Taxes are top of mind for many. See what the US presidential candidates stand on tax policy as we enter the final weeks before the election. Our Bill Cass compares their plans.
The expiration of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in 2025 could mean a tax increase for many taxpayers. But the impact varies widely based on income, location, and personal circumstances. Our Bill Cass shares the details.
Explore the significant opportunities for wealth advisors in managing 401(k) plans. Our Mike Dullaghan explains how these plans can help both advisors and clients with financial growth and retirement planning.
The TCJA is set to expire at the end of 2025, bringing unprecedented uncertainty. From potential tax rate hikes to changes in deductions, our Bill Cass highlights what you need to know to plan ahead.
Many financial planning actions are linked to age milestones. Our Bill Cass highlights what key birthdays and other dates could mean for your financial plan.
Determining the age when retirement account owners need to begin taking distributions is key for heirs to understand how to implement the 10-year rule for inherited accounts. Bill Cass explains what beneficiaries need to know.
Recent changes to the FAFSA form and process include a simpler form, fewer questions and a revised eligibility formula. Our Bill Cass highlights what you need to know to apply for federal financial aid for college.
Establishing the optimal workplace retirement plan follows a pecking order, which starts by prioritizing plan design over investments. Our Mike Dullaghan discusses the process.
College students may want to secure legal documents to ensure their parents can access important information and help them in medical emergencies. Our Bill Cass highlights the key documents students can prepare before leaving for college.
The last two years of high school can be particularly important as students approach the final college decision. Our Bill Cass highlights some action items for students and parents.
Families may want to consider a comprehensive plan for college, including actions to take during the high school years, and consider how a 529 plan can help guide savings. Our Bill Cass offers details on college planning.
As the number of Americans retiring in other countries continues to grow, our Bill Cass shares five considerations for individuals planning to retire abroad.
The US Department of Labor (DOL) offers eight tips for advisors to use to review target-date funds. Our Mike Dullaghan illustrates how to use the DOL tips in preparation for plan review season.
With a recent IRS announcement, heirs now have clarity on the 10-year rule for distributions from inherited retirement accounts. Our Bill Cass details the final regulations.
Provisions in the SECURE 2.0 Act introduced new ways this year to avoid a 10% early withdrawal penalty from retirement accounts. Our Bill Cass explains the implications for savers.
A strategic alignment within the workplace is an opportunity for financial advisors, employers and retirement savers seeking financial planning advice. See Kevin Murphy’s views on emerging trends in workplace savings.
A rising number of U.S. taxpayers are subject to an investment income surtax, introduced a decade ago in federal legislation. Here are some strategies that may help mitigate the impact of the tax.
For married couples, it is important to understand the rules for claiming Social Security survivor benefits in order to plan ahead. Our Bill Cass discusses the details.
The needs of retirement plan sponsors and savers are changing, and advisors may want to consider a value proposition for the “next normal” in the shifting retirement landscape, according to Mike Dullaghan, Retirement Strategist at Franklin Templeton.
Here are some financial planning considerations and steps newlyweds may want to take after the wedding. Our Bill Cass highlights some of the key areas.
Personalized messaging has a powerful impact. Our Kevin Murphy believes it is time for the financial services industry to deliver personalized solutions and advice.
Our recent 529 Month webinar focused on how 529 plans are used, the impact on federal financial aid, and expanded uses. Here are some of the leading topics discussed.
Franklin Templeton Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai discusses why rising investment and persistently loose US fiscal policy are simultaneously pushing in the direction of higher long-term real interest rates.
Several factors account for the apparent disconnect between headline US economic data and what polls suggest many Americans feel. Find out more from Franklin Templeton Institute’s Stephen Dover.
A grandparent may choose to fund a 529 plan for a grandchild’s education. Our Bill Cass discusses key tax and estate planning considerations as well as the impact on student financial aid.
Despite the US Federal Reserve’s cautious stance on interest rates and the shifting dynamics of the equity and fixed income markets, Franklin Income Investors CIO Ed Perks believes conditions are favorable for investing in these asset classes.
Will the good times continue for the UK equity market in light of an upcoming election? Marcus Weyerer opines.
For families saving for college, 529 plans remain popular. Our Bill Cass shares some key facts about 529 plans.
Franklin Templeton Institute’s Tony Davidow discusses democratization of alternative investments and the lessons learned from institutions that have historically used alternatives with Matt Brown, Founder and CEO of CAIS.
Although there were no huge surprises coming out of the recent Fed meeting, it may have provided hints on what the FOMC is thinking about future monetary policy changes. Franklin Templeton Institute analyzes the Fed’s statement and press conference.
With continued economic growth and elevated inflation levels, the Fed keeps delaying interest-rate cuts. The Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions team provides a historical analysis to make sense of the Fed rate cycle and what it implies for multi-asset investors.
Understanding the broader tax benefits, 529 plans may be a more tax-efficient way to save for college than custodial accounts. Our Wealth Planning Director Bill Cass highlights several reasons to consider this strategy.
How and why more advisors are tapping into alternatives—Tony Davidow, Senior Alternatives Investment Strategist at Franklin Templeton Institute, shares insights from a recent gathering.
Educating workers about workplace benefits is vital to employee retention, according to findings from Franklin Templeton’s 2024 “Voice of the American Workplace” survey. Our Jacque Reardon shares findings from the survey related to what employees want—and how employers can meet these needs to benefit both parties.
So far this year, the US equity market has shown remarkable resilience and US inflation has remained sticky. Against this backdrop, a recent survey of our chief investment officers offers analyses and perspectives on key areas, such as Federal Reserve rate cut expectations, geopolitical risks, uncertain corporate earnings and opportunities in different asset classes.
A look at private credit, and why increased activity in the broadly syndicated loans space is not necessarily a bad thing for direct lending, and vice versa.
March U.S. consumer prices rose faster than expected. The reacceleration in supercore inflation suggests the strong inflation readings at the start of the year may not have been mere blips.
In the latest edition of “Alternative Allocations,” Patrick McGowan of Sanctuary Wealth Management joins Franklin Templeton’s Tony Davidow to discuss advisor adoption, structural tradeoffs, due diligence and the increasing demand for alternatives.
After many years of low and negative interest rates, the Bank of Japan has changed course, creating opportunities for Japanese investors and implications for global markets. Templeton Global Investments outlines the positives and the risks.
The upcoming US presidential elections transcend mere political rivalry. Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Institute, examines the policy differences between the major parties and their potential implications on capital markets in the years to come. He also discusses whether elections and their outcomes have significantly affected equity markets or if other factors made more of an impact.
Franklin Templeton Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai believes that the Fed's March policy meeting was not as dovish as some commentators and market participants have claimed, and that the Fed is still pragmatic and cautious about inflation and rate cuts.
Thoughts on the US monetary policy path ahead from Franklin Templeton Institute’s Stephen Dover and Rick Polsinello.
In recent years, private equity fundraising surged, yet exits slowed drastically in 2022, prompting institutional investors to rebalance portfolios through increased secondaries activity. Franklin Templeton Institute’s Senior Strategist Tony Davidow explains.
With a laser focus on the future, David Mann, our Head of Global Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) Product and Capital Markets, shares his 2024 outlook for the ETF industry and the key trends he sees taking shape.
While interest rates were left unchanged at the January Fed meeting as expected, there were some interesting hints about future monetary policy. Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute, opines.
Political risk is global in 2024: Franklin Templeton Institute’s Kim Catechis highlights key elections to watch across the world in the coming year.
US gross domestic product surprised to the upside in the fourth quarter of 2023, primarily led by US consumers and the government. Franklin Fixed Income Economist Nikhil Mohan sees the growth mix remaining largely the same in 2024.
A year of significant monetary policy tightening is coming to a close, making Franklin Templeton Fixed Income optimistic about muni bonds in the year ahead. Get the team’s 2024 muni-bond outlook.
If 2023 was the year of the “Magnificent Seven,” 2024 may be a year where small-, mid- and large-cap companies will take the spotlight, according to Franklin Equity Group.
What were the big ETF trends of 2023? David Mann, Global Head of ETF Product & Capital Markets, reviews some of his predictions for this year—and how they panned out.
