Traditions
Wealth Insights

Will you pay income tax on Social Security in retirement? For now, the answer in many cases is yes. This could change in the coming years as lawmakers debate changes to Social Security, including a proposal to eliminate the federal income tax on Social Security completely. While retirees might welcome this change, the idea faces political headwinds. For now, about 2 out of every 5 Social Security recipients will pay federal income taxes on their benefits, usually because they

It’s no secret that economic outlooks have shifted in the previous month as policy change generates extreme uncertainty in the United States and abroad. Optimism and all-time stock market highs in February have now finally shifted to bearish sentiment and more reasonably-priced equities. Uncertainty has more to do with this rapid change than any sign of fundamental weakness in the economy. American exceptionalism may have taken a hit over the last month in financial markets,

Because I'm in the financial industry, my friends often come to me with questions about money, especially when something changes in their life-like when a girlfriend got a new job and had questions about her 401(k) or a baseball mom friend got an inheritance. Their financial situation had changed, and they weren't sure what to do. My sister is a perfect example. She always let her husband handle the practical things, like decisions around money. When he died suddenly at the a

Employees are reaching retirement age with little preparation of what's to come. According to fintech provider IRALOGIX Retirement Readiness Index, the national retirement readiness score is 45.8 out of 100. The index measured retirement preparedness across five key areas, including savings and investments, healthcare readiness, lifestyle and spending, emotional well-being and economic and policy confidence. Scores under 50 point to a "moderate risk" zone, according to their

President Trump has been insistent that reciprocal tariffs are on the way, but their reported scope and scale changes every week. Dramatic rhetoric and calls for extreme taxes on various imports have been swallowed hook, line, and sinker by investors. When the implications of a potential trade war with the EU became clear in early March, stock markets entered what Wall Street calls a “correction” (the S&P 500 had fallen over 10% by that point) by March 13th . That knee-jerk r

March Madness is not just about basketball, as you are finishing your taxes, why not re-evaluate your retirement plan. How much do you need to save for retirement? It's one of the most common questions people have. And no wonder. There are so many imponderables: When will you retire? How much will you spend in retirement? And for how long? Our savings factors are based on the assumption that a person saves 15% of their income annually beginning at age 25 (which includes any e

It has been a back-and-forth February for financial markets. First, it is important to note that equities volatility has historically been higher in the year following an election in which the incumbent party loses. A change in administration naturally creates uncertainty for investors and can muddy up the macroeconomic models that economists use to anticipate growth or inflation metrics. That said, the headwinds financial markets have faced this month are not solely related

As each new January arrives, there is always a level of uncertainty that comes with it as we consider the passing of another year. At Traditions Wealth Advisors, we alleviate that uncertainty as best we can by keeping you informed and up-to-date on the macroeconomic forces at work in this world and the effect they may have on your investments. With a little bit of assistance from 2024, 2025 started off on a relatively good note for the United States economy. The inflation and