Stimulus Check Safety
Beware of scammers trying to get you to part ways with your money By Jon Aldrich By now, many that qualified for the Coronavirus stimulus payments have probably received the funds in their bank account. However, if you have not received it, you can go to the IRS site https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus-tax-relief-and-economic-impact-payments and check on its status….
Read MoreRough Seas Likely to Continue
Things are likely to be uneasy for a while, but we probably do not have to worry about another “Great Depression”. By Jon Aldrich We just ended one of the worst quarters in history for the markets (you knew that when you looked at your most recent brokerage or 401k statements). Stock markets dropped 30%…
Read MoreSomewhat Succinct Summary of the CARES Act. Part II
Part II – Effects on Retirement Accounts and Taxes By Jon Aldrich As promised in the first installment of the Somewhat Succinct Summary of the CARES Act, here is the sequel you have all been waiting for. But first, I mentioned in my last article, the unprecedented jump in initial unemployment claims last week to…
Read MoreCould We Have Seen This Coming?
By Jon Aldrich I have been thinking about this a lot recently during these stressful times we are currently enduring. How did we not see the COVID-19 virus causing such an enormous economic and health crisis not only here in the U.S. but around the globe? Of course, we all saw back in January that…
Read MoreWe Have Been Here Before
Many of the same emotions as 9/11 and 2008 have returned By Jon Aldrich As all of us that lived through it, I remember September 11, 2001 very well. One of the things that has always stuck with me was how gorgeous a day it was across most of the country. The sky didn’t have…
Read MoreFocus’ Business Continuity Plan
What if we All Have to Stay Home for A Couple Weeks? By Jon Aldrich (View of my home office set-up) In today’s post, I am going to take a break from writing about the markets (we all know it is crappy right now, but as I have continuously mentioned, we will get through this)…
Read MoreShould we “Curb Our Enthusiasm”
By Jon Aldrich 2019 was a great year for stocks, bonds and virtually every investable asset class. This was a welcome follow up to 2018, when virtually every asset class except cash went down. The nice thing, though, is that just about everything went up much more in 2019 than they went down in 2018….
Read MoreThe SECURE Act and How it May Affect You
By Jon Aldrich It seems like every year, just days before the ball drops in Times Square, Congress passes and the President signs new legislation that affects taxpayers. This year was no different as the SECURE Act, which contains some significant changes in certain retirement accounts was passed on December 19th, and signed into law…
Read More(Un) Safe Deposit Boxes
Is That Bank Box Really Secure? By Jon Aldrich You probably consider a bank safe deposit box as a safe, secure place to store some of your precious valuables such as jewelry, watches, coins or important documents. You might want to re-evaluate that notion. Imagine walking into your local bank to access your trusty safe…
Read MoreAre You Really Going to Get $125 From the Equifax Settlement?
By Jon Aldrich You have probably heard by now either on social media, the news, or your friends that everyone is entitled to their $125 for damages from the Equifax data breach in 2017. Wow, this is great, how do I partake in this windfall? Well, not so fast. There is an inconvenient truth that…
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