We have some big news! WrapManager is getting a fresh new look and a heartfelt new name – introducing Assembly Wealth.  You’ll experience the same trust and dedication you've always known with WrapManager, now with an even deeper commitment to crafting your financial future together. As we embark on this exciting new chapter, rest assured that every step forward is designed with your financial well-being and peace of mind at its core ..read more

The U.S. government hit its statutory debt limit of $31.4 trillion this January and is now unable to borrow additional money.  The U.S. government is relying on “extraordinary measures” to continue paying all its bills in the meantime, but these accounting maneuvers will only buy so much additional time before the U.S. Treasury runs out of money. 1     ..read more

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is an independent government agency that protects bank depositors against losses (up to a certain limit) if an FDIC insured bank fails. The FDIC is funded by premiums that member banks pay for deposit insurance coverage.  Since its creation in 1934 following a series of bank failures in the late 20s and early 30s, no depositor has lost a penny of insured funds at an FDIC insured bank because of a bank failure. 1 Insurance Coverage Limits  “The standard deposit insurance amount is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each owne ..read more

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, passed by Congress and signed into law by the President, contained several retirement related provisions collectively known as the “SECURE Act 2.0.”  The SECURE Act 2.0 is a follow up to the original Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act passed and signed into law in December 2019.  Here are some of the key provisions of this new law:  Raising the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Starting Age  The SECURE Act 2.0 pushes back the age at which retirees must begin taking RMDs to age 75.  This pro ..read more

Global equity and bond markets have experienced heightened volatility over the last several months as elevated inflation readings and the prospect of higher interest rates has made the investment landscape appear treacherous.    This increased volatility can certainly be unnerving for investors but it is not necessarily unexpected, especially for a mid-term election year.  Since 1980, the S&P 500 has an average intra-year decline of 14%.1 But the equity market drawdowns tend to be more severe in midterm election years, particularly in the months prior to Election Day ..read more

In 1998 the US Treasury introduced Series I Savings Bonds (“I Bonds”) which are savings bonds for individual investors with interest rates linked to inflation. With inflation rates soaring, investors may be looking for options to help protect their portfolio against the ravages of inflation. Here is a quick primer on one compelling option in the fight against inflation: I Bonds.    How do I Bonds Work?  I Bonds are bonds issued by the U.S Treasury that earn interest based on a fixed rate and a variable rate that is adjusted twice a year based on changes in the Consumer Price ..read more

Before the year ends, take some time to review your financial health. Here are 10 financial planning items to review before 2021 comes to a close.    1.  Take your Required Minimum Distribution   Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) were temporarily suspended for 2020 due to COVID-19 relief legislation but RMDs are back for 2021 and beyond.  If your 70th birthday is on or after July 1, 2019, you will have to take an RMD from your retirement account prior to December 31st once you reach age 72 in most situations.1  Note that Roth IRA ..read more

Global equity markets have experienced a pullback following heightened fears of the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). This has left some investors wondering what actions they need to take (if any) with their portfolios. History has shown that equity markets typically rebound quickly in the event of a viral epidemic driven sell-off.  The pullbacks have historically been short-lived and have typically been followed by a continued upward trend. 1 ..read more

Concerns over an inverted yield curve combined with the threat of higher tariffs around the globe have created some equity market volatility over the past few weeks.  The ups and downs of equity market volatility can certainly be unnerving for investors, but volatility in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing nor is it necessarily a signal of an upcoming recession. In fact, since 1980 the S&P 500 has suffered an average intra-year decline of 13.9% while the market has had positive returns in 29 of those 39 years.1 ..read more