As many long time readers know, I have been a consistent cheerleader for the CFP® certification that I hold from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. That’s why I am delighted to announce that I am assuming a new role, “Senior CFP Board Ambassador.” Just like I do in this column, I will provide consumers with timely personal financial advice, explain how current economic and financial news impacts their lives and underscore the importance of having a financial plan.
Read MoreGet ready for the Trump administration’s next shakeup…the Federal Reserve. As Fed Chair Janet Yellen heads into her semi-annual testimony before Congress this week, she knows the score--this is probably the penultimate appearance at what is likely to be a historically short term for a Fed Chair. Yellen’s term as Chair expires in February 2018 and during the campaign, candidate Trump said that he would “most likely” replace her, because “She is not a Republican."
Read MoreNow that the Trump Administration has declared its intention to delay and potentially roll-back the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule, which would force financial professionals and their firms’ overseeing the nearly $3 trillion in retirement savings, to work in their clients’ best interest, it may be a good time to review your relationship with your current advisor, stock broker or insurance salesperson. Here is an updated list of my “Ten Questions to Ask a Financial Pro”:
Read MoreThe Department of Labor's fiduciary rule faces two hurdles: a lawsuit and now, the Trump Administration's efforts to delay or perhaps kill it off. On Friday, President Trump signed an order directing the Treasury secretary to review the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial regulatory law. You remember Dodd-Frank, the big legislation meant to reign in the excesses of Wall Street after the financial crisis, right?
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