Broker Check

781-437-4800

Blog

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

As investors we fight against behavioral biases in every investment decision we make. Our Director of Research Marc Zabicki talked recently about some of these biases in this video. We become attached to our ideas and when we think...

 

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

At some point in a child's development, all parents wonder: how can I best teach my child the value of money? Parents who grew up in more modest circumstances than their own children can struggle to balance the desire to provide their...

 

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

As college costs keep rising, parents are looking for ways to provide funding for their child’s education and determine what institution will prevent them from taking on substantial debt. One college funding source is utilizing...

 

Thursday, June 10, 2021

Taking money out of retirement without a plan is a recipe for trouble You‘ve saved for years. Now that you are retired, did you create an income plan from your savings? The financial industry and media constantly talk about the...

 

Wednesday, June 9, 2021

While many of the taxable markets have generated negative returns this year, both the high quality and high yield municipal markets have generated positive returns (no guarantees that will continue, of course). State and local...

 

Show All

Thursday, June 3, 2021

As we move into June, a path to normalcy is coming quickly with stadiums allowing full capacity, restaurants filling up, and summer vacations in full swing. Meanwhile, the U.S. economy continues to recover remarkably quickly and the...

 

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Index Performance View enlarged chart. U.S. and international equities The month of May proved to be mixed for the U.S. major market indexes. Last month’s top performer, the Nasdaq composite, was May’s laggard....

 

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Mortgage rates are still around all-time lows but they may be headed higher. The 30-year national average mortgage rate hit an all-time low of 2.82% back in February, but with the U.S. economic recovery in full swing, mortgage rates...

 

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

A 529 plan is a state-sponsored tax-advantaged plan designed for saving for future education expenses authorized by Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code. If used for education, the assets grow tax-free. According to the College...

 

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Spring is the season when high school seniors and their families find out if their awards package at their chosen college or university is enough-or not. A happy time can become stressful when financial aid and award letters arrive...

 

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

After the April consumer price index (CPI) release that surprised to the upside, indicating consumer prices in some areas of the economy are increasing at a faster pace than many expected, the discussion has shifted to the need for the...

 

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Retiring from the military is a profound accomplishment. For many, this retirement will provide you with positive things, including the time and geographic stability you need to start a new career or simply enjoy leisure activities...

 

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Inflation is one of the primary risks to bondholders. Rising consumer prices erodes the “real” value of principal and interest payments making them worth less. However, the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) reaction to...

 

Monday, May 10, 2021

As the calendar has turned to May, the popular “Sell in May and Go Away” stock market cliché is getting a lot of airtime. This is the idea that the stock market tends to be weakest between May and October (and...

 

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Index Performance View enlarged chart. U.S. and International Equities This month provided another set of positive results for the U.S. major market indexes. The top performer was the Nasdaq, rebounding from last month’s lagging...

 

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

With businesses around the country reducing their in-office staff to essential personnel only—in some cases, literally overnight—many remote workers found themselves setting up a full home office on short to no notice. But...

 

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

President Biden’s recently proposed $2 trillion infrastructure investment plan would, if enacted as-is—a big “if” for sure— provide much needed support to traditional infrastructure projects like roads and...

 

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Linda and Peter are worried about their financial future. "We want our one-year-old son, Raymond, to go to college, but we're concerned that in 17 years, the cost might be more than we can afford," says Peter. "We also need to save for...

 

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

“Price is what you pay; value is what you get.” – Legendary value investor Ben Graham. Valuations matter—at least in the long run. We believe it to be true in the equity markets and in the fixed income markets...

 

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Growth and inflation expectations are widely known fundamental variables used in determining fair value for fixed income securities, but are there seasonal patterns that exist in the bond market that can help investors determine when...

 

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

You may have a very idealistic vision of retirement — doing all of the things that you never seem to have time to do now. But how do you pursue that vision? Social Security may be around when you retire, but the benefit that you...

 

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

If you've been diligently saving for your retirement, you may often find yourself wondering when you can afford to set an official retirement date. The answer to this question can often depend on how much monthly or annual income your...

 

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Coming into this year, we expected longer-maturity U.S. Treasury yields to rise, consistent with improving economic growth dynamics. That is indeed what we have seen, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury higher by 80 basis points (0...

 

Thursday, April 1, 2021

“The real key to making money in stocks is not to get scared out of them.” Peter LynchThey say April showers bring May flowers. Well, after a lot of showers and storms over the past year, flowers are starting to bloom and things are...

 

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Inflation is coming and, according to certain market-based inflation metrics, markets are expecting sustained inflation rates not seen since the late 2000s, although likely still at manageable levels. Inflation, which captures price...

 

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

It has now been a little over a year since the first COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns were implemented in the United States, with California having implemented the first stay-at-home order on March 19, 2020. LPL Research can now use...

 

Monday, March 22, 2021

In recent years, the cost of higher education has risen well ahead of inflation. At some private colleges and universities, the net cost for one year’s full-time education, including tuition, fees, and room and board, tops $40...

 

Tuesday, March 16, 2021

There are a lot of options to consider, depending on your business model You’re an entrepreneur and you’re not looking back. You’ve opened your own business, whether alone or with partners, and you’ve achieved...

 

Tuesday, March 16, 2021

4 Things That Really Matter For Stocks in 2021 This week on the LPL Market Signals podcast, Chief Market Strategist Ryan Detrick and Equity Strategist Jeff Buchbinder discuss four things that matter the most for stocks in 2021. Daily...

 

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Today is the one-year anniversary of the low in the 10-year Treasury yield. While we’ve discussed the sharp rise in U.S. Treasury yields that have occurred this year, rising rates have been a global phenomenon. Similar to the...

 

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

For investors approaching retirement, it is important to begin thinking about retirement income planning. This involves a mindset shift from accumulating an investment portfolio designed for growth to creating a portfolio of retirement...

 

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Coming into 2021, one of our higher-conviction ideas was that we would see rising long-term interest rates in the United States; it’s one of the reasons we recommended suitable investors consider an underweight to interest rate...

 

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Lifetime income (LTI) strategies, such as target income payout funds or annuities within company-sponsored retirement plans, are designed to help investors plan for and manage their accumulated wealth after retirement. However, these...

 

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Treasury yields started moving sharply higher this past month (remember that as yields go up, prices go down). And while the upward march began in earnest last August when the 10-Year Treasury yield bottomed at an all-time low rate of...

 

Thursday, February 18, 2021

529 plans can be a great way to save for college, but they're not the only way. When you're investing for a major goal like education, it makes sense to be familiar with all of your options. Mutual funds Mutual funds are an option to...

 

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

“There are three kinds of lies: lies, darn lies, and statistics.” Mark Twain As Mark Twain famously said many years ago, statistics can be twisted and turned however you’d like, telling whatever story you want to tell...

 

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

The 10-year breakeven inflation rate, a market-based measure of inflation expectations, hit its highest level last Friday, February 5, since 2014. Still, at 2.21% expected annual inflation over the next 10 years, it remains a...

 

Monday, February 8, 2021

The beginning of the year is often a busy time for retirement plan sponsors, especially in smaller organizations where the company’s retirement plan committee members are tasked with sales and operational matters which may seem...

 

Thursday, February 4, 2021

“In the short-term, the market is a popularity contest. In the long-term, the market is a weighing machine.” Warren Buffett 2021 is under way, as our nation and the rest of the world look to begin to put the global pandemic...

 

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Stocks got off to a nice start in 2021, until the late January selloff, as everyone got GameStop fever. Should bulls worry about what a down January might mean for the rest of 2021? There’s an old adage on Wall Street that...

 

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

In LPL Research Outlook 2021: Powering Forward, we noted that large interest rate declines historically have been followed by reversals. With the 10-year Treasury yield continuing to climb, now’s a good time for an update. As...

 

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Retirement planning is a complex process requiring as much support and time as possible to reach the desired end. Retirement planning at all ages is important – the more time put into the process, the less investment is necessary...

 

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Investment-grade credit spreads, the extra yield you get from investment-grade corporate bonds compared to similarly dated US Treasuries, have already tightened to a level you usually only see during the middle of the economic...

 

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Even with all of your savvy college shopping and research about financial aid, college costs may still be prohibitive. At these prices, you expect you'll need to make substantial financial sacrifices to send your child to college. Or...

 

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Treasury yields hit two key levels the first week of 2021. As shown in the LPL Chart of the Day, the 10-year Treasury yield moved above 1% for the first time since March 2020, and the 10-year breakeven inflation rate, a measure of...

 

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

New Year's is traditionally the time to review your life and make resolutions for change. In addition to thinking about working out, eating healthy, and meeting personal and professional goals, you should also think about your finances...

 

Thursday, January 7, 2021

Happy New Year! A new year offers a welcomed turn of the calendar and a fresh start. However, it’s difficult to put 2020 completely behind us just yet because the COVID-19 pandemic still presents a significant threat. Healthcare...

 

Tuesday, January 5, 2021

US investment-grade bonds had a solid 2020 despite a tumultuous year overall. The broad Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index had a total return of 7.5%—not as strong as 2019’s 8.7% but its fifth-best year in the last...

 

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

2020 was an extraordinary year for the Federal Reserve (Fed). The Fed responded swiftly and decisively to the rapidly accelerating financial and economic uncertainty brought on by efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The current...

 

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

As days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months, it may feel like there is little time to catch up on all of your financial responsibilities. Sometimes it may be easier to simply toss ATM receipts, credit card bills, and bank...

 

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Brexit, the United Kingdom’s (UK) withdrawal from the European Union (EU), is making news again as it stumbles toward its apparent conclusion on December 31, 2020. The major sticking point now: fish. The UK officially left the EU...

 

Friday, December 18, 2020

Last year, the average American spent nearly $1,000 per person on holiday gifts, up from about $885 per person in 2018.1 Though the COVID-19 pandemic continues to weigh on the retail sector (and many Americans' bank accounts), some...

 

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Back in July, we wrote in our July 23 LPL Research blog that dollar weakness may continue, highlighting a short-term bearish technical case for the US dollar. Since then, the Bloomberg US Dollar Index and the US Dollar Index (DXY) are...

 

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Linda and Peter are worried about their financial future. "We want our one-year-old son, Raymond, to go to college, but we're concerned that in 17 years, the cost might be more than we can afford," says Peter. "We also need to save for...

 

Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Want to be your own boss? Ready to turn your hobby into a career? Got a great idea and thinking about launching a business? If you've answered yes to any of these questions, you are ready to become an entrepreneur. This can be an...

 

Tuesday, December 8, 2020

2020 has been a tumultuous year, and as we near its close, we are pleased to present Outlook 2021: Powering Forward, which outlines our views on markets, the economy, and policy into 2021 and beyond. Policy changes should be relatively...

 

Tuesday, December 8, 2020

2020 has been a tumultuous year, and as we near its close, we are pleased to present Outlook 2021: Powering Forward, which outlines our views on markets, the economy, and policy into 2021 and beyond. Click Here to Download the PDF

 

Thursday, December 3, 2020

Dear Valued Investor: As 2020 comes to a close, we are already looking forward to a new year—and to a world very different from the one we’re leaving behind. Areas of the economy have been damaged and may never fully...

 

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Not surprisingly, corporate credit spreads widened dramatically back in March 2020, making corporate bonds cheap relative to historical averages. (Credit spreads are the extra yield corporate bonds offer versus similarly dated...

 

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

It may be a year or more before the end of the recession is officially called, but gauging from the growth we’ve seen since April, it may already be over. If that’s true, it’s a good time to take a look at what US...

 

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Thanksgiving is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in both the U.S. and Canada with the purpose of celebrating the blessings of the past year. It is known as one of the busiest travel holidays of the year and in the U.S is most...

 

Thursday, November 19, 2020

With COVID rocking the employment landscape for job-seekers, some women have taken this opportunity to reinvent themselves and take charge of their own financial futures by launching a business. Entrepreneurship is one of the most...

 

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Fixed income investors aren’t used to having to deal with the volatility of stocks, but in the year that is 2020, that is exactly what has happened thus far. Unfortunately, while we don’t see the volatility of Q1 2020...

 

Thursday, November 12, 2020

By the last third of the calendar year, you're likely to have a pretty good idea of what your annual income will be and whether any major expenses or big life changes await you. This can allow you to engage in more robust tax planning,...

 

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

November 9, 2020 Dear Valued Investor: Former Vice President Joe Biden has been elected the 46th President of the United States, defeating President Donald Trump in a tight race and bringing an end to the highly contested 2020 election...

 

Friday, November 6, 2020

When one door closes, another opens—and entrepreneurs who keep this mantra in mind are more likely to remain on top once the world has moved beyond the novel COVID-19 pandemic. What can business owners and other entrepreneurs do...

 

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

November 4, 2020 Dear Valued Investor: The American people have voted, casting a record number of ballots under extraordinary circumstances, which is a testament to the enduring resilience of our democracy. Determining the outcome of...

 

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Halloween is full of fun, scares, and a little bit of mystery. But what few people may realize is that the holiday that is now represented by candy, costumes, and the occasional mischief, has evolved drastically over time with multiple...

 

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Market Blog With the election only eight days away and earnings season in full swing, stocks have bucked the usual October weakness during election years so far in 2020 (Monday’s losses notwithstanding). The good news is this...

 

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

The 10-year US Treasury yield, at 0.77% as of October 19, is still near historical lows set earlier this year. Historically, 10-year Treasury performance for the next 10 years has tended to track the Treasury yield at the start of the...

 

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

The 10-year Treasury yield has stayed in a narrow range since April 2020, helped by a supportive Federal Reserve and ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. As shown in LPL’s Chart of the Day, the 10-year Treasury yield...