Perspectives & News

IS THE FLATTENING YIELD CURVE TELLING US A RECESSION IS AROUND THE CORNER? Suddenly everyone is talking about the yield curve: Barron’s, Bloomberg, CNBC and The Wall Street Journal. Given all the attention it has gotten in recent months, most everyone seems to know that the bond market’s yield curve is dangerously close to inverting, an event that has reliably predicted U.S. recessions in the past. The recent firming of economic growth, however, is a reminder that the shrinking difference between short- and long-term Treasury yields by itself does not indicate economic weakness ahead.

Getting old is hard. Your parents’ ability to manage their own finances may decline as they age. Helping them with money matters is a sensitive issue you need to approach carefully. When you hit a certain age of your life, you may realize that one topic keeps coming up in conversations with your friends: care for aging parents. The concerns aren’t limited to health care managing money is also a big problem.

Summer is here and with it are fanciful dreams of owning a second, seasonal home. Maybe it’s a beachside bungalow or a mountain cabin or a lakefront cottage with a front porch and a sweeping view of the sunlight on the water. All of them no doubt sound enticing, but fulfilling this dream takes attention to detail and a firm vision of your long-term goals.