Newsroom
Market Thoughts for October 2018
Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for September. It was a mixed month: the S&P and Dow did well, while the Nasdaq pulled back on weakness in technology. But for the quarter as a whole, all three indices...
read more5 Ways Criminals Use Social Engineering to Scam Us
A major risk to both businesses and individuals, social engineering involves the exploitation of our very nature. Specifically, criminals use social engineering techniques to elicit feelings of fear, uncertainty, pressure, and excitement in the hope that we will...
read moreMarket Thoughts for September 2018
https://vimeo.com/288162908 Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for August. It was another good month here in the U.S., with the stock market up across the board. The economy, consumer confidence, and hiring all continued to grow....
read moreThe Basics of Credit Scores and Credit Reports
As consumers, we know that having a good credit score is important. Whether you are applying for a loan or signing up for a credit card, your credit score plays a major role in determining if you will be approved. Your credit score can also have a significant impact...
read moreMarket Thoughts for August 2018
Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for July. It was a great month for U.S. markets, as the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq were all up. And after a terrible June, both developed and emerging...
read moreIs Your W-4 Withholding Accurate?
We all know that federal income taxes are withheld from our paychecks. But are you aware of the degree of control you have over how much is withheld? Here, we’ll discuss the importance of having an accurate W-4 holding, including how recent changes to the tax code...
read moreMarket Thoughts for July 2018
Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for June. It was a mixed month, as U.S. markets went down with the Dow and up with the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq. Bond markets pulled back a bit on rising rates. There was...
read moreNew Developments in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLFP) began in 2007 with a simple idea: provide debt relief to borrowers in critical but often low-paying careers after they make 10 years of timely student loan repayments. The U.S. Department of Education cited law...
read moreMarket Thoughts for June 2018
Brad McMillan, Commonwealth's CIO, recaps the market and economic news for May. It was a good month, continuing the recovery from the pullback we saw at the start of the year. In the U.S., markets were up almost across the board. Consumers continue to spend, and...
read moreAre You Making These Security Mistakes with Your Smartphone?
It’s tough to remember how we managed our daily lives without smartphones. How did we get around town without quick access to Google Maps? Pay our bills on time before we had credit card and banking apps? Or let someone know we were running late without text...
read moreMarket Thoughts for May 2018
Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for April. It was a good month, as both U.S. and developed markets were up. This news was encouraging, indicating that the economy seems to be bouncing back after two...
read moreWhat Should You Do if You Are a Victim of Tax Identity Theft?
When it comes to filing your tax return, you put in the time and effort to complete every form accurately and according to the instructions. But even if you do everything by the book, a tax identity thief may still file a fraudulent return in your name. Unfortunately,...
read moreMarket Thoughts for April 2018
Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for March. Last month, both U.S. and international markets saw losses. It was the second down month in a row, something we haven't seen in a while. This was due, in part, to markets becoming...
read moreMortgage and Home Equity Loan Interest Deductions Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
With its passage in December 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) changed the deductions for interest on mortgage and home equity loans. On February 21, 2018, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provided clarification on how the TCJA will be applied to mortgage and...
read moreMarket Thoughts for March 2018
Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the economic news for February. Last month, there was a 10-percent market drawdown in the U.S., something we haven’t seen for almost two years. Although many were worried that this was the “big one,” the markets recovered more...
read moreABLE Accounts: Frequently Asked Questions
ABLE accounts, also known as 529A or 529 ABLE accounts, were established as part of the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2014. This act created these tax-advantaged accounts for people with disabilities under section 529A of the Internal Revenue Code. But who...
read moreMarket Thoughts for February 2018
Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps another great month for the markets. In January, all three U.S. indices were up by at least 5 percent, as were international markets. There was a bit of a pullback at the end of the month, as interest rates moved up to levels...
read moreYear-End Financial Planning Checklist
As 2018 begins, it’s time to begin organizing your finances for the new year. To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of key planning topics to consider. Savings and investments Revisit your retirement contributions. Review how much you’re contributing to...
read moreMarket Thoughts for January 2018
Because December markets were up across the board, we are entering 2018 with a huge amount of momentum. Commonwealth's CIO, Brad McMillan, discusses whether this will continue or if the recent tax reform bill have a major impact in...
read moreFinancial New Year’s Resolutions: Using Tech to Stay on Track
The New Year is symbolic in many respects. It gives you a chance to start fresh and set some goals that can improve your life in ways large and small. But if you’re like many people, familiar resolutions like “lose weight” or “go to the gym” slowly fade into darkness...
read moreMarket Thoughts for December 2017
November was another strong month for the markets, but Commonwealth CIO Brad McMillan discusses whether political uncertainty in Washington is a...
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