Retirement Income

MicroStrategy Inc. bought $101 million of Bitcoin after announcing that it would use perpetual preferred stock as well as common shares and debt to acquire more of the cryptocurrency.

Caryl Falvey shares retirement-conversation insights from MIT Agelabs and MassMutual Strategic Distributors.

Wall Street is forecasting an 8% return in 2025. That’s below the 10.4% average nominal return over the past 99 years, but it is a forecast of even higher highs. Do you believe it? Will “The Bull” keep running this new year, or is it getting tired?

Fixed income is top of mind as investors look to a new interest rate regime. Sylvia Yeh dives into the outlook for 2025.

As is our custom, we conclude the year by reflecting on the 10 most-read practice management articles over the past 12 months. Enjoy!

We’re continuing the Advisor Perspectives tradition of highlighting the most-read investing articles for 2024. Enjoy!

It’s that time of year again, when pundits are forecasting next year’s stock market performance. I believe investors are being gaslighted more than usual this year because the basic underlying assumptions are optimistic and unlikely.

Change is a catalyst that can drive innovation and help position businesses in all industries for sustained success. The adoption of wealthtech illustrates the transformative power of embracing change.

With Donald Trump’s re-election as President of the United States, debates have reignited about the potential impact on markets, trade, and the global economy. The new administration has promised deregulation, tax cuts and a focus on energy independence.

I will be looking at a few indicators in 2025 to tell me where financial markets are going. Most of them relate to the bond market, because it is both a window into the overall economy and an important component of how stocks and other risky assets are valued.

America’s national debt would have horrified Ronald Reagan.

Wall Street expects the stock market to earn a return in 2025 that is similar to the average return over the past 100 years. Do you agree?

This is the first part of a series of Bloomberg Opinion columns exploring the risks related to the US’s rapidly expanding debt and budget deficit.

Delivering the first cuts in interest rates since the early days of the pandemic was the easy part.

Private credit firms want more than corporate lending. The largest are laying the groundwork to finance everything from auto loans and residential mortgages to chip manufacturing and data centers in an effort to swell the size of the market by the trillions.

Amid Donald Trump’s chaotic, last-minute intervention into congressional negotiations about government funding, he has stumbled upon a good idea: He wants to abolish the debt ceiling.

The clean-tech venture firm founded by Bill Gates is providing a $40 million grant to carbon-capture startup Deep Sky Corp., which seeks to build large-scale facilities to clean carbon from the air.

Xi Jinping and Donald Trump's bromance could be rekindled in 2025, if both sides play their cards right.

Here are three ways to help you find balance in your business – and perhaps find opportunities for growth along the way.

We all know someone who has passed away without their affairs in order. As financial advisors, we have a responsibility to ensure that this doesn’t happen to our clients.

Double-digit increases in rates are common. I’m definitely feeling the pain, as I suspect you are. So here are a few things I do to help my clients save some money.

Joel Liu, J.D. Head of Advanced Sales MassMutual Strategic Distributors, discusses the impending wealth transfer.

For a twist on this week’s column, I will share some stress management techniques I often teach to help mitigate the overwhelming feeling of “I can’t do this all!” and to find ways to enjoy the December rush.

Financial advisors are in a prime position to help clients adopt preventive measures against tax-related identity theft. Effective protection involves a mix of robust security practices, ongoing fraud prevention education, and tools for monitoring client accounts.

Waiting until 67 or 70 may not feel like the best choice in the moment. Yet the extra income could mean more freedom from financial stress and more ability to enjoy your later years with peace of mind.

The odds are good that Santa won’t disappoint in 2024. Here’s the history of the past 99 Decembers, compared to the other months.

A resilient US economy and deepening geopolitical tensions around the world are making asset managers rethink their expectations for a weaker dollar.

As a concept, environmentally responsible investing is in its flop era. Right-wing backlash has turned “ESG” into a four-letter word in terrified corporate boardrooms.

I am (mostly) bullish on crypto and (usually) skeptical of higher taxes, especially on capital gains.

In the port city of Duluth, Minnesota, local activists and Washington-based groups are coalescing to scrutinize — and possibly stall — a $6.2 billion acquisition of a power utility led by Global Infrastructure Partners.

Quite a few observers have described the dramatic fall of the Barnier government in France not just as a political crisis but also an economic and financial crisis.

Emerging-market currencies held gains after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said policymakers could move cautiously as they lower interest rates. The South Korean won rebounded on Wednesday as President Yoon Suk Yeol rapidly reversed his martial law declaration.

By understanding annuities, debunking myths, and staying on top of tax implications, you can offer your clients the financial stability they crave. Regular reviews, proactive communication, and continuous education are the keys to success.

The decision of whether to generate lifetime income with an annuity should be made on its own merits, e.g., as part of a holistic, goals-based investing process. In those cases where annuitized income is deemed beneficial, though, this article has illustrated why the purchase of a qualified annuity from IRA assets may be more attractive than you might expect.

For couples, merging two financial lives can be tricky. Not every financial planner has the skills to effectively help you navigate that challenge. Yet the right advisor can guide you away from chronic money conflict and toward a successful partnership.

Governments can contribute to the progress of technology and the economy. The questions are how to do so, and how much to spend.

Short-term rates are going down because the Treasury is issuing related debt at lower rates. Meanwhile, long-term rates are going up because the Fed is not intervening.. The Fed is trapped in a vicious cycle. Can you see a way out?

A group of one dozen US Bitcoin exchange-traded funds is on the cusp of a record monthly net inflow, bolstered by the digital asset’s historic surge toward $100,000 on President-elect Donald Trump’s embrace of crypto.

As more women find themselves sandwiched between caring for their children and aging relatives, many struggle to balance their short-term responsibilities with their long-term financial plans.

Growth prospects for the group of companies dubbed the Magnificent 7 are still above average, but they’re no longer magnificent. Consensus Wall Street forecasts suggest that, in aggregate, the seven large-capitalization companies will perform just a whisker better than the “S&P 493” next year...

As an advisor, you must recognize that you’re not simply in the financial advice business. First and foremost, you’re in the problem-solving business.

Understanding how to help a couple explore each partner’s financial history and validate their goals and anxieties can make all the difference in helping them reach a middle ground without feeling sidelined or resentful.