2023 is off to a good start as both stocks and bonds rallied in January with the S&P 500 up about 6%.  (YCharts) This bounce was welcomed by investors as the mix of economic data suggested the Fed might be able to shift toward a less restrictive stance in the months to come.

That said, we wouldn’t be surprised to see market volatility ahead as we appear to be in an environment where investors are looking for Goldilocks data each month – not too strong (to cause higher inflation), not too weak (a sign of recession), but a “just-right” combination of economic growth at a reasonable pace.  This month we saw some data that gave us a glimpse of what that combination could look like:

What is business tax planning?

When starting a business, you must consider a number of tax-related issues. Although business tax planning is a complicated area, it is essential to understand three major topics: tax consequences when the business is formed, tax consequences when the business generates income or loss, and tax consequences of business distributions.

With healthcare costs continuing to rise, there are ways to help lower the cost of healthcare for yourself by becoming a wise consumer of healthcare. February is National Wise Health Care Consumer Month and a great time to empower people to make smart choices regarding their healthcare.

Looking for ways to save "I love you" on Valentine's Day? Then you may want to consider opening a spousal individual retirement account (IRA). This gift says, "Let's grow old together comfortably," and shows your partner that you care about their financial wellness. Beyond that, a spousal IRA offers the following advantages. 

The Super Bowl is more than just a game. It's an American holiday. As you prepare for this fun day, you may also want to think about how to create "big wins'' in your investment strategy. Get ready for Super Bowl Sunday by checking out these Super Bowl-inspired investment strategies.

When you own a business, you get to deduct business expenses from your business income. This general rule applies, subject to certain limitations, whether you are a sole proprietor with employees or a self-employed freelancer working in the gig economy. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) allows you to claim tax deductions for expenses that are necessary and ordinary for your business.

As 2022 comes to a close we look back on an eventful and challenging year for investors as the economy and stock market faced a number of headwinds which led to a bear market for stocks, and negative returns for fixed income. Those headwinds were led by stubbornly high inflation, a big jump in interest rates, and concerns that we are heading toward a recession. In this outlook we will

Here’s what to know and how you can help protect yourself.

Improving return by minimizing taxes

Although we are all obligated to pay our fair share of taxes, few of us would be pleased to pay taxes unnecessarily. Because taxes lower the actual return on your investments, you should be interested in legitimate ways to minimize taxes on your investment portfolio.