About 40% of Americans have no life insurance. LIMRA, an insurance industry group analyzing insurance trends in the U.S., recently found that among men and women, ownership of life insurance policies has hit its lowest level since 2004. LIMRA’s most recent study shows 39% of men without even term life coverage, and 43% of women…

HOUSEHOLDS BUY CAUTIOUSLY Retail sales rose an underwhelming 0.2% in August, the Commerce Department noted Friday. Economists polled by Reuters had expected a 0.4% advance, which would have matched the July gain for the indicator. Analysts were left wondering if the subdued buying hinted at slower economic growth in the third quarter. INTEREST RATES WEIGH…

2014 is really not too far away. Fall is the time of year when the financially savvy start to look for ways to reduce their taxes and make year-end moves in pursuit of key financial objectives. What might the big picture hold? Absent a crystal ball, let’s turn to the September edition of the Wall…

The deadline is fast approaching. Do you own a business? Undoubtedly, you know that the employer mandate of the Affordable Care Act has been postponed for a year. But do you realize that you have to tell your employees about the new online health insurance marketplaces resulting from the ACA by October? Starting October 1,…

Robert Pagliarini was featured in a column titled “Sudden Wealth Syndrome” by the prestigious publication, Wealth Management. Here is a short excerpt from the column: Pagliarini identified some of earliest dangers windfall recipients often face which, if left unchecked, can lead to their financial and emotional demise: Many think they have more money than they…

You’ve probably heard the saying that “cash is king,” and whether you own a business or not, it is a truth that applies. Most discussions of business and personal “financial planning” involve tomorrow’s goals, but those goals may not be realized without attention to cash flow today. Management of available cash flow is a key…

BENEATH THE SURFACE, A DISQUIETING JOBS REPORT In August, the U.S. unemployment rate declined to 7.3% with the economy adding 169,000 jobs. Not bad, but details in the Labor Department’s latest report also raised caution flags: the jobless rate fell only because more people gave up the hunt for work, as the labor force participation…

Is a new home financing system ahead? In the text of a speech delivered August 6, President Obama said: “I believe that while our housing system must have a limited government role, private lending should be the backbone of the housing market.” This statement came as part of call for winding down Fannie Mae and…

Too often, employees think of  their Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) as if they were simply deposit accounts. In reality, HSAs have much greater financial potential – and it shouldn’t be ignored, especially with health care costs rising so dramatically. With an HSA, you don’t have to “use it or lose it”. An HSA lets you…

Uncommon, or uncommonly wise? Occasionally, a couple or a family will elect to put their home into a revocable living trust, a charitable remainder trust (CRT) or a qualified personal residence trust (QPRT). There are advantages and disadvantages to doing this. People make this move for a variety of reasons. They may want to save…