One silver lining in the currently challenging environment for stocks is that this could be a good time to convert assets from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. Converted assets are subject to federal income tax in the year of conversion, which might be a substantial tax bill. However, if assets in your traditional IRA have lost value, you will pay taxes on a lower asset base when you convert. If all conditions are met, the Roth account will incur no further income tax liability for you or your designated beneficiaries, no matter how much growth the account experiences.

“Almost any decision is better than no decision at all.” – Brian Tracy Whether through inertia or trepidation, investors who put off important investment decisions might consider the admonition offered by motivational speaker Brian Tracy who famously said that almost any decision is better than no decision at all. This investment inaction is played out in many ways, often silently, invisibly and with potential consequence to an individual’s future financial security. Let’s review some of the forms this takes. Your 401(k) Plan The worst indecision may be the failure to enroll. Not only do nonparticipants sacrifice one of the best

Conventional wisdom says that what goes up must come down. But even if you view market volatility as a normal occurrence, it can be tough to handle when your money is at stake. Though there’s no foolproof way to handle the ups and downs of the stock market, the following common-sense tips can help. Don’t put your eggs all in one basket Diversifying your investment portfolio is one of the key tools for trying to manage market volatility. Because asset classes often perform differently under different market conditions, spreading your assets across a variety of investments such as stocks, bonds,

The year 2022 has already heaped loads of uncertainty onto investors and companies, from the invasion of Ukraine to pandemic-driven supply chain disruptions. To top it all off, last month, consumer prices shot up an additional 1 percent compared with April 8.6 percent, according to data released Friday from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as energy, housing and food prices drive up costs at the fastest pace in 40 years. That’s bad for both stocks and the economy, not to mention everyday Americans struggling to make ends meet. Here’s how we got here and what to do about it if you’re invested