America’s economy is the largest in the world. The companies that power that economy – and lead the world in innovation – are growing at impressive rates. The dollar continues to hold its position as the global reserve currency. U.S. Treasury securities are still classified as risk-free investments. Many of the things Americans think of as daily necessities are considered luxuries in most of the rest of the world. But increasingly, the federal government is relying on borrowe

Deciding when to take Social Security Show notes: It’s the question every retiree faces... when’s the best time to claim Social Security benefits? I’ve got five questions for you today... that could help you make a smarter decision... on this episode of... The Help Me Retire Podcast... This is the Help Me Retire Podcast… with your host… Mike Brown… Senior Wealth Advisor with Raymond James Financial Services… and head of Brown Family Wealth Advisors… Mike is the best-selling a

Most retirees don’t set out to overpay taxes. It just happens – quietly, year after year – because nobody ever taught them how retirement taxes really work. In retirement, taxes stop being something that “happens to you” and become something you can influence. Why? Because you’re no longer collecting a single paycheck with withholding handled behind the scenes. You’re now the CFO of your own income. You decide when to take Social Security, how much to withdraw from IRAs, whet

Financial markets appear to be trading on the headlines lately, and many investors have trouble understanding why stocks are performing reasonably well – the S&P 500 is back in the black year-to-date – while the rest of the world seems be spinning out of control. But look under the surface and you’ll see that what drives markets over time is how much money the underlying companies are making. Earnings, and the rate at which those earnings are growing at U.S. companies, are ac