Posts by Craig Brown
Life Insurance at Various Life Stages
Your need for life insurance changes as your life changes. When you’re young, you typically have less need for life insurance, but that changes as you take on more responsibility and your family grows. Then, as your responsibilities once again begin to diminish, your need for life insurance may decrease. Let’s look at how your…
Read MoreHave Stay-At-Home Growth Stocks Peaked?
Over the past couple of weeks, we have thankfully witnessed new cases of COVID-19 in the US trending lower. Increasingly, we are also seeing governors implementing plans to re-open their state economies in phases. If the US economy continues to open up and economic growth starts to rebound, relative performance of stay-at-home growth stocks may…
Read MoreWhen Will The Recession Officially Start?
With 22 million jobs lost in the past four weeks, a record drop in retail sales, and huge drops in industrial production and housing starts, it is safe to say we are likely in a recession. Even the Federal Reserve (Fed) in the recent Beige Book said that “economic activity contracted sharply and abruptly.” We…
Read MorePutting Things in Perspective
The economic data keeps getting worse, yet stocks have been in the midst of one of the greatest multi-week rallies ever. As the LPL Chart of the Day shows, the S&P 500 Index gained 27.2% in the 15 days after the March 23 lows, the greatest three-week rally since 1933. Take note, this rally took place…
Read MoreBig Annual Declines Are Rare
Stocks have rallied nicely off the March 23 lows on the back of a bold policy response from the Federal Reserve (Fed) and lawmakers in Washington, DC, which was followed by signs that a peak in growth of COVID-19 cases may come soon. At Wednesday’s close, the S&P 500 Index stood 19% above the March…
Read MoreIs a Depression Coming?
“Could there be another depression” is one of the top questions we’ve received over the past week. “Yes, we are in a recession and many are worried if things may get much worse before they get better,” explained LPL Financial Senior Market Strategist Ryan Detrick. “But we continue to think the double-barrel of support from…
Read MoreTimes to call your financial advisor
Most of us go to see professionals when we’re in trouble or during times of crisis. Think about it. We go to the doctor when we’re sick. We go see a lawyer when we have a pending legal matter. We go see a counselor when we’re feeling depressed. As a financial advisor, unfortunately, I often…
Read MoreRetirement Plans and Estate Planning
When you die, what will happen to your retirement plan benefits? In general, your retirement plan benefits pass to the beneficiaries you designate on the plan beneficiary designation form. Your benefits will generally be subject to estate tax at your death and to income tax when benefits are distributed from the plan to your beneficiaries.…
Read MoreUnderstanding Your Health Insurance Policy
There’s no doubt about it–health insurance can seem complicated. A typical policy is filled with the kind of technical jargon that sends many of us into cold sweats. Fortunately, understanding the basics of your policy isn’t as difficult as you might think. Take the bull by the horns Before you can begin to understand your…
Read MoreWhat Is in the $2 Trillion Relief Package?
The United States has more cases of the coronavirus than any other country, and in an attempt to stop the spread of this disease, states have closed schools and businesses throughout the country. These unprecedented shutdowns have pushed many people out of work, hurt businesses, and brought much of the economy to a screeching halt.…
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