The Sea of Financial Information

This popular retirement savings vehicle comes in several varieties. What don’t you know? Many Americans know about Roth and traditional IRAs, but there are other types of Individual Retirement Arrangements. Here’s a quick look at all the different types of IRAs: Traditional IRAs (occasionally called deductible IRAs) are the “original” IRAs. In most cases, contributions to a traditional IRA are tax deductible: they reduce your taxable income, and as a consequence, your federal

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” -AESOP First estimate of Q2 GDP: 4.1% Not since the third quarter of 2014 has the economy grown at such a pace. In its report released Friday, the Bureau of Economic Analysis noted 4.0% growth in consumer outlays during the quarter, a 7.3% improvement in business spending, and 3.5% more federal government spending. The BEA also revised the first-quarter GDP number up 0.2% to 2.2%.1 CONSUMER SENTIMENT

QUOTE OF THE WEEK "It is wise to remember that you are one of those who can be fooled some of the time." - LAURENCE J. PETER ANOTHER GOOD MONTH FOR RETAIL SALES Americans are spending freely, as new Census Bureau data confirms. Retail sales advanced 0.5% last month, matching the consensus forecast of economists surveyed by Reuters, in the wake of a revised 1.3% May gain. (May was the best month for buying since last September.) The only negative note: core retail sales were f

You can plan to meet the costs through a variety of methods. How can you cover your child’s future college costs? Saving early (and often) may be the key for most families. Here are some college savings vehicles to consider. 529 college savings plans. Offered by states and some educational institutions, these plans let you save up to $15,000 per year for your child’s college costs without having to file an I.R.S. gift tax return. A married couple can contribute up to $30,000

QUOTE OF THE WEEK "Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed." - MAHATMA GANDHI INFLATION NEARS 3% The federal government’s Consumer Price Index rose 2.9% across the 12 months ending in June, a level of annualized inflation last seen in February 2012. Yearly inflation has now increased for five straight months (although the headline CPI went north only 0.1% last month). The core CPI, which removes food and fuel costs, rose 0.2% in June, bringing its 12-month

Sometimes you can take penalty-free early withdrawals from retirement accounts. Do you need to access your retirement money early? Maybe you just want to retire before you turn 60 and plan a lifelong income stream from the money you have saved and invested. You may be surprised to know that the Internal Revenue Service allows you a way to do this, provided you do it carefully. Usually, anyone who takes money out of an IRA or a retirement plan prior to age 59½ faces a 10% earl

WEEKLY QUOTE "The end is nothing. The road is all." - WILLA CATHER ANOTHER STRONG MONTH FOR THE LABOR MARKET Employers hired 213,000 more workers than they laid off in June, according to the Department of Labor. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg had forecast a gain of 195,000. In the second quarter, net monthly job growth averaged 211,000. As the labor force participation rate increased 0.2% last month, so did the headline jobless rate: it rose 0.2% to 4.0%, moving north for the