Best Value Stocks to Buy Now in April
Zacks Investment Research highlighted a value‑focused stock screen as the market rallied on early Q1 earnings from JPMorgan and other banks. The screen isolates Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or #2 (Buy) equities that trade below industry median P/E and P/S ratios while showing earnings growth above peers. Atlanticus Holdings (ATLC), a fintech lender to sub‑prime consumers, exemplifies the approach, having jumped 160% over two years and trading at a 55% discount to sector peers. Zacks projects strong revenue and earnings expansion for ATLC, suggesting further upside.
Augusta Precious Metals Review: What to Know in 2026
Augusta Precious Metals, operating since 2012, specializes in gold and silver self‑directed IRAs for retirement savings. The firm requires a $50,000 minimum investment and offers more than 40 IRS‑approved bullion products, though live pricing is only available by phone. It...
5 Little-Known Rules That Can Increase Your Social Security Payments
The article outlines five lesser‑known Social Security rules that can materially boost retirement income. It explains that the earnings test disappears at full retirement age, allowing previously reduced benefits to be restored. It also highlights the ability to pause benefits...
‘Own the Haystack, Not the Needle.’ Jack Bogle’s Investing Rules Everyone Over 50 Should Follow
Jack Bogle’s investing philosophy urges investors over 50 to favor broad market exposure over individual stock picking. By using low‑cost index funds that track the S&P 500, retirees can capture the index’s roughly 10 % historical return while minimizing fees. Bogle also...
Tax Loss Harvesting in Volatile Equity Markets: Q1 2026
Parametric’s direct‑indexing platform harvested over $3.9 billion in losses in Q1 2026, delivering an estimated $1.5 billion tax benefit to Custom Core investors. The S&P 500 fell 4.33 % for the quarter, with Information Technology down 9.13 % and Energy soaring 38 % after the U.S. offensive...
Wyden Introduces Bills to Close Tax Shelters
Senate Finance Committee ranking member Ron Wyden introduced two bills targeting tax shelters used by the ultra‑wealthy. The Getting Rid of Abusive Trusts Act would tighten grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs) by imposing a 15‑year minimum term and treating transfers...
PTY: Time To Rotate Into PDI And PDX As Macro Realities Shift
Morningstar analyst Dmytro Lebid downgraded PIMCO Corporate & Income Opportunity Fund (PTY) from Buy to Hold, citing persistent under‑performance and heightened macro‑economic risks. The fund’s dividend coverage has slipped to 85% over 12 months and 67% over three months, suggesting...
Estate Planning Quiz: Are You Making These 10 Common Errors?
The article presents a ten‑question quiz that reveals the most frequent estate‑planning mistakes many Americans make. It highlights errors such as waiting for a medical emergency to draft a will, storing the original in a safety‑deposit box, and neglecting a...
How a Quality Screen Helped This International Equities ETF Beat the Average
The American Century Quality Diversified International ETF (QINT) leverages a quality‑focused screen to target mid‑cap global stocks with solid fundamentals, delivering a 41.4% total return over the past twelve months. Its 34‑basis‑point expense ratio and emphasis on less volatile firms...
What Happens to Your Social Security If Your Spouse Dies?
Losing a spouse can dramatically reshape a retiree’s income, but Social Security offers survivor benefits that can cushion the loss. A surviving spouse may begin receiving reduced benefits at age 60, with full benefits—up to 100% of the deceased partner’s...
How to Build a Portfolio when Bonds Fail to Buffer Stocks
The long‑standing hedge of bonds against equities is losing its effectiveness as rising interest rates and flattening yield curves push bond returns lower and push equity‑bond correlation to historic highs. Investors are seeing bonds provide little downside protection for stock...
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What Is the Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax (GSTT) and Who Pays?
The generation‑skipping transfer tax (GSTT) is a federal levy that applies when property is gifted or bequeathed to a beneficiary at least 37½ years younger than the donor, typically a grandchild. Introduced in 1976, the GSTT closes a loophole that...
13 Investment Must Reads For This Week (April 14, 2026)
Buffer ETFs have crossed $87 billion in assets under management, with 26 new products debuting in the past three months, reflecting aggressive product diversification. Meanwhile, U.S. mutual funds posted a negative 2.8% total return in Q1, driven by a 5.6% March...
Where to Find Long-Term Investment Opportunities in Energy
Stacey Morris of VettaFi argues that long‑term energy investing should focus on infrastructure and baseload power rather than short‑term oil price swings. Midstream ETFs such as AMLP and ENFR provide fee‑based exposure to North American LNG, propane and butane exports...
Currency: The Hidden Alpha in International ETFs
International equity ETFs have finally eclipsed U.S. funds in net inflows, a shift not seen since early 2023, driven by stronger earnings abroad and a weakening dollar. The MSCI EAFE index delivered a 24% local‑currency gain in 2025, which swelled...
176-Year-Old Bank Stock Pays Warren Buffett $576M in Annual Dividends
Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway owns 151.6 million American Express shares, a 22.1% stake that generates about $576 million in annual dividend income. The credit‑card giant’s dividend per share rose to $3.80, a 16% increase year‑over‑year, while its payout ratio sits at roughly...
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Nontaxable Dividends: What It Means, How It Works
Nontaxable dividends are payouts from mutual funds or regulated investment companies that invest in tax‑exempt securities, most commonly municipal bonds. Because the underlying interest is federally tax‑free—and often state‑free for residents—it passes through to shareholders as exempt‑interest dividends. Investors receive...
A Silent Tax Threat May Be Lurking in Your Portfolio
Investors often overlook asset location—the practice of placing investments in the most tax‑efficient account type. A Motley Fool Money discussion highlighted that holding tax‑inefficient assets like bond funds in taxable brokerage accounts can erode returns, while Roth and traditional retirement...
What Tax-Time Mistakes Reveal About Hidden Planning Gaps for High-Net-Worth Investors
Tax season exposes coordination gaps among high‑net‑worth investors, where fragmented advice leads to last‑minute decisions on retirement contributions, crypto gains, and charitable gifts. The root cause is siloed professionals—tax advisors, estate attorneys, and financial planners—who lack shared visibility into each...
UHNW Families Rebalancing Portfolios Amid Iran Fallout, Spelling Opportunity for Advisors
Ultra‑high‑net‑worth families are shifting 15‑20% of their holdings as the Iran conflict disrupts oil markets and fuels inflation and currency volatility. deVere Group reports a surge in its Family Office division, with clients rebalancing assets, jurisdictions, and governance structures. The...
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FINANCIAL WELLNESS COACH: How to Prepare Your Investment Portfolio for Retirement Income
Kenny Meiring advises anyone three years from retirement to evaluate whether a living annuity or a life annuity best fits their income needs. A life annuity typically offers about a third more monthly income for a 65‑year‑old but locks in...
Ask a Chief Product Officer: What's Driving Annuity Innovation Today
Retail annuity sales in the United States topped $460 billion in 2025, marking the fourth consecutive record year, as market volatility, longer lifespans, and the erosion of traditional pensions fuel demand for guaranteed income. Providers are responding with hybrid products that...
Tech Provider Targets Growing Crypto Demand Among Advisors, Clients
Broadridge Financial Solutions has launched a digital‑asset platform for Canadian wealth‑management firms, allowing them to integrate cryptocurrencies and tokenized assets alongside traditional investments. The solution consolidates trading, custody, servicing, communications and compliance into a single infrastructure, supporting both advisor‑led and...
3 Technology Mutual Funds to Buy as the Sector Rebounds After a Slow Start
The technology sector, hampered by rising bond yields, interest‑rate uncertainty, and geopolitical tensions, posted weak returns early in 2026, dragging down tech‑focused ETFs such as XLK. Recent earnings clarity, more attractive valuations, and expectations of stabilising rates have sparked a...
3 Portfolio Fixes to Make Now for 100-Year-Plus Lifespans
Medical breakthroughs and AI‑driven therapies are extending average lifespans toward 100 years or more, forcing wealth managers to rethink traditional retirement planning that assumes a 90‑year horizon. Toews Asset Management’s Eben Burr argues that longer health spans demand higher, more...
UK Chancellor to Review Double Taxation Rules in Bid to Attract Expats
UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a review of the UK‑US double taxation rules that currently force American earners to pay tax in both countries after moving to Britain. The move follows the 2025 abolition of the non‑dom regime, which left...
Morningstar: 60/40 Model Beats Diversified Portfolios Over the Long Term
Morningstar’s 2026 Diversification Landscape report finds that while diversified portfolios outperformed the traditional 60/40 mix in 2025, the classic allocation delivered higher risk‑adjusted returns over 10‑ and 20‑year horizons. The test diversified portfolio, which added international stocks, multiple bond segments...
Firms Deliver Consistent Retirement Advice without Formal CRP, Research Finds
A recent NextWealth study, sponsored by Brooks Macdonald, found that while only 56% of advisory firms have a formal Centralised Retirement Proposition (CRP), a majority already employ its core elements. Over 80% assess retirement risk consistently, 79% maintain a regular review...
Grab These 3 Energy Mutual Funds for Marvelous Returns
Oil mutual funds are gaining attention as global energy demand rebounds and oil prices stay resilient despite volatility. Geopolitical tensions, OPEC+ production cuts, and under‑investment in new projects have created a supply‑demand imbalance that benefits the sector. Zacks highlights three...
Charlotte Davey: Planning in the Age of the ‘Great Wealth Transfer’
The UK‑centric "great wealth transfer" will move roughly £5.5 trn (about $7 trn) of assets between generations by 2050. Younger investors are already active – over 90% use paid advice and nearly half of Gen Z and Millennials invested in the past year....
Tax Write-Offs that Canadians Often Get Wrong
Canadians frequently claim expenses that the Canada Revenue Agency does not allow. The article debunks several myths, noting that safety‑deposit‑box fees were eliminated in 2013, RESP contributions are not deductible, mortgage interest only qualifies when the loan funds an investment...
Strategies to Climb the Property Ladder
Australian first‑home buyers face record‑high deposit ratios, prompting a multi‑pronged approach that leverages superannuation benefits. The government’s co‑contribution adds about $330 USD per year for low‑income earners, while the First Home Super Saver Scheme allows up to $9,900 USD in annual contributions...
Nine in Ten Older US Workers Say Inflation Is Reshaping Their Retirement Plans
A LiveCareer survey of 878 U.S. workers aged 50 and older found that 91% say inflation or tariff concerns have reshaped their retirement outlook. Three‑quarters are postponing retirement, while 61% are regularly tapping retirement accounts to meet current expenses. Healthcare...
Citi Arms Wealth Advisors With 4 AI Tools to Cut Busywork
Citi has introduced four AI-powered tools across its wealth division to streamline data handling and advisory workflow. Portfolio Intelligence, a client‑facing platform, aggregates positions, performance metrics and market insights and is live for North American private‑bank clients, with a global...
3 Things Crypto Investors Can Do Now to Make 2027 Tax Reporting Easier
Approximately 70 million Americans now hold cryptocurrency, yet only half understand its tax obligations. The IRS is tightening enforcement, and starting in 2027 centralized exchanges will be required to report cost‑basis data directly to the agency. Andrew Duca of Awaken Tax...
How Homeownership Helps Build Wealth
A new NBER study led by Wharton professor Fernando Ferreira shows that mortgage modifications during the Great Recession had lasting wealth benefits. Seventy‑five percent of borrowers who received forbearance or rate cuts remained homeowners through 2013, versus 49% without aid....
Employees Can Invest Alternative Assets Into Their 401(k)s. Here's What to Know
The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed a safe‑harbor rule that would let 401(k) plans offer alternative assets such as private equity, real estate and cryptocurrencies. The rule, issued under Executive Order 14330, aims to shield plan sponsors from fiduciary liability...
The 2025 Tax Changes Could Save Small-Business Owners Thousands—If You Know Where to Look
The 2025 tax package delivers the most substantial overhaul for U.S. entrepreneurs since 2017, targeting sole proprietors, LLCs and S‑corporations. It widens tax brackets, expands the SALT deduction to $40,000 and makes the qualified business income deduction permanent. Additional generous...
Alex Morris on Dual Share Class Funds, Fixed Income, & More
Alex Morris, CEO of F/m Investments, discussed the volatile inflation backdrop and its impact on fixed‑income strategies, emphasizing Treasury‑bill exposure and TIPS as inflation hedges. He explained the firm’s pioneering dual‑share class structure for the TBIL fund, which offers both...
Goldman CEO Sees Noise Persisting on Retail Private-Credit Funds
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said retail investors' concerns about private‑credit funds will persist, but Goldman remains comfortable in the space. The bank's $15.7 billion private‑credit fund saw redemptions just under 5 % in Q1, narrowly avoiding a broader outflow. Overall, the...
Infrastructure Investing—Growth, Income and Inflation Protection in One Asset Class
Michael Bell, CEO of Meketa Capital, highlighted that infrastructure investing is moving from a niche institutional asset class into the broader wealth‑management arena. Advisors are gaining confidence as educational resources proliferate, enabling them to allocate to projects that support digitization...
Analyzing the Analysis: How Do AI Portfolio Recommendations Hold Up?
Allan Roth tested Anthropic’s Claude on a $1.37 million multi‑account portfolio, including an $80,000 cash infusion, to see how well AI could generate a summary and rebalancing recommendations. Claude correctly identified the low 0.03% weighted expense ratio, proper tax‑location of assets,...
Brits Retiring Overseas Could Forfeit More than £77k in State Pension Income
British retirees moving abroad this tax year could forfeit more than £77,585 (about $98,000) in state‑pension income over a 20‑year horizon, according to Rathbones research. The loss stems from the UK’s triple‑lock policy, which freezes pension payments for expats in...
After a Rough March, Municipal Bonds May Be Offering Value
Municipal bond indices posted their steepest decline in nearly three years, slipping more than 2% in March as Treasury yields rose amid heightened geopolitical tension from the Iran conflict. The ALPS Intermediate Municipal Bond ETF (MNBD) weathered the sell‑off better...
Already Filed Your Taxes but Need to Make a Change? Mistakes the IRS Will Fix and Red Flags That Could...
Taxpayers can adjust certain items after filing by submitting IRS Form 1040‑X, especially when missed income, life events, or overlooked credits like the $500 dependent credit or $2,200 Child Tax Credit are discovered. However, irrevocable elections such as switching from a...
Rising Price Risks Boost Case for Bond Ladder ETFs
Rising inflation risk, highlighted by February's CPI showing a 0.3% monthly and 2.4% annual increase, is prompting investors to seek more resilient income strategies. Bond ladder exchange‑traded funds, especially those that distribute principal, are positioned as a hedge against sticky...
3 Top-Ranked Municipal Bond Funds to Reduce Your Portfolio Risk
Municipal bond mutual funds offer tax‑free income and capital preservation for risk‑averse investors. Zacks has identified three funds—SEI Asset Allocation Trust Conservative Strategy Allocation Fund (SMGAX), Franklin High Yield Tax‑Free Income Fund (FRHIX) and Vanguard High‑Yield Tax‑Exempt Fund (VWAHX)—each holding...
Buy These 3 DWS Mutual Funds for Solid Returns
Asset manager DWS Group, with $1.28 trillion AUM across 35 countries, recommends three mutual funds for long‑term investors. The DWS Science and Technology fund (KTCAX) posted a 33% three‑year annualized return with a 0.88% expense ratio. The DWS Global Macro fund...
Muni Bond ETFs: Beyond Tax Season Fundamentals
Municipal bond exchange‑traded funds captured $12 billion of new assets in the first quarter of 2026, with $4.4 billion flowing in during March alone. While the low‑cost passive leader iShares MUB still dominates at $43 billion, active offerings such as Capital Group’s CGMU,...
FCOM: An Overlooked Dividend Growth Opportunity With Big Tech Exposure
Fidelity MSCI Communications Services Index ETF (FCOM) earns a buy rating for its hybrid growth‑and‑income profile. Meta, Alphabet (Class A and C) and Netflix make up roughly 50% of assets, giving investors direct exposure to big‑tech earnings and future dividend lifts. The...