stock analysts and just the average investor. There are so many measures and indicators that could be applied to any individual stock that it is mindboggling. All are key data points that allow investors to fully scrutinize a stocks volatility, quality, value and potential future movement.…

5.9% is the biggest COLA increase in decades. On October 13, 2021, the Social Security Administration (SSA) officially announced that Social Security recipients will receive a 5.9 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2022, the largest increase in four decades. This adjustment will begin with benefits payable to more than 64 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2022. Additionally, increased payments…

Net Unrealized Appreciated Gains Did you know that there is a way to save thousands if not tens of thousands in taxes if you own your company’s highly appreciated stock inside your 401K? I recently began working with a prospective client who owned his companies’ stock in his 401K. As we were getting to know each other, he mentioned how…

Social Security Income Taxes Phase Out When asked, most Nebraskans would say their biggest complaint about Nebraska is high taxes. For all of you seniors receiving Social Security income, the State Legislature has good news for you.  Lawmakers passed legislation to phase out income taxes on Social Security by 2030. The legislation is now on Gov. Pete Ricketts’s desk, who…

Are your Beneficiaries Up To Date? Like many Americans, you have worked hard, scrimped, and saved to have the same lifestyle you lived while working in your retirement years.  You planned for retirement and put a will in place.  You have worked with your financial advisor to make sure your investments match your objectives and risk profile.  You are up…

U.S. Markets: U.S. stocks continued to grind higher on largely positive news flow about potential vaccines and treatments for COVID-19.  Continuing the recent prevailing trend, higher-valuation growth stocks outperformed lower-priced value companies and large-cap companies easily outpaced small-caps.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 724 points finishing the week at 28,654, a gain of 2.6%.  The technology-heavy NASDAQ Composite rose…

U.S. Markets: The major indexes posted gains for the week, lifting the benchmark S&P 500 index to within roughly 0.2% of its all-time high from February.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average added almost 500 points, rising 1.8% to 27,931.  The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite ticked up just 0.1% to 11,019.  By market cap, the large-cap S&P 500, mid-cap S&P 400, and…