You've reached the Chicago Wealth Management Group blog where we post market updates, articles and general thoughts on investing, retiring and other financial topics. Once in a while, we may throw in a movie review or some other surprise. So keep checking in. We’re glad to have you reading along.
Bitcoin: The Talk Around the Holiday Table. This year, Bitcoin has become an increasingly hot topic as its price has gone from around $1,000 to over $11,000. This price jump has caught a lot of investors’ attention, but many are...
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Chicago Wealth Management Group is happy to announce that John Scanlon has been recognized by Chicago Magazine as a 2017 Five Star Wealth Manager in the November issue! To see an electronic reprint of the article please click this...
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As we're sure you’re aware, every day there are more and more attacks on our security online – and it’s even more frequent around the holidays. While it’s the most wonderful time of the year, with parties for...
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As the year-end approaches, we want to remind you about important tax planning deadlines. The following checklist can help you simplify and manage these critical deadlines as you take advantage of opportunities to help reduce your 2017...
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Including dividends, the S&P 500 posted its 11th straight monthly gain and its 8th consecutive quarterly advance. The U.S. benchmark closed September at a new record, its 39th all-time high this year...
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Minor Named as Beneficairy Tips When naming minor children or grandchildren as beneficiaries in your will, on a retirement account, or life insurance policy, it’s important to understand the complexities involved in transferring...
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The fourth quarter of 2016 logged the worst quarter for bonds in over 35 years. For the quarter, the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index fell about 3% and the yield on the 10-year Treasury bond rose nearly a whole ...
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In their Annual Outlook, Cetera discusses their perspective for the global economy and financial markets in 2017.
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At-A-Glance The S&P 500 posted four new all-time highs in November, ending the month just 0.65% below its November 25th record high of 2,213.35. The Dow Industrials gained over 1,000 points from its November 1st low, up 5.88% for the...
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As we look to the future, did you know that long-term care expenses can deplete resources two to three times faster than intended? There are a few misconceptions about long-term care shared by many: It won’t happen to me....
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2016 Year-End Tax Issues Review Prepared by Stan Smiley, J.D. Senior Vice President, Advanced Planning Group Cetera Financial Group® Introduction 2016 presents significant income, estate and gift planning considerations and...
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September 2016 Recap At-A-Glance The S&P 500 recorded its best one-quarter performance of 2016. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index posted its biggest quarterly return since 2012. Oil posted its biggest monthly gain since April, after OPEC...
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Wednesday, September 28, 2016
More than 15 million Americans are caring for an individual living with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia. Caregivers play many roles, such as housekeeper, nurse, hygienist, cook, pharmacist, friend and many others....
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Central Banks Trump the Election - 2016 Fourth Quarter Outlook A prerequisite to understanding markets in recent years has been analyzing global monetary policy . Recently, there has been a growing unease regarding whether markets...
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Stocks Post Best Week in Two Months September 26, 2016 – U.S. stocks finished moderately lower on Friday, as investors were put off by a sharp decline in oil; yet following three days of gains, the S&P 500 posted its strongest...
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Friday, September 16, 2016
If your 401(k) or 403(b) retirement plan accepts both traditional and Roth contributions, then you will need to decide which plan works best for your retirement goals. Both offer federal income tax advantages; however they offer them...
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Personal Finance Lessons Every Kid Should Learn School is back in session. With young minds refreshed and eager to learn, now is an ideal time to start teaching children smart financial habits. What you instill in them now will play...
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At-A-Glance On a price basis, the S&P 500 fell 0.12% in August, but including dividends the index was positive. The index also posted an all-time high last month, reaching 2,190.15 on August 15th. Hurt by US dollar strength, the...
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Thursday, August 25, 2016
Once you graduate from college you will need to start paying off your student loans. However, there are many different options that you can choose from such as how many years to pay, etc. How do you determine what option works for you?...
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Ring… Ring… How to Protect Your Money from Phone Scams. Last year alone, 27 million Americans lost $7.4 billion in phone scams. According to a study by Truecaller (a mobile communication application provider), they...
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Can the Fed Really Raise Rates? On August 5th, the Labor Department reported a second straight month of better-than-expected gains in the job market. Investors cheered as this report was a welcome sign that the economy was continuing...
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Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Investing in an IRA to help you fund your retirement is a smart move, but IRAs have a lot of rules; some easy to understand and some more complicated. Check out this IRA Mistakes brochure from John Hancock that highlights the ten most...
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At-A-Glance The S&P 500 posted seven all-time highs in July, the most in a month since December 2014. The Bloomberg Commodity Index fell 5.11% in July. Oil futures retreated over 15%, the largest monthly decline in a year as global...
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May 2016 Recap At-A-Glance The S&P 500 advanced 1.8% in May, its third straight monthly gain; the Dow Industrials rose 0.49% and the NASDAQ Composite surged 3.83%. Increased odds for a summer rate hike drove the US Dollar Index to a...
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May 2016 Recap At-A-Glance The S&P 500 advanced 1.8% in May, its third straight monthly gain; the Dow Industrials rose 0.49% and the NASDAQ Composite surged 3.83%. Increased odds for a summer rate hike drove the US Dollar Index to a...
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