In America, we have let our guard down when it comes to our banking relationships. We assume that everything will be fine if our bank fails. After all, the FDIC insures our deposits up to $250,000. Why worry?  I hate to break this to… Read More

We are mere weeks away from kissing 2012 goodbye and saying hello to bigger and better things in the new year. Smart moves between now and December 31 can make all the difference in reaching your retirement goals, whether you’re starting out in your career or just a few years… Read More

Investors should steer clear of the stocks that have taken the biggest beating since Election Day. We are likely to see more selling in these stocks. The market surged on Monday, Nov. 19. Midway through the session, the Dow was up 160… Read More

Time is running out. Congress has 42 days to decide what they’re going to do about the “Bush Era” Tax cuts. If they don’t act by December 31st, income taxes will rise across the board. Long-term capital gains could also increase. If… Read More

The equity markets are moving away from risk, and ever since traders turned their attention from the election to more significant unknowns, the de-risk trade has been in full effect. This is true of the equity markets at large, but it’s especially true of many stalwart “safe” high-yield sectors such… Read More

Many traders now understand that buy-and-hold strategies can suffer from steep losses for years at a time. This knowledge was probably acquired from expensive first-hand experience. In a strong bull market that lasts for… Read More

Declaring bankruptcy has one clear benefit. It allows management to restructure a business without worrying about near-term debts coming due. Airline carrier AMR, for example, is fixing the holes in its business and aims to exit bankruptcy in a financially and operationally… Read More

More than 76 years ago, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal was signed into law. As the linchpin of the New Deal, the Social Security program was implemented in order to limit the hazards of old age, poverty, unemployment and disability.  Now, about… Read More

Third-quarter earnings season was an unmitigated disaster. With the economy stumbling along due to weakness in Europe and China, and margins reaching a multi-year cyclical high, more than a few companies disappointed the Street with… Read More

Stocks were mostly lower last week but rose Friday, Nov. 16, when U.S. political leaders expressed optimism that a deal to avert the fiscal cliff is possible. Trend may be determined by answer to ‘What If…?’ What if the tax increases and spending cuts associated with the fiscal cliff are… Read More