How the Pandemic Has Impacted the Stock Market

Expect the unexpected. It’s good advice across a wide variety of circumstances –– and it especially applies to investing. Relying on past performance or historical averages is a mistake. So is the failure to diversify. 

At some point, stock prices will fall. It’s inevitable. Some companies try to game the system by engaging in fraud. If you’re employed by one, know that you have reporting protections as an SEC whistleblower.

Although there have been warnings about global pandemics for years, few saw one happening in 2020. No one could have predicted the ways it has radically altered our lives. Nor could anyone have foretold the impact it had on investments. So how has the pandemic affected the stock market in the United States?

Plunging Markets

In February of 2020, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 was detected across the U.S. and Western Europe. Although the pandemic’s worldwide spread might have been unpredictable, the market’s response wasn’t. 

Across the globe, stock indexes plummeted as nervous investors sold across sectors. In the U.S., on Monday, February 24th, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped over 1,000 points. Its more than three percent drop was matched by the falling S&P 500 and Nasdaq indexes. Across the board, markets lost nearly one-third of their value between January and the end of March.

Rising Values

By April, many investors had abandoned the market entirely. With the benefit of hindsight, they might have held on. That’s because even as the overall economy seemed dire, the market began to improve. 

After the Federal Reserve indicated it would maintain historically low interest rates, investors sought better returns in everything from gold and bitcoin to real estate and equities.

With millions working from home for the first time, it made sense that the tech companies supporting the transition would benefit. Video conferencing company ZOOM, for example, increased in value by nearly 500%. 

Besides remote workers, millions more were forced to stay at home –– which benefited companies like Netflix, Amazon, and Apple, along with many smaller tech firms.

This largess was spread unevenly. Some businesses that closed their doors in March never reopened. Besides bars and nightclubs, restaurants, nail salons, and many other small businesses went out of business. 

Yet large chain stores like Target, Walmart, Publix, and Ralph’s remained open throughout the pandemic. This was reflected in earnings reports as they reported high profits even as fitness and department store chains filed for bankruptcy.

Similarly, workers able to work from home endured and even thrived while laid off retail and hospitality employees struggled. Those still employed or with private incomes led to an influx of new investors. After being forced on the sidelines by prices they felt were too high, they helped drive the U.S stock market to new heights.

On November 24th, the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a record high of 30,000. Besides this significant psychological milestone, the month was equally record setting. After giving up some of its gains, it closed out November up nearly 12% –– for the month, not the year. The last time it did so well was in January of 1987.

That year stands as a beacon for investors since, on October 19, 1987, U.S. markets dropped over 20%. Panicked sellers locked in their losses. Yet, if the pandemic has proved anything, it’s that timing the market is a fool’s game. Instead, experts recommend dollar-cost averaging. 

Putting a fixed amount into the same fund or stock every month regardless of daily fluctuations is a proven wealth builder. Unless you have a working crystal ball, it’s the best way to prepare for the unexpected.

4 Different Ways to Retire Comfortably in a Location You Love

Your retirement years should be as happy and fulfilling as possible. A big part of fulfilling your dreams is landing in the perfect location. The good news is that there's more than one way to cross the finish line of location perfection. 

In fact, depending on what your goals are, there could be two, three, four, or even more ways to retire comfortably exactly where you want to be. To help you plan well, here are some variables to consider.

Consider a Second Home

You might find that one location by itself isn't enough to contain the excitement of your retirement years. If that's the case for you, then a second home is the best way to go. For example, you can choose a home in a warm and sunny location to complement your other home that's closer to family. 

Since you'll likely be enjoying plenty of leisure activities while you're at your second home, you may be able to choose something smaller to save some money.

Find a Local Escape

If you like your current location, it's totally fine to simply stay in the area and make the most of your locale. By searching for new homes in your area that take advantage of great views of the local landscape, you can stay where you're comfortable while still feeling like you're on a retreat. 

This will prevent you from having to make a potentially expensive move and give you extra money to allow you to go on new adventures.

Go Maintenance-Free

Once you hit retirement age, the last thing that you want to be thinking about is maintaining a home. In addition to being time-consuming, many types of home maintenance can be downright expensive. 

That's why moving to a condominium or senior living community can make a great option. In addition to being zero maintenance, these housing options tend to offer plenty of activities that allow you to make new friends and make the most of your time.

Stay Mobile

If you have a strong sense of wanderlust, the idea of being tied to one or two fixed locations may sound like a terrible way to spend retirement. To satisfy your thirst for adventure, you can consider RV or travel-trailer living. 

This option allows you to take your home with you wherever you go so that you can explore all that this country has to offer without worrying about staying in a run-down hotel. 

Plus, once you make the initial investment in the RV or trailer, the costs of living on the road are fairly low compared to other housing options.

No matter which housing option you choose for your retirement, the most important thing that you can do is plan ahead. If you don't have enough money saved to afford one of the above options, you could find that your retirement is rather lackluster. 

With good planning, though, you can finally make your dreams come true and live in the location that brings you the most happiness.

How Technology Helps Us Monitor and Manage Our Finances

When it comes to managing your personal finances, an organization is key. Essential strategies like budgeting and investing are impossible if you can’t keep track of your money. These days, making sense of your financial portfolio is easier than ever thanks to modern technology. 

A tech-savvy individual can use apps, online spreadsheets, and the internet to take care of their money with relative ease. Here are four ways you can use technology to monitor and manage your finances.

Budgeting Apps

In order to keep your finances healthy, you need to limit your expenses in accordance with your income. The only way you can develop a sound budget is by recording exactly how much you earn, how much you want to save, and how much you’re able to spend. 

With just a pen and paper, this requires a lot of math and concentration. Budgeting apps make it simple. All you’ll have to do is enter some key figures, and the technology will produce a budget for you to follow. These applications are also great for tracking your monthly spending.

Using the Internet for Research

If you want to grow your wealth through sound investments, then you’ll have to do a fair bit of research. You should never make an investment from a place of ignorance since it’s a true understanding of a company, property, or currency that allows you to form a reliable opinion. 

Whether you want to invest in a stock or buy BTC cryptocurrency, you can use the vast resources provided by the internet to become informed. Cryptocurrency is all the rage right now, and for good reason. You stand to make a good amount of money when you invest in it properly.

Digital Spreadsheets

While handwritten charts can quickly get messy with all those cross-outs and coffee stains, digital spreadsheets stay neat, organized, and easy to read. 

They also make it simple to complete complex calculations. If you want to create organizational tools without the help of an app, a digital spreadsheet provides a great way to do it while taking advantage of modern technology. 

Spreadsheets can help you stay more organized than you could otherwise. They can help you track every expense that goes through your pocketbook. Keeping a collated spreadsheet will help you achieve your financial goals.

Online Trading

In decades past, a would-be trader had to find a broker if they wanted to invest in the stock market. Nowadays, the hottest stocks are only a few clicks away. 

With nothing but an internet connection and a bank routing number, you can create an e-trading account and start investing. Just be sure you don’t let this ease of access tempt you into making hasty purchases. 

If you want to start investing, just remember that there are risks that come with it, so be conservative, especially when just starting out.

Managing your finances is a lot easier now than it was thirty years ago. To really keep track of your money, try employing these handy technological aids. You’ll make your life easier while safeguarding your financial health.

How to Find the Best Deal on Insurance for Your Needs

No matter what type of insurance you may need, it is of course important that you get it at the best possible price. Whether it is auto, home, life, or other types of insurance, having the best coverage at the best price is a quick ticket to giving you and perhaps your family peace of mind. To make sure you get the best deal on insurance, always follow these suggestions.

Choose a Reputable Company

For whatever type of insurance you may need, always choose to work with a reputable company. When you find the insurance coverage you think maybe just what you need, never commit yourself until you have examined a company's ratings via such organizations as A.M. Best or Standard & Poor's, which will let you know if a company is financially stable. 

After all, you don't want to take out insurance coverage, only to find out later on when you need it that the company can't pay.

Always Shop Around

Rather than get fixated on doing business with one specific company, always be willing to shop around before making a final decision. Since it is very easy to get information online about various types of insurance, always get an insurance quote from several different companies before selecting what is right for you. 

In many cases, you may be able to save even more if you decide to bundle your insurance, such as purchasing home and auto insurance from the same company.

Know What You Actually Need

Once you start looking around at various types of insurance, you may start seeing various policies that sound good, but maybe more than what you actually require. 

Thus, always do your homework beforehand so that once you start examining various policies, you'll know exactly what you need. This is particularly important if you are a business owner since there are multiple types of liability insurance available.

Cheapest Isn't Always Best

Even though it will be tempting for you to grab the cheapest policy offer made to you, remember that cheapest doesn't always translate to being the best coverage. 

Therefore, rather than sign up for a cheap policy that you find out too late doesn't give you the coverage you need, be willing to spend a few dollars more for a policy that provides you with complete coverage.

By taking your time in your search for the best insurance coverage, you can get answers to your most important questions and ultimately find the best deal on a great policy.

Why You Need Legal Counsel When Filing for Bankruptcy

You’ve become tired of the constant calls from your creditors. You are receiving threatening letters daily from the companies you owe money to. Your debt situation is out of control. You have decided that bankruptcy is your best option. 

Now, you may be tempted to file bankruptcy on your own. You may believe you could save the money you would pay an attorney. You could also be making a huge mistake that could cost you far more than attorney fees in the future.

Valuable Legal Advice

Unless you are an experienced bankruptcy attorney, the process will seem complicated. Legal professionals are able to provide you with important advice and answer any questions you have about bankruptcy. 

They know how to help when you feel lost and confused. These attorneys can help you make the best decision when it comes to the method of bankruptcy you should file and more.

End Harassment

A bankruptcy lawyer, like those at McCool & McCool, knows all the ins and outs of the business. A competent lawyer will know how to have debt collectors stop calling your house and business. 

If creditors continue to call once you have filed for bankruptcy, these lawyers will tell your creditors to contact them directly. They will handle these issues so you no longer have this problem.

Professional Relationships

An attorney will have developed important relationships with clerks, judges as well as other attorneys. They may also be familiar with your creditors. 

Their significant knowledge of the court system and those who work in it will be a huge benefit for your case. These professional connections can help them know the stage of your bankruptcy and keep your case moving through the legal system.

Residual Issues

One or more of your creditors could disregard your debt discharge. They may continue to try and collect on your discharged debt. It is also possible they could continue to report late payments on your credit report. 

An attorney will know how to handle this situation. It may require them to petition the court for injunctive relief. This will stop the creditor’s behavior in this situation.

Post-Bankruptcy

Once you have successfully filed for bankruptcy, you will then need to work on repairing your credit. This is when an attorney can provide you with important suggestions when it comes to rebuilding your credit rating. 

They will know how this can be done responsibly. The goal will be to set you up for financial success. They will help you be in the best financial position going forward.

You should realize bankruptcy is something that can happen to anyone. The yearly bankruptcy filings in the calendar year 2020 totaled over 500,000. 

This is a time when an innocent mistake can cause serious problems in the future. A lawyer will know how to guide you through the entire process. Your bankruptcy will be done correctly and be a benefit to you.

Services to Cancel if You Want to Cut Back on Your Monthly Expenses

When you’re struggling to keep your expenses within your budget, the first step is usually to cut out your more frivolous purchases. All those trips to the movie theater and impulse visits to the coffee shop might have to go. 

But if you’re still falling short of your goals, it’s probably time to cancel some of your services. This can be a painful step since it requires a long-term lifestyle change. 

All the same, it’s worth doing if you really want to get your finances in order. Here are four services that you could consider giving the ax.

Cable

For decades, cable television has been a cultural behemoth and the central form of entertainment in most American homes. It seems we’ve finally reached the point where that reality is changing. 

Streaming services like Netflix and Youtube allow viewers to watch their favorite programs, movies, and videos on demand, rendering traditional television obsolete. If you’re struggling to pay your bills anyway, you should join the masses who are abandoning cable in favor of new platforms.

Internet

While cable is on its way to becoming a relic of the twentieth century, the internet is at the very center of the current zeitgeist. All the same, you could save some serious money by ending the internet service to your home. 

It will be difficult to give up the convenience and constant connectivity that the internet provides, but you might find you’re more at peace in a web-free environment.

Timeshare

Investing in a timeshare might seem like a great idea at first, but all those expenses can become too much over the course of the years. The problem is that ending your timeshare commitment is often a lot harder than you’d think. 

Once these businesses have you in their grasp, they don’t let go easily. Consider hiring an expert in timeshare contract cancellation to get you out of this predicament.

Lawncare and Landscaping

While having your lawn mowed and your yard professionally landscaped is certainly convenient, it’s far from a necessary expense. Consider mowing your own lawn. 

The exercise will be good for you, and you might even enjoy the fresh air. If you’re physically incapable, consider hiring a “neighborhood kid,” whose services will be cheaper than a professional’s.

It’s amazing how much money you can save just by canceling a few services. By ending the contracts mentioned above, you can boost your monthly savings and get your finances back on track.