Protect Your Assets

This past month was Women’s History Month. It is a time to reflect on the transformational accomplishments of women over the years. Women are gaining more representation in leadership roles, outpacing their male counterparts. Women are earning degrees as well as starting businesses at twice the rate of men. Women have a come a long way but still face many challenges. The gender pay gap, rising cos...

The market had a good week as all indexes finished up as inflation seems to be waning as well as no major bank contagion as of yet. However, there seems to be two camps setting up, the bears and the bulls. What factors must happen for the bulls to prevail? Find out in this week's Protect Your Assets Market Recap. Do you have specific questions as you approach retirement? You can send your question...

Have you thought of what your ideal retirement looks like? We think most people have, but often, our imagination can also lead to feelings of uncertainty. You may have questions like, have I saved enough for retirement? What will happen to my retirement savings if there’s a market downturn or recession? Could changes in politics and policies affect my nest egg? What impact could increased taxes ha...

The Fed raised interest rates 0.25% last week. Is this more dovish-than-expected Fed a bullish game-changer for the market going forward? The Sandman doesn’t think so. Hear why on this week’s market segment.  You can send your questions to questions@pyaradio.com for a chance to be answered on air.   Catch up on past episodes: http://pyaradio.com      Interact with Protect Your Assets on Amazon Ale...

Though the fallout from Silicon Valley Bank has dominated markets this past week, bank bailouts averted a catastrophe for the U.S. economy and stock market. Why is this happening? What will future Fed action look like? And is this a bearish gamechanger in the fight against inflation and bank failures? All this and more on this week’s Protect Your Assets market segment.  You can send your questions...

What’s the most important thing in your life? Most people answer that question with “family.” If you don’t have the right estate planning documents in place, they could be in for stress and financial hardship when settling your estate upon your death. Find out if a trust is right for you and other estate planning myths you might believe.  Plus, though the fallout from Silicon Valley Bank has domin...

The second-largest bank failure in history and the possibility of more interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve are the hot topics of the week. Last week, Chairman Powell testified in front of Congress about how it's quite possible they will continue to raise rates. Plus, Silicon Valley Bank announced they were selling assets and trying to come up with a capital strategy to stay afloat before...

The second-largest bank failure in history and the possibility of more interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve are the hot topics of the week. Last week, Chairman Powell testified in front of Congress about how it's quite possible they will continue to raise rates. We’ve started to see the fallout of these rising rates and what it means for banks. Banks are required to keep a certain amount o...

Figuring out what to do with your company pension when you retire can be complicated—you have important choices to make that can impact both your and your family’s financial future. Once you choose your pension benefit, you are locked in forever. Plus, The decision you make will have a lasting impact on your family as well because how that money gets paid out to your spouse and/or your family afte...

Last week, we had a five-year breakeven on inflation expectations by hitting a new four-month high, underscoring new concerns about price pressures and where inflation is headed. Next, critical economic reports will be coming out in the next few weeks that will help determine if stocks may continue to regain lost ground, as they have after hitting their worst weekly decline in several months. All...

One of the biggest decisions—and largest risks—you’ll face in retirement is how to take money out of your accounts and live off of that for the rest of your life when the markets are going up and down. If you do it right, it's possible to have predictable, consistent income month after month. But if you do it hastily, you could run out. That's what we want to help you avoid against, and one of the...

The Core PCE Price Index shows inflation is not decreasing, which is how the Fed determines if interest rates should continue to rise in an attempt to combat it. This creates a headwind on stocks, making it tougher for companies to make money. Add that recipe into the market, and you get a negative reaction. How can shorter-duration Treasuries help mitigate some of the losses you may be experienci...

2023 is off to a strong start for consumer spending. Even though the economy started on solid footing in January, the unexpected consumer strength, the tight labor market, and inflation, which keeps hanging in there, is challenging the Fed to keep interest rates higher for longer. Hear the rest of The Sandman’s market report. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some uncertainty and volatility returned to the markets last week, prompting the question: Will the rally continue or will volatility increase? Plus, the 10-2 spread is inverted, meaning the two-year Treasury is paying more than the 10-year Treasury. Does this mean the Fed has raised rates too much? All this and more on this week’s market segment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

U.S. stock markets rose, but gains have evaporated a bit with the Fed’s most recent rate hike and data pointing to a tight labor market. Central banks are also becoming more nuanced in their fight against inflation. Consumers are still out there, the economy is still moving ahead, unemployment obviously still positive, but a recession could still be on the horizon. All this and more on  Protect Yo...

It’s easier to plan for and control when taxes are paid than you might think. People are often surprised to discover that taxes are one of their biggest expenses in retirement. For many, the assumption is that once they retire and their paychecks stop coming, taxes would go down.  Reducing the taxes you pay in retirement means you likely will need to withdraw less money from your savings each year...

The market had a great week last week, and jobless claims near multi-decade lows. It’s unclear how much economic growth we will see and how the strong labor market will impact earnings. The buzz also continues to be around if we’ll have a hard or soft landing from the Fed. Particularly strong January performance has often been a signal of above-average gains for the year ahead. Going forward, The...

Are you thinking of retiring this year? Now is the time to start planning—from what to do with cash sitting in your bank account to how to withdraw your Social Security benefits most effectively. Hear three retirement pitfalls to avoid.    Plus, the market had a great week last week, and jobless claims near multi-decade lows. It’s unclear how much economic growth we will see and how the strong lab...

Plus, recent earning results have been mixed, and the markets have been following earnings this last week for any signals about growth. Growth and inflation go hand in hand because that sets up stagflation—something we’re trying to avoid. Are we going to get a soft landing from the Fed? Will they continue to raise rates? There’s lots of opinions floating around about this. Hear The Sandman’s take...

If you own a business or are a member of company leadership, whether it be a string of gas stations or a Fortune 500 Company, 2023 may be a tough year for your bottom line. Hopefully, all sorts of negative business influences—like recession fears, stagflation, and labor challenges—are on your planning agenda. Here are some tips to help you address some of these issues and make smart business decis...

The Secure Act 2.0 is now law. While there are dozens of provisions in the act, a few highlights include RMD age limit increases, timeframes for taking distributions from inherited IRAs, catch-up contributions for retirement accounts, and so much more. Also, The Sandman breaks down the eight types of people who might not want to do a Roth IRA conversion.    Plus, the stock and bond markets were bo...

The stock and bond markets were both up last week, a result of inflation dropping for the third straight month. The core Consumer Price Index, which includes food and energy, eased lower to 5.7%, but the Fed stated it wanted it around 2% to start cutting rates to stimulate the economy. How have markets historically performed when the Fed is about to pivot or to change direction?  See omnystudio.co...

It’s a new year. Have you been thinking of your goals for this year? Is one of those goals to retire in 2023? How about saving for something you always wanted? We’re going to share some easy things you can do to save more money and get ready for retirement if that's what you're thinking about.   All the major stock markets have been up a little bit. Will that continue? Are you prepared for what co...

The market had a positive week due to wage growth as well as the December jobs report suggesting that inflation may be cooling off. How will growth perform against value going forward in 2023? Find out the answers you need in this Protect Your Assets Market Recap.   You can send your questions to  questions@pyaradio.com  for a chance to be answered on the air.  Catch up on past episodes: http://py...

Last week closed the most difficult year for stocks investors have seen since 2008 and the worst year for bonds in a very long time. However is there upside to capture or is there a recession coming? Find out what you need to know in this Protect Your Assets Market Recap.   You can send your questions to  questions@pyaradio.com  for a chance to be answered on the air.   Hands-free listening:  http...