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Strong Dollar Makes This A Great Time to Travel

If you have travel plans in the next few months, lucky you! You will likely discover that foreign travel has become a relative bargain as your greenbacks are now stretching much further overseas than ever before. The U.S. Dollar has appreciated against other currencies like the British Pound, the Euro and the Yen. That makes […]

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Quote of the Week: “Much More Compelling Point” To Put Investment Money To Work

“No matter how you divvy up your portfolio among asset classes, the market downturn makes this a much more compelling starting point for investors looking to put new money to work. A punishing nine months of returns has left many stock sectors considerably cheaper than they have been for years, while fixed income is actually […]

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It’s Official: Your Social Security Checks Will Get A Big Cost-Of-Living Boost In 2023

Good news for clients taking monthly Social Security retirement benefits! Next year, starting in January 2023, the Social Security Administration says you’ll receive an 8.7% cost-of-living benefit increase, or more than $140 per month for the average Social Security recipient, to help offset the effects of inflation. That will be the biggest cost of living […]

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3 Quick Tips To Help Find Financial Security By Age 30

“The steps you take in your 20s can set you on a path toward financial security for the rest of your life,” asserts journalist Kimberly Lankford, and she’s right. Kimberly recently interviewed Mari to identify high-impact financial moves that can lead to financial success later in life. You can check out the complete interview here. […]

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Expert Medicare Guidance Now Available To Mercer Advisor Clients

If you are age 64½ or over, you know how important good health care can be. The optimal Medicare coverage can save you time, money, and enhance your overall wellbeing. But did you know there are thousands of Medicare plans out there? This can make it very challenging for most people to select the plan […]

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Investments Down? Why You May Be Better Off Not Looking

With the S&P 500–or broad U.S. stock market–off over 20% as of June 30, most 401(k)s and investment accounts are down well below January highs. Investors will open their June statements to see year-to-date declines, even if their portfolio held only low-risk government bonds which have also swooned as interest rates ratcheted higher. Experienced investors […]

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It’s Not Your Imagination. Scammers Now Targeting Your Cell Phone

Scammers have a favorite new way to try to steal your money. They are increasingly targeting your cell phones and reaching out via scam text messages. This year, Americans received 31 spam calls and 19 spam texts in an average month. Men are more likely than women to lose money via phone scams, according to […]

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Florida Alimony Changes Vetoed Again By Governor

Floridians on both sides of the issue have been anxiously watching alimony reform bill SB1769 that was approved by the Florida Legislature and sent to the Governor for signature. This was a key piece of legislation for Floridians, including numerous clients, who are divorced or who are contemplating divorce. The proposed reforms would have eliminated permanent […]

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Bouncing Back From Market Rebounds

It’s no surprise. When you open your monthly statements, almost all investments are down from their earlier 2022 highs. And unfortunately, no one can say when the stock and bond markets will recover. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, and a good reason to stick to your investment strategy, which is […]

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Owning Now More Expensive Than Renting, New Study Shows

Owning your own home used to be less expensive than renting, but that no longer appears to be the case, says a new study by John Burns Real Estate Consulting. “Now, owning a home costs $839 more per month than renting,” says Danielle Nguyen, senior research manager at John Burns. When the COVID pandemic started, […]

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