NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Retirement Planning Pitfalls
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We’ve identified the 4 biggest mistakes people make when planning for retirement.
Provided by Meld University
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[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1"]Our clients ask us a multitude of questions regarding what to do when it comes to
retirement planning. They want to know how much to save, where they should invest and what they should do now to prepare for life without a steady paycheck.But just as important as considering what you
should do before retirement is understanding what you
shouldn’t do — what we call the retirement planning pitfalls. These are costly decisions that can be easily avoided, as long as you know how.
Retirement Planning Pitfall #1: You haven’t determined how much income you’ll need in retirement.
This particular pitfall gets to the heart of why financial planning matters: You must
understand how much money you need to live now in order to understand how much you need to live in retirement. The scary fact is many of us are heading into retirement blind.According to the
2018 Retirement Confidence Survey, only about half of workers 55 and older had put together a rough estimate of what their costs will be in retirement — and by extension, how much they’ll need to have saved. There was also a huge disconnect between the expectations of retirement income and the realities: While
68 percent of workers expect income from working to be a significant source of income in retirement, only 26 percent of retirees say working provides a notable contribution to their retirement income.If you don’t know how much you’ll need in retirement, or if you don’t have a good understanding of what income to expect, you run the risk of falling short on what you need to live. Or, on the other side of the coin, if you don’t understand how to budget during your retirement, you run the risk of overspending right out the gate. And trust us when we say that income is much harder to come by in your retirement years.A great way to get started understanding your retirement needs is by
developing a Situational Investment Plan that is tailored to your lifestyle.
Retirement Planning Pitfall #2: You file for Social Security too early.
Most people know they can begin drawing Social Security payments as early as age 62. The allure of more money in your pocket can be tempting, and some people think taking benefits as soon as they can is their best move.On the other hand, the longer you wait to claim your Social Security benefits, the larger your monthly payment. For every year you wait between 66 and 70, your Social Security increases 8 percent. That’s not a bad return on investment.Now, many people will argue in favor of filing early simply because they don’t know how long they will live, and they want to get as much of their Social Security as possible. We understand that. You’ve been paying for this benefit you’re entire working life, and you want to reap the rewards.But it’s important to keep in mind that
the average retirement lasts 18 years. Many of us will live much longer than that. That means a higher Social Security payout may be worth the wait. Determining the optimal time to take your benefits can be tricky. We recommend enlisting the help of a
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) to determine your best course of action.
Retirement Planning Pitfall #3: You don’t plan for higher health care costs
We’ve got a sobering statistic for you: A recent survey from Fidelity estimated that a typical 65-year-old couple that retires in 2018 will need $280,000 to cover their health care expenses in retirement. If that took you by surprise, you’re not alone. According to the
2018 Retirement Confidence Survey, 44 percent of retirees said their health care bills were higher than anticipated, and 26 percent said the same about long-term care costs.Part of retirement involves getting older and, unfortunately, declining health. That should be factored into any financial plan you create for your retirement. None of us can predict the future, but the biggest retirement planning mistake you can make is not preparing for it. A
CFP® can provide data and analysis that will help you in estimating your healthcare costs as you age.
Retirement Planning Pitfall #4: You don’t start saving early enough
Maybe you’re waiting for that next big promotion. Or perhaps you’ve earmarked the end of child care expenses as your time to really dig in and start saving for retirement. Whatever your reason, you’re waiting, and that will cost you.You need time to save for retirement — particularly one that could last 20 years or more. And you need time for the money you sock away to earn interest and grow into the nest egg you need to enjoy your golden years.So, no matter where you are in your career or what you’re earning, you need to sit down with a CFP® and put a plan in place to start saving for retirement now. Even if you’re starting small, you’re still saving. And that’s what matters.Meld Financial has developed a proprietary methodology called
Situational Investing that starts with developing your Situational Investment Plan (or SIP for short). If you are looking for assistance with your retirement plan, feel free to contact us. If you’re more of a ‘do-it-yourselfer’ or if you just want to learn, be sure to visit
Meld University for more useful information and in-person classes designed to help you plan for retirement with confidence.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="to registration form - text" _builder_version="3.0.105" background_layout="light" saved_tabs="all" global_module="1444"]
Click here to register for our next event, "Investment Planning: From Growth to Income".
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Meld Financial, Inc. may be reached at:
205-967-4200
meld@meldfinancial.com
P. O. Box 43626
Birmingham, AL 35243
www.meldfinancial.com
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Securities offered through Triad Advisors, LLC . Member FINRA/SIPC.
Advisory services offered through Meld Financial, Inc.
Triad Advisors and Meld Financial are not affiliated.
This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment.Citations.1 - fool.com/retirement/2018/01/02/lifetime-income-retirees-need-it-and-heres-how-to.aspx [1/2/18]2 - ssa.gov/planners/retire/r&m6.html [1/25/18]3 - cbsnews.com/news/the-top-retirement-decisions-facing-older-workers/ [1/25/18]4 - nber.org/papers/w24226.pdf [1/18]5 - ssa.gov/planners/taxes.html [1/25/18][/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
Weekly Economic Update - 10/8/2018
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Weekly Economic Update
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Weekly Tip
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Yes, clipping coupons can save you money at the grocery store – but keep in mind, coupon deals may lead you to buy unneeded items. The cost of the extra purchases could cancel out any coupon savings.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Quote - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
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Weekly Riddle
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They can pass through state after state, all while never moving. What are they?[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Week Riddle - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Last Week's Riddle
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What can be broken, but should not be forgotten?[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Answer - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Last week's answer:
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A promise.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="3_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1" background_color="#ffffff"]October 8, 2018
10-Year Treasury Yield Hits a 7-Year Peak
Friday, the yield on the 10-year note reached 3.23%, its highest level since 2011. Its yield rose dramatically last week, influenced by hawkish comments from Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell and reports showing minimal unemployment and a swiftly expanding business sector. All this strengthened investor perception that the U.S. economy has hit its stride. It also suggested a near future with recurring interest rate hikes, costlier borrowing, and subdued spending. That possibility weighed on equities. For the week, the Nasdaq Composite fell 3.21% to 7,788.45, and the S&P 500, 0.97% to 2,885.57; the Dow Industrials retreated just 0.04% to 26,447.05.
1,2Less Hiring in September
A look at the Department of Labor’s latest jobs report reveals good news and bad news. The good news? Unemployment declined further to 3.7%, annualized wage growth improved to 3.4% in the third quarter, and monthly net hiring averaged 190,000 in Q3. The bad news? Payrolls expanded with just 134,000 net new jobs last month, as underemployment ticked up 0.1% to 7.5% and year-over-year wage growth slowed to 2.8%. Some economists feel that Hurricane Florence significantly impacted the September data.
3Service Sector Expands at a Historic Pace
The Institute for Supply Management said its non-manufacturing purchasing manager index rose 3.1 points in September to 61.6. It has never been that high in its decade-long history. ISM’s PMI for the factory sector took a slight dip in September, slipping from 61.3 to 59.8 but still showing fast expansion.
4Oil Makes Another Weekly Advance
Crude is on a 4-week winning streak. At Friday’s closing bell, the price stood at $74.34 a barrel on the NYMEX, reflecting a 1.5% rise in five days. Again, worries over upcoming U.S. sanctions against Iran helped to send prices higher. WTI crude settled at $76.41 Wednesday, which approached a 4-year peak for the commodity.
5This Week
While the U.S. bond market is closed Monday in observance of Columbus Day, U.S. stock exchanges are open for business; no major economic or earnings releases are scheduled. | Nothing major is slated for Tuesday, either. | Wednesday, investors consider the September Producer Price Index and earnings from Fastenal. | On Thursday, the September Consumer Price Index appears, along with the latest initial jobless claims report and earnings news from Delta Air Lines and Walgreens Boots Alliance. | The fall earnings season begins Friday, with announcements from Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, PNC Financial Services Group, and Wells Fargo; in addition, the University of Michigan’s preliminary October consumer sentiment index arrives.
| % CHANGE | Y-T-D | 1-YR CHG | 5-YR AVG | 10-YR AVG |
| DJIA | 6.99 | 16.12 | 15.09 | 16.57 |
| NASDAQ | 12.82 | 18.27 | 20.91 | 31.81 |
| S&P 500 | 7.93 | 13.07 | 14.14 | 17.30 |
| | | | |
| REAL YIELD | 10/5 RATE | 1 YR AGO | 5 YRS AGO | 10 YRS AGO |
| 10 YR TIPS | 1.07 | 0.49 | 0.46 | 2.21 |
Sources: wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov - 10/5/18
2,6,7,8Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. These returns do not include dividends. 10-year TIPS real yield = projected return at maturity given expected inflation.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.0.86" custom_margin="0px|||" custom_padding="0px|||"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Forward to friends - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya Sans SC||||||||" header_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_font_size="48px" background_color="#dddddd"]
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Financial Planning – What to Expect, Why it Matters. The class will be held on Tuesday, October 16th at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. There is no cost to register, but seating is limited.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Contact Info - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light"]
Meld Financial, Inc.
P.O. Box 43626
Birmingham, AL 35243
Phone: 205-967-4200
Email: Meld@meldfinancial.com
www.meldfinancial.com
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Securities Offered by - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" saved_tabs="all"]
Securities offered through Triad Advisors, LLC. Member FINRA/SIPC.
Advisory services offered through Meld Financial, Inc.
Triad Advisors and Meld Financial are not affiliated.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Disclosure Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1" text_font_size="10px" module_class="fine-print-post-text"]This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate and when redeemed may be worth more or less than when originally invested. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All market indices discussed are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment. Indices do not incur management fees, costs and expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world's largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. MarketingPro, Inc. is not affiliated with any person or firm that may be providing this information to you. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.CITATIONS:1 - thestreet.com/markets/stocks-rise-slightly-on-friday-after-september-jobs-report-14735092 [10/5/18]2 - markets.wsj.com/us [10/5/18]3 - bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-05/u-s-payrolls-and-wages-cool-while-jobless-rate-hits-48-year-low [10/5/18]4 - instituteforsupplymanagement.org/ISMReport/NonMfgROB.cfm?navItemNumber=30177 [9/26/18]5 - marketwatch.com/story/us-oil-benchmark-ends-nearly-flat-but-tallies-a-4th-straight-weekly-rise-2018-10-05 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F5%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F5%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F5%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F4%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F4%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F4%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F6%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F6%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F6%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]
7 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [10/5/18]
8 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [10/5/18][/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
Weekly Economic Update - 10/1/2018
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Weekly Economic Update
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Weekly Tip
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When you inherit real estate, you immediately face some financial questions. Do you want to sell the property, rent it out, or keep it? What would each choice mean, tax-wise? Can you handle payments on an outstanding mortgage and maintenance costs? Talking to tax or real estate professionals is essential.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Quote - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Quote
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“A pound of pluck is worth a ton of luck.”James Garfield[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Riddle - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Riddle
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What can be broken, but should not be forgotten?[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Week Riddle - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Last Week's Riddle
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You go into the forest and get it, you sit down to find it, and then you go home, just wanting to get it out. What is it?[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Answer - Text" _builder_version="3.15" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Last week's answer:
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Answer Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15" custom_padding="||324px|" custom_padding_phone="||24px|" custom_padding_last_edited="on|phone"]A splinter.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="3_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15" background_color="#ffffff"]October 1, 2018
FEDERAL RESERVE MAKES ITS THIRD RATE HIKE OF 2018
The central bank set the target range for the federal funds rate at 2.00-2.25% last week, in a move that economists and investors widely expected. One development was unexpected: the Fed removed the word “accommodative” from its latest policy statement, a hint that it may be on the verge of altering its monetary policy outlook. The Fed dot-plot still shows one more interest rate hike for 2018 and three hikes in 2019.
1HOUSEHOLDS SEE A VERY STRONG ECONOMY
Both marquee U.S. consumer confidence indices finished September in good shape. The Conference Board’s index reached an 18-year peak of 138.4, rising 3.7 points from its August mark. The University of Michigan’s gauge declined 0.7 points to a still-impressive reading of 100.1.
2,3A PERSONAL SPENDING MISS; A NEW HOME SALES GAIN
Looking at other economic indicators in a data-heavy week, consumer spending rose 0.3% in August, falling short of the 0.4% gain forecast by economists polled by Briefing.com. While reporting that advance, the Commerce Department also announced an improvement of 0.3% for personal incomes in August. The National Association of Realtors said that its pending home sales index declined 1.8% in the eighth month of the year; in better real estate news, the Census Bureau found new home buying up 3.5% in August, measuring a 12.7% yearly increase in the pace of new home sales.
3,4NASDAQ ADVANCES FOR THE WEEK, BUT S&P and DOW RETREAT
The S&P 500 finished the month at 2,913.98, losing 0.54% during a relatively calm week on Wall Street, which also saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average head 1.07% lower to 26,458.31. In contrast, the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.74% on the week to wrap up September at 8,046.35. Across the month, the S&P rose 0.43%, and the Dow, 1.90%, while the Nasdaq declined 0.78%. The small-cap Russell 2000 sank 2.62% in September, settling Friday at 1,695.10.
5THIS WEEK
Monday, the Institute for Supply Management presents its September manufacturing PMI. | Paychex and PepsiCo announce earnings Tuesday morning; just before the closing bell, Fed chairman Jerome Powell delivers a speech on the U.S. inflation and employment outlook in Boston. | On Wednesday, ADP’s latest payrolls report appears along with the latest ISM service sector PMI and earnings from Lennar. | The September Challenger job-cut report and a new weekly initial jobless claims snapshot arrive Thursday, plus earnings from Constellation Brands and Costco. | The Department of Labor issues its September employment report on Friday.
| % CHANGE | Y-T-D | 1-YR CHG | 5-YR AVG | 10-YR AVG |
| DJIA | 7.04 | 18.22 | 14.68 | 15.53 |
| NASDAQ | 16.56 | 24.68 | 22.56 | 30.56 |
| S&P 500 | 8.99 | 16.09 | 14.45 | 16.34 |
| | | | |
| REAL YIELD | 9/28 RATE | 1 YR AGO | 5 YRS AGO | 10 YRS AGO |
| 10 YR TIPS | 0.91 | 0.44 | 0.46 | 2.03 |
Sources: wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov - 9/28/18
5,6,7,8Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. These returns do not include dividends. 10-year TIPS real yield = projected return at maturity given expected inflation.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.0.86" custom_margin="0px|||" custom_padding="0px|||"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Forward to friends - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya Sans SC||||||||" header_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_font_size="48px" background_color="#dddddd"]
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Meld Financial, Inc.
P.O. Box 43626
Birmingham, AL 35243
Phone: 205-967-4200
Email: Meld@meldfinancial.com
www.meldfinancial.com
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Securities Offered by - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" saved_tabs="all"]
Securities offered through Triad Advisors, LLC. Member FINRA/SIPC.
Advisory services offered through Meld Financial, Inc.
Triad Advisors and Meld Financial are not affiliated.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Disclosure Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15" text_font_size="10px" module_class="fine-print-post-text"]This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate and when redeemed may be worth more or less than when originally invested. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All market indices discussed are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment. Indices do not incur management fees, costs and expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world's largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. MarketingPro, Inc. is not affiliated with any person or firm that may be providing this information to you. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.CITATIONS:1 - businessinsider.com/federal-reserve-fomc-statement-and-interest-rate-decision-september-2018-2018-9 [9/26/18]2 - conference-board.org/data/consumerconfidence.cfm [9/25/18]3 - briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2018/09/24-28 [9/28/18]4 - cnbc.com/2018/09/26/august-new-home-sales.html [9/26/18]5 - markets.wsj.com/us [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F28%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F28%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F28%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F27%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F27%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F27%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F29%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F29%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F29%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]
7 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [9/28/18]
8 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [9/28/18][/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
Retirement Planning Pitfalls
[et_pb_section bb_built="1" _builder_version="3.0.92"][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="1_2"][et_pb_image _builder_version="3.16.1" src="https://meldfinancial.com/wp-content/uploads/retirement-planning-pitfalls-facebook.jpg" /][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_2"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.16.1" custom_padding="20px|||" custom_padding_last_edited="on|desktop"]
We’ve identified the 4 biggest mistakes people make when planning for retirement.
Provided by Meld University
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="to registration form - text" _builder_version="3.0.105" background_layout="light" saved_tabs="all" global_module="1444"]
Click here to register for our next event, "Investment Planning: From Growth to Income".
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1"]Our clients ask us a multitude of questions regarding what to do when it comes to
retirement planning. They want to know how much to save, where they should invest and what they should do now to prepare for life without a steady paycheck.But just as important as considering what you
should do before retirement is understanding what you
shouldn’t do — what we call the retirement planning pitfalls. These are costly decisions that can be easily avoided, as long as you know how.
Retirement Planning Pitfall #1: You haven’t determined how much income you’ll need in retirement.
This particular pitfall gets to the heart of why financial planning matters: You must
understand how much money you need to live now in order to understand how much you need to live in retirement. The scary fact is many of us are heading into retirement blind.According to the
2018 Retirement Confidence Survey, only about half of workers 55 and older had put together a rough estimate of what their costs will be in retirement — and by extension, how much they’ll need to have saved. There was also a huge disconnect between the expectations of retirement income and the realities: While
68 percent of workers expect income from working to be a significant source of income in retirement, only 26 percent of retirees say working provides a notable contribution to their retirement income.If you don’t know how much you’ll need in retirement, or if you don’t have a good understanding of what income to expect, you run the risk of falling short on what you need to live. Or, on the other side of the coin, if you don’t understand how to budget during your retirement, you run the risk of overspending right out the gate. And trust us when we say that income is much harder to come by in your retirement years.A great way to get started understanding your retirement needs is by
developing a Situational Investment Plan that is tailored to your lifestyle.
Retirement Planning Pitfall #2: You file for Social Security too early.
Most people know they can begin drawing Social Security payments as early as age 62. The allure of more money in your pocket can be tempting, and some people think taking benefits as soon as they can is their best move.On the other hand, the longer you wait to claim your Social Security benefits, the larger your monthly payment. For every year you wait between 66 and 70, your Social Security increases 8 percent. That’s not a bad return on investment.Now, many people will argue in favor of filing early simply because they don’t know how long they will live, and they want to get as much of their Social Security as possible. We understand that. You’ve been paying for this benefit you’re entire working life, and you want to reap the rewards.But it’s important to keep in mind that
the average retirement lasts 18 years. Many of us will live much longer than that. That means a higher Social Security payout may be worth the wait. Determining the optimal time to take your benefits can be tricky. We recommend enlisting the help of a
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) to determine your best course of action.
Retirement Planning Pitfall #3: You don’t plan for higher health care costs
We’ve got a sobering statistic for you: A recent survey from Fidelity estimated that a typical 65-year-old couple that retires in 2018 will need $280,000 to cover their health care expenses in retirement. If that took you by surprise, you’re not alone. According to the
2018 Retirement Confidence Survey, 44 percent of retirees said their health care bills were higher than anticipated, and 26 percent said the same about long-term care costs.Part of retirement involves getting older and, unfortunately, declining health. That should be factored into any financial plan you create for your retirement. None of us can predict the future, but the biggest retirement planning mistake you can make is not preparing for it. A
CFP® can provide data and analysis that will help you in estimating your healthcare costs as you age.
Retirement Planning Pitfall #4: You don’t start saving early enough
Maybe you’re waiting for that next big promotion. Or perhaps you’ve earmarked the end of child care expenses as your time to really dig in and start saving for retirement. Whatever your reason, you’re waiting, and that will cost you.You need time to save for retirement — particularly one that could last 20 years or more. And you need time for the money you sock away to earn interest and grow into the nest egg you need to enjoy your golden years.So, no matter where you are in your career or what you’re earning, you need to sit down with a CFP® and put a plan in place to start saving for retirement now. Even if you’re starting small, you’re still saving. And that’s what matters.Meld Financial has developed a proprietary methodology called
Situational Investing that starts with developing your Situational Investment Plan (or SIP for short). If you are looking for assistance with your retirement plan, feel free to contact us. If you’re more of a ‘do-it-yourselfer’ or if you just want to learn, be sure to visit
Meld University for more useful information and in-person classes designed to help you plan for retirement with confidence.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="to registration form - text" _builder_version="3.0.105" background_layout="light" saved_tabs="all" global_module="1444"]
Click here to register for our next event, "Investment Planning: From Growth to Income".
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image _builder_version="3.0.92" src="https://meldfinancial.com/wp-content/uploads/logo.png" show_in_lightbox="off" url_new_window="off" use_overlay="off" always_center_on_mobile="on" force_fullwidth="off" show_bottom_space="on" module_class="no-shadow" /][et_pb_text admin_label="Meld Contact Info - Text" _builder_version="3.0.101" background_layout="light"]
Meld Financial, Inc. may be reached at:
205-967-4200
meld@meldfinancial.com
P. O. Box 43626
Birmingham, AL 35243
www.meldfinancial.com
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Fine Print - Text" _builder_version="3.0.105" background_layout="light" text_font_size="10px" custom_css_main_element="font-size:10px important!;"]
Securities offered through Triad Advisors, LLC . Member FINRA/SIPC.
Advisory services offered through Meld Financial, Inc.
Triad Advisors and Meld Financial are not affiliated.
This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment.Citations.1 - fool.com/retirement/2018/01/02/lifetime-income-retirees-need-it-and-heres-how-to.aspx [1/2/18]2 - ssa.gov/planners/retire/r&m6.html [1/25/18]3 - cbsnews.com/news/the-top-retirement-decisions-facing-older-workers/ [1/25/18]4 - nber.org/papers/w24226.pdf [1/18]5 - ssa.gov/planners/taxes.html [1/25/18][/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
Weekly Economic Update - 10/8/2018
[et_pb_section bb_built="1" _builder_version="3.0.87" custom_margin="0px|||" custom_padding="0px|||"][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.0.86" custom_margin="||0px|" custom_padding="||0px|"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_image admin_label="WEU - Image" _builder_version="3.0.89" src="https://meldfinancial.com/wp-content/uploads/WEU-Pic-1200x628.png" show_in_lightbox="off" url_new_window="off" use_overlay="off" always_center_on_mobile="on" force_fullwidth="off" show_bottom_space="on" custom_padding="||20px|" /][et_pb_text admin_label="to registration form - text" _builder_version="3.15" saved_tabs="all" custom_padding="24px|16px|24px|16px" background_color="rgba(14,112,249,0.16)" global_module="1444"]
Upcoming Event:
Click here for details and to register for our next
Meld University event:
Financial Planning – What to Expect, Why it Matters. The class will be held on Tuesday, October 16th at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. There is no cost to register, but seating is limited.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Meld Financial Presents - H2i - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light"]
Meld Financial, Inc. Presents:
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Weekly Economic Update
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Weekly Tip
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Yes, clipping coupons can save you money at the grocery store – but keep in mind, coupon deals may lead you to buy unneeded items. The cost of the extra purchases could cancel out any coupon savings.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Quote - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Quote
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“Success is the maximum utilization of the ability that you have.”Zig Ziglar[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Riddle - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Riddle
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They can pass through state after state, all while never moving. What are they?[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Week Riddle - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Last Week's Riddle
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What can be broken, but should not be forgotten?[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Answer - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Last week's answer:
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Answer Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1" custom_padding="||494px|" custom_padding_phone="||24px|" custom_padding_last_edited="on|desktop"]
A promise.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="3_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1" background_color="#ffffff"]October 8, 2018
10-Year Treasury Yield Hits a 7-Year Peak
Friday, the yield on the 10-year note reached 3.23%, its highest level since 2011. Its yield rose dramatically last week, influenced by hawkish comments from Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell and reports showing minimal unemployment and a swiftly expanding business sector. All this strengthened investor perception that the U.S. economy has hit its stride. It also suggested a near future with recurring interest rate hikes, costlier borrowing, and subdued spending. That possibility weighed on equities. For the week, the Nasdaq Composite fell 3.21% to 7,788.45, and the S&P 500, 0.97% to 2,885.57; the Dow Industrials retreated just 0.04% to 26,447.05.
1,2Less Hiring in September
A look at the Department of Labor’s latest jobs report reveals good news and bad news. The good news? Unemployment declined further to 3.7%, annualized wage growth improved to 3.4% in the third quarter, and monthly net hiring averaged 190,000 in Q3. The bad news? Payrolls expanded with just 134,000 net new jobs last month, as underemployment ticked up 0.1% to 7.5% and year-over-year wage growth slowed to 2.8%. Some economists feel that Hurricane Florence significantly impacted the September data.
3Service Sector Expands at a Historic Pace
The Institute for Supply Management said its non-manufacturing purchasing manager index rose 3.1 points in September to 61.6. It has never been that high in its decade-long history. ISM’s PMI for the factory sector took a slight dip in September, slipping from 61.3 to 59.8 but still showing fast expansion.
4Oil Makes Another Weekly Advance
Crude is on a 4-week winning streak. At Friday’s closing bell, the price stood at $74.34 a barrel on the NYMEX, reflecting a 1.5% rise in five days. Again, worries over upcoming U.S. sanctions against Iran helped to send prices higher. WTI crude settled at $76.41 Wednesday, which approached a 4-year peak for the commodity.
5This Week
While the U.S. bond market is closed Monday in observance of Columbus Day, U.S. stock exchanges are open for business; no major economic or earnings releases are scheduled. | Nothing major is slated for Tuesday, either. | Wednesday, investors consider the September Producer Price Index and earnings from Fastenal. | On Thursday, the September Consumer Price Index appears, along with the latest initial jobless claims report and earnings news from Delta Air Lines and Walgreens Boots Alliance. | The fall earnings season begins Friday, with announcements from Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, PNC Financial Services Group, and Wells Fargo; in addition, the University of Michigan’s preliminary October consumer sentiment index arrives.
| % CHANGE | Y-T-D | 1-YR CHG | 5-YR AVG | 10-YR AVG |
| DJIA | 6.99 | 16.12 | 15.09 | 16.57 |
| NASDAQ | 12.82 | 18.27 | 20.91 | 31.81 |
| S&P 500 | 7.93 | 13.07 | 14.14 | 17.30 |
| | | | |
| REAL YIELD | 10/5 RATE | 1 YR AGO | 5 YRS AGO | 10 YRS AGO |
| 10 YR TIPS | 1.07 | 0.49 | 0.46 | 2.21 |
Sources: wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov - 10/5/18
2,6,7,8Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. These returns do not include dividends. 10-year TIPS real yield = projected return at maturity given expected inflation.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.0.86" custom_margin="0px|||" custom_padding="0px|||"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Forward to friends - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya Sans SC||||||||" header_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_font_size="48px" background_color="#dddddd"]
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Upcoming Event:
Click here for details and to register for our next
Meld University event:
Financial Planning – What to Expect, Why it Matters. The class will be held on Tuesday, October 16th at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. There is no cost to register, but seating is limited.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Contact Info - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light"]
Meld Financial, Inc.
P.O. Box 43626
Birmingham, AL 35243
Phone: 205-967-4200
Email: Meld@meldfinancial.com
www.meldfinancial.com
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Securities Offered by - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" saved_tabs="all"]
Securities offered through Triad Advisors, LLC. Member FINRA/SIPC.
Advisory services offered through Meld Financial, Inc.
Triad Advisors and Meld Financial are not affiliated.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Disclosure Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1" text_font_size="10px" module_class="fine-print-post-text"]This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate and when redeemed may be worth more or less than when originally invested. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All market indices discussed are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment. Indices do not incur management fees, costs and expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world's largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. MarketingPro, Inc. is not affiliated with any person or firm that may be providing this information to you. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.CITATIONS:1 - thestreet.com/markets/stocks-rise-slightly-on-friday-after-september-jobs-report-14735092 [10/5/18]2 - markets.wsj.com/us [10/5/18]3 - bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-05/u-s-payrolls-and-wages-cool-while-jobless-rate-hits-48-year-low [10/5/18]4 - instituteforsupplymanagement.org/ISMReport/NonMfgROB.cfm?navItemNumber=30177 [9/26/18]5 - marketwatch.com/story/us-oil-benchmark-ends-nearly-flat-but-tallies-a-4th-straight-weekly-rise-2018-10-05 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F5%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F5%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F5%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F4%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F4%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F4%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F6%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F6%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F6%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]
7 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [10/5/18]
8 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [10/5/18][/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
Weekly Economic Update - 10/1/2018
[et_pb_section bb_built="1" _builder_version="3.0.87" custom_margin="0px|||" custom_padding="0px|||"][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.0.86" custom_margin="||0px|" custom_padding="||0px|"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_image admin_label="WEU - Image" _builder_version="3.0.89" src="https://meldfinancial.com/wp-content/uploads/WEU-Pic-1200x628.png" show_in_lightbox="off" url_new_window="off" use_overlay="off" always_center_on_mobile="on" force_fullwidth="off" show_bottom_space="on" custom_padding="||20px|" /][et_pb_text admin_label="to registration form - text" _builder_version="3.15" saved_tabs="all" custom_padding="24px|16px|24px|16px" background_color="rgba(14,112,249,0.16)" global_module="1444"]
Upcoming Event:
Click here for details and to register for our next
Meld University event:
Financial Planning – What to Expect, Why it Matters. The class will be held on Tuesday, October 16th at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. There is no cost to register, but seating is limited.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Meld Financial Presents - H2i - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light"]
Meld Financial, Inc. Presents:
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Weekly Economic Update
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.0.106" background_color_1="#dddddd" custom_margin="0px||0px|" custom_padding="0px||0px|" padding_left_1="6px"][et_pb_column type="1_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Tip - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Tip
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Tip Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15"]
When you inherit real estate, you immediately face some financial questions. Do you want to sell the property, rent it out, or keep it? What would each choice mean, tax-wise? Can you handle payments on an outstanding mortgage and maintenance costs? Talking to tax or real estate professionals is essential.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Quote - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Quote
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Wkly Quote Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15"]
“A pound of pluck is worth a ton of luck.”James Garfield[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Riddle - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Riddle
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Riddle Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15"]
What can be broken, but should not be forgotten?[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Week Riddle - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Last Week's Riddle
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Week Riddle Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15"]
You go into the forest and get it, you sit down to find it, and then you go home, just wanting to get it out. What is it?[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Answer - Text" _builder_version="3.15" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Last week's answer:
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Answer Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15" custom_padding="||324px|" custom_padding_phone="||24px|" custom_padding_last_edited="on|phone"]A splinter.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="3_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15" background_color="#ffffff"]October 1, 2018
FEDERAL RESERVE MAKES ITS THIRD RATE HIKE OF 2018
The central bank set the target range for the federal funds rate at 2.00-2.25% last week, in a move that economists and investors widely expected. One development was unexpected: the Fed removed the word “accommodative” from its latest policy statement, a hint that it may be on the verge of altering its monetary policy outlook. The Fed dot-plot still shows one more interest rate hike for 2018 and three hikes in 2019.
1HOUSEHOLDS SEE A VERY STRONG ECONOMY
Both marquee U.S. consumer confidence indices finished September in good shape. The Conference Board’s index reached an 18-year peak of 138.4, rising 3.7 points from its August mark. The University of Michigan’s gauge declined 0.7 points to a still-impressive reading of 100.1.
2,3A PERSONAL SPENDING MISS; A NEW HOME SALES GAIN
Looking at other economic indicators in a data-heavy week, consumer spending rose 0.3% in August, falling short of the 0.4% gain forecast by economists polled by Briefing.com. While reporting that advance, the Commerce Department also announced an improvement of 0.3% for personal incomes in August. The National Association of Realtors said that its pending home sales index declined 1.8% in the eighth month of the year; in better real estate news, the Census Bureau found new home buying up 3.5% in August, measuring a 12.7% yearly increase in the pace of new home sales.
3,4NASDAQ ADVANCES FOR THE WEEK, BUT S&P and DOW RETREAT
The S&P 500 finished the month at 2,913.98, losing 0.54% during a relatively calm week on Wall Street, which also saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average head 1.07% lower to 26,458.31. In contrast, the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.74% on the week to wrap up September at 8,046.35. Across the month, the S&P rose 0.43%, and the Dow, 1.90%, while the Nasdaq declined 0.78%. The small-cap Russell 2000 sank 2.62% in September, settling Friday at 1,695.10.
5THIS WEEK
Monday, the Institute for Supply Management presents its September manufacturing PMI. | Paychex and PepsiCo announce earnings Tuesday morning; just before the closing bell, Fed chairman Jerome Powell delivers a speech on the U.S. inflation and employment outlook in Boston. | On Wednesday, ADP’s latest payrolls report appears along with the latest ISM service sector PMI and earnings from Lennar. | The September Challenger job-cut report and a new weekly initial jobless claims snapshot arrive Thursday, plus earnings from Constellation Brands and Costco. | The Department of Labor issues its September employment report on Friday.
| % CHANGE | Y-T-D | 1-YR CHG | 5-YR AVG | 10-YR AVG |
| DJIA | 7.04 | 18.22 | 14.68 | 15.53 |
| NASDAQ | 16.56 | 24.68 | 22.56 | 30.56 |
| S&P 500 | 8.99 | 16.09 | 14.45 | 16.34 |
| | | | |
| REAL YIELD | 9/28 RATE | 1 YR AGO | 5 YRS AGO | 10 YRS AGO |
| 10 YR TIPS | 0.91 | 0.44 | 0.46 | 2.03 |
Sources: wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov - 9/28/18
5,6,7,8Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. These returns do not include dividends. 10-year TIPS real yield = projected return at maturity given expected inflation.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.0.86" custom_margin="0px|||" custom_padding="0px|||"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Forward to friends - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya Sans SC||||||||" header_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_font_size="48px" background_color="#dddddd"]
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Meld Financial, Inc.
P.O. Box 43626
Birmingham, AL 35243
Phone: 205-967-4200
Email: Meld@meldfinancial.com
www.meldfinancial.com
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Securities Offered by - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" saved_tabs="all"]
Securities offered through Triad Advisors, LLC. Member FINRA/SIPC.
Advisory services offered through Meld Financial, Inc.
Triad Advisors and Meld Financial are not affiliated.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Disclosure Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15" text_font_size="10px" module_class="fine-print-post-text"]This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate and when redeemed may be worth more or less than when originally invested. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All market indices discussed are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment. Indices do not incur management fees, costs and expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world's largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. MarketingPro, Inc. is not affiliated with any person or firm that may be providing this information to you. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.CITATIONS:1 - businessinsider.com/federal-reserve-fomc-statement-and-interest-rate-decision-september-2018-2018-9 [9/26/18]2 - conference-board.org/data/consumerconfidence.cfm [9/25/18]3 - briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2018/09/24-28 [9/28/18]4 - cnbc.com/2018/09/26/august-new-home-sales.html [9/26/18]5 - markets.wsj.com/us [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F28%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F28%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F28%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F27%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F27%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F27%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F29%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F29%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F29%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]
7 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [9/28/18]
8 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [9/28/18][/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
Retirement Planning Pitfalls
[et_pb_section bb_built="1" _builder_version="3.0.92"][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="1_2"][et_pb_image _builder_version="3.16.1" src="https://meldfinancial.com/wp-content/uploads/retirement-planning-pitfalls-facebook.jpg" /][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_2"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.16.1" custom_padding="20px|||" custom_padding_last_edited="on|desktop"]
We’ve identified the 4 biggest mistakes people make when planning for retirement.
Provided by Meld University
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="to registration form - text" _builder_version="3.0.105" background_layout="light" saved_tabs="all" global_module="1444"]
Click here to register for our next event, "Investment Planning: From Growth to Income".
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1"]Our clients ask us a multitude of questions regarding what to do when it comes to
retirement planning. They want to know how much to save, where they should invest and what they should do now to prepare for life without a steady paycheck.But just as important as considering what you
should do before retirement is understanding what you
shouldn’t do — what we call the retirement planning pitfalls. These are costly decisions that can be easily avoided, as long as you know how.
Retirement Planning Pitfall #1: You haven’t determined how much income you’ll need in retirement.
This particular pitfall gets to the heart of why financial planning matters: You must
understand how much money you need to live now in order to understand how much you need to live in retirement. The scary fact is many of us are heading into retirement blind.According to the
2018 Retirement Confidence Survey, only about half of workers 55 and older had put together a rough estimate of what their costs will be in retirement — and by extension, how much they’ll need to have saved. There was also a huge disconnect between the expectations of retirement income and the realities: While
68 percent of workers expect income from working to be a significant source of income in retirement, only 26 percent of retirees say working provides a notable contribution to their retirement income.If you don’t know how much you’ll need in retirement, or if you don’t have a good understanding of what income to expect, you run the risk of falling short on what you need to live. Or, on the other side of the coin, if you don’t understand how to budget during your retirement, you run the risk of overspending right out the gate. And trust us when we say that income is much harder to come by in your retirement years.A great way to get started understanding your retirement needs is by
developing a Situational Investment Plan that is tailored to your lifestyle.
Retirement Planning Pitfall #2: You file for Social Security too early.
Most people know they can begin drawing Social Security payments as early as age 62. The allure of more money in your pocket can be tempting, and some people think taking benefits as soon as they can is their best move.On the other hand, the longer you wait to claim your Social Security benefits, the larger your monthly payment. For every year you wait between 66 and 70, your Social Security increases 8 percent. That’s not a bad return on investment.Now, many people will argue in favor of filing early simply because they don’t know how long they will live, and they want to get as much of their Social Security as possible. We understand that. You’ve been paying for this benefit you’re entire working life, and you want to reap the rewards.But it’s important to keep in mind that
the average retirement lasts 18 years. Many of us will live much longer than that. That means a higher Social Security payout may be worth the wait. Determining the optimal time to take your benefits can be tricky. We recommend enlisting the help of a
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) to determine your best course of action.
Retirement Planning Pitfall #3: You don’t plan for higher health care costs
We’ve got a sobering statistic for you: A recent survey from Fidelity estimated that a typical 65-year-old couple that retires in 2018 will need $280,000 to cover their health care expenses in retirement. If that took you by surprise, you’re not alone. According to the
2018 Retirement Confidence Survey, 44 percent of retirees said their health care bills were higher than anticipated, and 26 percent said the same about long-term care costs.Part of retirement involves getting older and, unfortunately, declining health. That should be factored into any financial plan you create for your retirement. None of us can predict the future, but the biggest retirement planning mistake you can make is not preparing for it. A
CFP® can provide data and analysis that will help you in estimating your healthcare costs as you age.
Retirement Planning Pitfall #4: You don’t start saving early enough
Maybe you’re waiting for that next big promotion. Or perhaps you’ve earmarked the end of child care expenses as your time to really dig in and start saving for retirement. Whatever your reason, you’re waiting, and that will cost you.You need time to save for retirement — particularly one that could last 20 years or more. And you need time for the money you sock away to earn interest and grow into the nest egg you need to enjoy your golden years.So, no matter where you are in your career or what you’re earning, you need to sit down with a CFP® and put a plan in place to start saving for retirement now. Even if you’re starting small, you’re still saving. And that’s what matters.Meld Financial has developed a proprietary methodology called
Situational Investing that starts with developing your Situational Investment Plan (or SIP for short). If you are looking for assistance with your retirement plan, feel free to contact us. If you’re more of a ‘do-it-yourselfer’ or if you just want to learn, be sure to visit
Meld University for more useful information and in-person classes designed to help you plan for retirement with confidence.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="to registration form - text" _builder_version="3.0.105" background_layout="light" saved_tabs="all" global_module="1444"]
Click here to register for our next event, "Investment Planning: From Growth to Income".
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image _builder_version="3.0.92" src="https://meldfinancial.com/wp-content/uploads/logo.png" show_in_lightbox="off" url_new_window="off" use_overlay="off" always_center_on_mobile="on" force_fullwidth="off" show_bottom_space="on" module_class="no-shadow" /][et_pb_text admin_label="Meld Contact Info - Text" _builder_version="3.0.101" background_layout="light"]
Meld Financial, Inc. may be reached at:
205-967-4200
meld@meldfinancial.com
P. O. Box 43626
Birmingham, AL 35243
www.meldfinancial.com
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Fine Print - Text" _builder_version="3.0.105" background_layout="light" text_font_size="10px" custom_css_main_element="font-size:10px important!;"]
Securities offered through Triad Advisors, LLC . Member FINRA/SIPC.
Advisory services offered through Meld Financial, Inc.
Triad Advisors and Meld Financial are not affiliated.
This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment.Citations.1 - fool.com/retirement/2018/01/02/lifetime-income-retirees-need-it-and-heres-how-to.aspx [1/2/18]2 - ssa.gov/planners/retire/r&m6.html [1/25/18]3 - cbsnews.com/news/the-top-retirement-decisions-facing-older-workers/ [1/25/18]4 - nber.org/papers/w24226.pdf [1/18]5 - ssa.gov/planners/taxes.html [1/25/18][/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
Weekly Economic Update - 10/8/2018
[et_pb_section bb_built="1" _builder_version="3.0.87" custom_margin="0px|||" custom_padding="0px|||"][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.0.86" custom_margin="||0px|" custom_padding="||0px|"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_image admin_label="WEU - Image" _builder_version="3.0.89" src="https://meldfinancial.com/wp-content/uploads/WEU-Pic-1200x628.png" show_in_lightbox="off" url_new_window="off" use_overlay="off" always_center_on_mobile="on" force_fullwidth="off" show_bottom_space="on" custom_padding="||20px|" /][et_pb_text admin_label="to registration form - text" _builder_version="3.15" saved_tabs="all" custom_padding="24px|16px|24px|16px" background_color="rgba(14,112,249,0.16)" global_module="1444"]
Upcoming Event:
Click here for details and to register for our next
Meld University event:
Financial Planning – What to Expect, Why it Matters. The class will be held on Tuesday, October 16th at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. There is no cost to register, but seating is limited.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Meld Financial Presents - H2i - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light"]
Meld Financial, Inc. Presents:
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Economic Update - H2 - Text" _builder_version="3.12.2" text_font="Alegreya Sans SC||||||||" header_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_font_size="48px" background_color="#dddddd" header_2_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_2_font_size="48px"]
Weekly Economic Update
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.0.106" background_color_1="#dddddd" custom_margin="0px||0px|" custom_padding="0px||0px|" padding_left_1="6px"][et_pb_column type="1_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Tip - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Tip
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Tip Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1"]
Yes, clipping coupons can save you money at the grocery store – but keep in mind, coupon deals may lead you to buy unneeded items. The cost of the extra purchases could cancel out any coupon savings.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Quote - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Quote
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Wkly Quote Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1"]
“Success is the maximum utilization of the ability that you have.”Zig Ziglar[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Riddle - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Riddle
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Riddle Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1"]
They can pass through state after state, all while never moving. What are they?[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Week Riddle - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Last Week's Riddle
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Week Riddle Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1"]
What can be broken, but should not be forgotten?[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Answer - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Last week's answer:
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Answer Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1" custom_padding="||494px|" custom_padding_phone="||24px|" custom_padding_last_edited="on|desktop"]
A promise.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="3_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1" background_color="#ffffff"]October 8, 2018
10-Year Treasury Yield Hits a 7-Year Peak
Friday, the yield on the 10-year note reached 3.23%, its highest level since 2011. Its yield rose dramatically last week, influenced by hawkish comments from Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell and reports showing minimal unemployment and a swiftly expanding business sector. All this strengthened investor perception that the U.S. economy has hit its stride. It also suggested a near future with recurring interest rate hikes, costlier borrowing, and subdued spending. That possibility weighed on equities. For the week, the Nasdaq Composite fell 3.21% to 7,788.45, and the S&P 500, 0.97% to 2,885.57; the Dow Industrials retreated just 0.04% to 26,447.05.
1,2Less Hiring in September
A look at the Department of Labor’s latest jobs report reveals good news and bad news. The good news? Unemployment declined further to 3.7%, annualized wage growth improved to 3.4% in the third quarter, and monthly net hiring averaged 190,000 in Q3. The bad news? Payrolls expanded with just 134,000 net new jobs last month, as underemployment ticked up 0.1% to 7.5% and year-over-year wage growth slowed to 2.8%. Some economists feel that Hurricane Florence significantly impacted the September data.
3Service Sector Expands at a Historic Pace
The Institute for Supply Management said its non-manufacturing purchasing manager index rose 3.1 points in September to 61.6. It has never been that high in its decade-long history. ISM’s PMI for the factory sector took a slight dip in September, slipping from 61.3 to 59.8 but still showing fast expansion.
4Oil Makes Another Weekly Advance
Crude is on a 4-week winning streak. At Friday’s closing bell, the price stood at $74.34 a barrel on the NYMEX, reflecting a 1.5% rise in five days. Again, worries over upcoming U.S. sanctions against Iran helped to send prices higher. WTI crude settled at $76.41 Wednesday, which approached a 4-year peak for the commodity.
5This Week
While the U.S. bond market is closed Monday in observance of Columbus Day, U.S. stock exchanges are open for business; no major economic or earnings releases are scheduled. | Nothing major is slated for Tuesday, either. | Wednesday, investors consider the September Producer Price Index and earnings from Fastenal. | On Thursday, the September Consumer Price Index appears, along with the latest initial jobless claims report and earnings news from Delta Air Lines and Walgreens Boots Alliance. | The fall earnings season begins Friday, with announcements from Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, PNC Financial Services Group, and Wells Fargo; in addition, the University of Michigan’s preliminary October consumer sentiment index arrives.
| % CHANGE | Y-T-D | 1-YR CHG | 5-YR AVG | 10-YR AVG |
| DJIA | 6.99 | 16.12 | 15.09 | 16.57 |
| NASDAQ | 12.82 | 18.27 | 20.91 | 31.81 |
| S&P 500 | 7.93 | 13.07 | 14.14 | 17.30 |
| | | | |
| REAL YIELD | 10/5 RATE | 1 YR AGO | 5 YRS AGO | 10 YRS AGO |
| 10 YR TIPS | 1.07 | 0.49 | 0.46 | 2.21 |
Sources: wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov - 10/5/18
2,6,7,8Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. These returns do not include dividends. 10-year TIPS real yield = projected return at maturity given expected inflation.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.0.86" custom_margin="0px|||" custom_padding="0px|||"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Forward to friends - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya Sans SC||||||||" header_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_font_size="48px" background_color="#dddddd"]
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Click here for details and to register for our next
Meld University event:
Financial Planning – What to Expect, Why it Matters. The class will be held on Tuesday, October 16th at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. There is no cost to register, but seating is limited.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Contact Info - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light"]
Meld Financial, Inc.
P.O. Box 43626
Birmingham, AL 35243
Phone: 205-967-4200
Email: Meld@meldfinancial.com
www.meldfinancial.com
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Securities Offered by - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" saved_tabs="all"]
Securities offered through Triad Advisors, LLC. Member FINRA/SIPC.
Advisory services offered through Meld Financial, Inc.
Triad Advisors and Meld Financial are not affiliated.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Disclosure Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1" text_font_size="10px" module_class="fine-print-post-text"]This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate and when redeemed may be worth more or less than when originally invested. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All market indices discussed are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment. Indices do not incur management fees, costs and expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world's largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. MarketingPro, Inc. is not affiliated with any person or firm that may be providing this information to you. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.CITATIONS:1 - thestreet.com/markets/stocks-rise-slightly-on-friday-after-september-jobs-report-14735092 [10/5/18]2 - markets.wsj.com/us [10/5/18]3 - bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-05/u-s-payrolls-and-wages-cool-while-jobless-rate-hits-48-year-low [10/5/18]4 - instituteforsupplymanagement.org/ISMReport/NonMfgROB.cfm?navItemNumber=30177 [9/26/18]5 - marketwatch.com/story/us-oil-benchmark-ends-nearly-flat-but-tallies-a-4th-straight-weekly-rise-2018-10-05 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F5%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F5%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F5%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F4%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F4%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F4%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F6%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F6%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F6%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]
7 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [10/5/18]
8 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [10/5/18][/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
Weekly Economic Update - 10/1/2018
[et_pb_section bb_built="1" _builder_version="3.0.87" custom_margin="0px|||" custom_padding="0px|||"][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.0.86" custom_margin="||0px|" custom_padding="||0px|"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_image admin_label="WEU - Image" _builder_version="3.0.89" src="https://meldfinancial.com/wp-content/uploads/WEU-Pic-1200x628.png" show_in_lightbox="off" url_new_window="off" use_overlay="off" always_center_on_mobile="on" force_fullwidth="off" show_bottom_space="on" custom_padding="||20px|" /][et_pb_text admin_label="to registration form - text" _builder_version="3.15" saved_tabs="all" custom_padding="24px|16px|24px|16px" background_color="rgba(14,112,249,0.16)" global_module="1444"]
Upcoming Event:
Click here for details and to register for our next
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Financial Planning – What to Expect, Why it Matters. The class will be held on Tuesday, October 16th at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. There is no cost to register, but seating is limited.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Meld Financial Presents - H2i - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light"]
Meld Financial, Inc. Presents:
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Weekly Economic Update
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.0.106" background_color_1="#dddddd" custom_margin="0px||0px|" custom_padding="0px||0px|" padding_left_1="6px"][et_pb_column type="1_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Tip - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Tip
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Tip Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15"]
When you inherit real estate, you immediately face some financial questions. Do you want to sell the property, rent it out, or keep it? What would each choice mean, tax-wise? Can you handle payments on an outstanding mortgage and maintenance costs? Talking to tax or real estate professionals is essential.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Quote - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Quote
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Wkly Quote Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15"]
“A pound of pluck is worth a ton of luck.”James Garfield[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Riddle - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Riddle
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Riddle Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15"]
What can be broken, but should not be forgotten?[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Week Riddle - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Last Week's Riddle
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Week Riddle Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15"]
You go into the forest and get it, you sit down to find it, and then you go home, just wanting to get it out. What is it?[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Answer - Text" _builder_version="3.15" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Last week's answer:
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Answer Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15" custom_padding="||324px|" custom_padding_phone="||24px|" custom_padding_last_edited="on|phone"]A splinter.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="3_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15" background_color="#ffffff"]October 1, 2018
FEDERAL RESERVE MAKES ITS THIRD RATE HIKE OF 2018
The central bank set the target range for the federal funds rate at 2.00-2.25% last week, in a move that economists and investors widely expected. One development was unexpected: the Fed removed the word “accommodative” from its latest policy statement, a hint that it may be on the verge of altering its monetary policy outlook. The Fed dot-plot still shows one more interest rate hike for 2018 and three hikes in 2019.
1HOUSEHOLDS SEE A VERY STRONG ECONOMY
Both marquee U.S. consumer confidence indices finished September in good shape. The Conference Board’s index reached an 18-year peak of 138.4, rising 3.7 points from its August mark. The University of Michigan’s gauge declined 0.7 points to a still-impressive reading of 100.1.
2,3A PERSONAL SPENDING MISS; A NEW HOME SALES GAIN
Looking at other economic indicators in a data-heavy week, consumer spending rose 0.3% in August, falling short of the 0.4% gain forecast by economists polled by Briefing.com. While reporting that advance, the Commerce Department also announced an improvement of 0.3% for personal incomes in August. The National Association of Realtors said that its pending home sales index declined 1.8% in the eighth month of the year; in better real estate news, the Census Bureau found new home buying up 3.5% in August, measuring a 12.7% yearly increase in the pace of new home sales.
3,4NASDAQ ADVANCES FOR THE WEEK, BUT S&P and DOW RETREAT
The S&P 500 finished the month at 2,913.98, losing 0.54% during a relatively calm week on Wall Street, which also saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average head 1.07% lower to 26,458.31. In contrast, the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.74% on the week to wrap up September at 8,046.35. Across the month, the S&P rose 0.43%, and the Dow, 1.90%, while the Nasdaq declined 0.78%. The small-cap Russell 2000 sank 2.62% in September, settling Friday at 1,695.10.
5THIS WEEK
Monday, the Institute for Supply Management presents its September manufacturing PMI. | Paychex and PepsiCo announce earnings Tuesday morning; just before the closing bell, Fed chairman Jerome Powell delivers a speech on the U.S. inflation and employment outlook in Boston. | On Wednesday, ADP’s latest payrolls report appears along with the latest ISM service sector PMI and earnings from Lennar. | The September Challenger job-cut report and a new weekly initial jobless claims snapshot arrive Thursday, plus earnings from Constellation Brands and Costco. | The Department of Labor issues its September employment report on Friday.
| % CHANGE | Y-T-D | 1-YR CHG | 5-YR AVG | 10-YR AVG |
| DJIA | 7.04 | 18.22 | 14.68 | 15.53 |
| NASDAQ | 16.56 | 24.68 | 22.56 | 30.56 |
| S&P 500 | 8.99 | 16.09 | 14.45 | 16.34 |
| | | | |
| REAL YIELD | 9/28 RATE | 1 YR AGO | 5 YRS AGO | 10 YRS AGO |
| 10 YR TIPS | 0.91 | 0.44 | 0.46 | 2.03 |
Sources: wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov - 9/28/18
5,6,7,8Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. These returns do not include dividends. 10-year TIPS real yield = projected return at maturity given expected inflation.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.0.86" custom_margin="0px|||" custom_padding="0px|||"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Forward to friends - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya Sans SC||||||||" header_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_font_size="48px" background_color="#dddddd"]
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Meld Financial, Inc.
P.O. Box 43626
Birmingham, AL 35243
Phone: 205-967-4200
Email: Meld@meldfinancial.com
www.meldfinancial.com
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Securities Offered by - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" saved_tabs="all"]
Securities offered through Triad Advisors, LLC. Member FINRA/SIPC.
Advisory services offered through Meld Financial, Inc.
Triad Advisors and Meld Financial are not affiliated.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Disclosure Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15" text_font_size="10px" module_class="fine-print-post-text"]This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate and when redeemed may be worth more or less than when originally invested. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All market indices discussed are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment. Indices do not incur management fees, costs and expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world's largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. MarketingPro, Inc. is not affiliated with any person or firm that may be providing this information to you. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.CITATIONS:1 - businessinsider.com/federal-reserve-fomc-statement-and-interest-rate-decision-september-2018-2018-9 [9/26/18]2 - conference-board.org/data/consumerconfidence.cfm [9/25/18]3 - briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2018/09/24-28 [9/28/18]4 - cnbc.com/2018/09/26/august-new-home-sales.html [9/26/18]5 - markets.wsj.com/us [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F28%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F28%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F28%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F27%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F27%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F27%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F29%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F29%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F29%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]
7 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [9/28/18]
8 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [9/28/18][/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
Retirement Planning Pitfalls
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We’ve identified the 4 biggest mistakes people make when planning for retirement.
Provided by Meld University
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="to registration form - text" _builder_version="3.0.105" background_layout="light" saved_tabs="all" global_module="1444"]
Click here to register for our next event, "Investment Planning: From Growth to Income".
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1"]Our clients ask us a multitude of questions regarding what to do when it comes to
retirement planning. They want to know how much to save, where they should invest and what they should do now to prepare for life without a steady paycheck.But just as important as considering what you
should do before retirement is understanding what you
shouldn’t do — what we call the retirement planning pitfalls. These are costly decisions that can be easily avoided, as long as you know how.
Retirement Planning Pitfall #1: You haven’t determined how much income you’ll need in retirement.
This particular pitfall gets to the heart of why financial planning matters: You must
understand how much money you need to live now in order to understand how much you need to live in retirement. The scary fact is many of us are heading into retirement blind.According to the
2018 Retirement Confidence Survey, only about half of workers 55 and older had put together a rough estimate of what their costs will be in retirement — and by extension, how much they’ll need to have saved. There was also a huge disconnect between the expectations of retirement income and the realities: While
68 percent of workers expect income from working to be a significant source of income in retirement, only 26 percent of retirees say working provides a notable contribution to their retirement income.If you don’t know how much you’ll need in retirement, or if you don’t have a good understanding of what income to expect, you run the risk of falling short on what you need to live. Or, on the other side of the coin, if you don’t understand how to budget during your retirement, you run the risk of overspending right out the gate. And trust us when we say that income is much harder to come by in your retirement years.A great way to get started understanding your retirement needs is by
developing a Situational Investment Plan that is tailored to your lifestyle.
Retirement Planning Pitfall #2: You file for Social Security too early.
Most people know they can begin drawing Social Security payments as early as age 62. The allure of more money in your pocket can be tempting, and some people think taking benefits as soon as they can is their best move.On the other hand, the longer you wait to claim your Social Security benefits, the larger your monthly payment. For every year you wait between 66 and 70, your Social Security increases 8 percent. That’s not a bad return on investment.Now, many people will argue in favor of filing early simply because they don’t know how long they will live, and they want to get as much of their Social Security as possible. We understand that. You’ve been paying for this benefit you’re entire working life, and you want to reap the rewards.But it’s important to keep in mind that
the average retirement lasts 18 years. Many of us will live much longer than that. That means a higher Social Security payout may be worth the wait. Determining the optimal time to take your benefits can be tricky. We recommend enlisting the help of a
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) to determine your best course of action.
Retirement Planning Pitfall #3: You don’t plan for higher health care costs
We’ve got a sobering statistic for you: A recent survey from Fidelity estimated that a typical 65-year-old couple that retires in 2018 will need $280,000 to cover their health care expenses in retirement. If that took you by surprise, you’re not alone. According to the
2018 Retirement Confidence Survey, 44 percent of retirees said their health care bills were higher than anticipated, and 26 percent said the same about long-term care costs.Part of retirement involves getting older and, unfortunately, declining health. That should be factored into any financial plan you create for your retirement. None of us can predict the future, but the biggest retirement planning mistake you can make is not preparing for it. A
CFP® can provide data and analysis that will help you in estimating your healthcare costs as you age.
Retirement Planning Pitfall #4: You don’t start saving early enough
Maybe you’re waiting for that next big promotion. Or perhaps you’ve earmarked the end of child care expenses as your time to really dig in and start saving for retirement. Whatever your reason, you’re waiting, and that will cost you.You need time to save for retirement — particularly one that could last 20 years or more. And you need time for the money you sock away to earn interest and grow into the nest egg you need to enjoy your golden years.So, no matter where you are in your career or what you’re earning, you need to sit down with a CFP® and put a plan in place to start saving for retirement now. Even if you’re starting small, you’re still saving. And that’s what matters.Meld Financial has developed a proprietary methodology called
Situational Investing that starts with developing your Situational Investment Plan (or SIP for short). If you are looking for assistance with your retirement plan, feel free to contact us. If you’re more of a ‘do-it-yourselfer’ or if you just want to learn, be sure to visit
Meld University for more useful information and in-person classes designed to help you plan for retirement with confidence.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="to registration form - text" _builder_version="3.0.105" background_layout="light" saved_tabs="all" global_module="1444"]
Click here to register for our next event, "Investment Planning: From Growth to Income".
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Meld Financial, Inc. may be reached at:
205-967-4200
meld@meldfinancial.com
P. O. Box 43626
Birmingham, AL 35243
www.meldfinancial.com
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Fine Print - Text" _builder_version="3.0.105" background_layout="light" text_font_size="10px" custom_css_main_element="font-size:10px important!;"]
Securities offered through Triad Advisors, LLC . Member FINRA/SIPC.
Advisory services offered through Meld Financial, Inc.
Triad Advisors and Meld Financial are not affiliated.
This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment.Citations.1 - fool.com/retirement/2018/01/02/lifetime-income-retirees-need-it-and-heres-how-to.aspx [1/2/18]2 - ssa.gov/planners/retire/r&m6.html [1/25/18]3 - cbsnews.com/news/the-top-retirement-decisions-facing-older-workers/ [1/25/18]4 - nber.org/papers/w24226.pdf [1/18]5 - ssa.gov/planners/taxes.html [1/25/18][/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
Weekly Economic Update - 10/8/2018
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Weekly Economic Update
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Weekly Tip
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Yes, clipping coupons can save you money at the grocery store – but keep in mind, coupon deals may lead you to buy unneeded items. The cost of the extra purchases could cancel out any coupon savings.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Quote - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Quote
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“Success is the maximum utilization of the ability that you have.”Zig Ziglar[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Riddle - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Riddle
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They can pass through state after state, all while never moving. What are they?[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Week Riddle - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Last Week's Riddle
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What can be broken, but should not be forgotten?[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Answer - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Last week's answer:
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A promise.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="3_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1" background_color="#ffffff"]October 8, 2018
10-Year Treasury Yield Hits a 7-Year Peak
Friday, the yield on the 10-year note reached 3.23%, its highest level since 2011. Its yield rose dramatically last week, influenced by hawkish comments from Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell and reports showing minimal unemployment and a swiftly expanding business sector. All this strengthened investor perception that the U.S. economy has hit its stride. It also suggested a near future with recurring interest rate hikes, costlier borrowing, and subdued spending. That possibility weighed on equities. For the week, the Nasdaq Composite fell 3.21% to 7,788.45, and the S&P 500, 0.97% to 2,885.57; the Dow Industrials retreated just 0.04% to 26,447.05.
1,2Less Hiring in September
A look at the Department of Labor’s latest jobs report reveals good news and bad news. The good news? Unemployment declined further to 3.7%, annualized wage growth improved to 3.4% in the third quarter, and monthly net hiring averaged 190,000 in Q3. The bad news? Payrolls expanded with just 134,000 net new jobs last month, as underemployment ticked up 0.1% to 7.5% and year-over-year wage growth slowed to 2.8%. Some economists feel that Hurricane Florence significantly impacted the September data.
3Service Sector Expands at a Historic Pace
The Institute for Supply Management said its non-manufacturing purchasing manager index rose 3.1 points in September to 61.6. It has never been that high in its decade-long history. ISM’s PMI for the factory sector took a slight dip in September, slipping from 61.3 to 59.8 but still showing fast expansion.
4Oil Makes Another Weekly Advance
Crude is on a 4-week winning streak. At Friday’s closing bell, the price stood at $74.34 a barrel on the NYMEX, reflecting a 1.5% rise in five days. Again, worries over upcoming U.S. sanctions against Iran helped to send prices higher. WTI crude settled at $76.41 Wednesday, which approached a 4-year peak for the commodity.
5This Week
While the U.S. bond market is closed Monday in observance of Columbus Day, U.S. stock exchanges are open for business; no major economic or earnings releases are scheduled. | Nothing major is slated for Tuesday, either. | Wednesday, investors consider the September Producer Price Index and earnings from Fastenal. | On Thursday, the September Consumer Price Index appears, along with the latest initial jobless claims report and earnings news from Delta Air Lines and Walgreens Boots Alliance. | The fall earnings season begins Friday, with announcements from Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, PNC Financial Services Group, and Wells Fargo; in addition, the University of Michigan’s preliminary October consumer sentiment index arrives.
| % CHANGE | Y-T-D | 1-YR CHG | 5-YR AVG | 10-YR AVG |
| DJIA | 6.99 | 16.12 | 15.09 | 16.57 |
| NASDAQ | 12.82 | 18.27 | 20.91 | 31.81 |
| S&P 500 | 7.93 | 13.07 | 14.14 | 17.30 |
| | | | |
| REAL YIELD | 10/5 RATE | 1 YR AGO | 5 YRS AGO | 10 YRS AGO |
| 10 YR TIPS | 1.07 | 0.49 | 0.46 | 2.21 |
Sources: wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov - 10/5/18
2,6,7,8Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. These returns do not include dividends. 10-year TIPS real yield = projected return at maturity given expected inflation.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.0.86" custom_margin="0px|||" custom_padding="0px|||"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Forward to friends - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya Sans SC||||||||" header_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_font_size="48px" background_color="#dddddd"]
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Financial Planning – What to Expect, Why it Matters. The class will be held on Tuesday, October 16th at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. There is no cost to register, but seating is limited.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Contact Info - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light"]
Meld Financial, Inc.
P.O. Box 43626
Birmingham, AL 35243
Phone: 205-967-4200
Email: Meld@meldfinancial.com
www.meldfinancial.com
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Securities Offered by - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" saved_tabs="all"]
Securities offered through Triad Advisors, LLC. Member FINRA/SIPC.
Advisory services offered through Meld Financial, Inc.
Triad Advisors and Meld Financial are not affiliated.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Disclosure Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.16.1" text_font_size="10px" module_class="fine-print-post-text"]This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate and when redeemed may be worth more or less than when originally invested. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All market indices discussed are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment. Indices do not incur management fees, costs and expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world's largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. MarketingPro, Inc. is not affiliated with any person or firm that may be providing this information to you. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.CITATIONS:1 - thestreet.com/markets/stocks-rise-slightly-on-friday-after-september-jobs-report-14735092 [10/5/18]2 - markets.wsj.com/us [10/5/18]3 - bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-05/u-s-payrolls-and-wages-cool-while-jobless-rate-hits-48-year-low [10/5/18]4 - instituteforsupplymanagement.org/ISMReport/NonMfgROB.cfm?navItemNumber=30177 [9/26/18]5 - marketwatch.com/story/us-oil-benchmark-ends-nearly-flat-but-tallies-a-4th-straight-weekly-rise-2018-10-05 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F5%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F5%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F5%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F4%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F4%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F4%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F6%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F6%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F6%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]
7 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [10/5/18]
8 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [10/5/18][/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
Weekly Economic Update - 10/1/2018
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Meld Financial, Inc. Presents:
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Weekly Economic Update
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Weekly Tip
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When you inherit real estate, you immediately face some financial questions. Do you want to sell the property, rent it out, or keep it? What would each choice mean, tax-wise? Can you handle payments on an outstanding mortgage and maintenance costs? Talking to tax or real estate professionals is essential.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Quote - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Quote
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Wkly Quote Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15"]
“A pound of pluck is worth a ton of luck.”James Garfield[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Riddle - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Weekly Riddle
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Weekly Riddle Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15"]
What can be broken, but should not be forgotten?[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Week Riddle - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Last Week's Riddle
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Week Riddle Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15"]
You go into the forest and get it, you sit down to find it, and then you go home, just wanting to get it out. What is it?[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Answer - Text" _builder_version="3.15" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_5_font_size="24px"]
Last week's answer:
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Last Answer Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15" custom_padding="||324px|" custom_padding_phone="||24px|" custom_padding_last_edited="on|phone"]A splinter.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="3_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15" background_color="#ffffff"]October 1, 2018
FEDERAL RESERVE MAKES ITS THIRD RATE HIKE OF 2018
The central bank set the target range for the federal funds rate at 2.00-2.25% last week, in a move that economists and investors widely expected. One development was unexpected: the Fed removed the word “accommodative” from its latest policy statement, a hint that it may be on the verge of altering its monetary policy outlook. The Fed dot-plot still shows one more interest rate hike for 2018 and three hikes in 2019.
1HOUSEHOLDS SEE A VERY STRONG ECONOMY
Both marquee U.S. consumer confidence indices finished September in good shape. The Conference Board’s index reached an 18-year peak of 138.4, rising 3.7 points from its August mark. The University of Michigan’s gauge declined 0.7 points to a still-impressive reading of 100.1.
2,3A PERSONAL SPENDING MISS; A NEW HOME SALES GAIN
Looking at other economic indicators in a data-heavy week, consumer spending rose 0.3% in August, falling short of the 0.4% gain forecast by economists polled by Briefing.com. While reporting that advance, the Commerce Department also announced an improvement of 0.3% for personal incomes in August. The National Association of Realtors said that its pending home sales index declined 1.8% in the eighth month of the year; in better real estate news, the Census Bureau found new home buying up 3.5% in August, measuring a 12.7% yearly increase in the pace of new home sales.
3,4NASDAQ ADVANCES FOR THE WEEK, BUT S&P and DOW RETREAT
The S&P 500 finished the month at 2,913.98, losing 0.54% during a relatively calm week on Wall Street, which also saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average head 1.07% lower to 26,458.31. In contrast, the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.74% on the week to wrap up September at 8,046.35. Across the month, the S&P rose 0.43%, and the Dow, 1.90%, while the Nasdaq declined 0.78%. The small-cap Russell 2000 sank 2.62% in September, settling Friday at 1,695.10.
5THIS WEEK
Monday, the Institute for Supply Management presents its September manufacturing PMI. | Paychex and PepsiCo announce earnings Tuesday morning; just before the closing bell, Fed chairman Jerome Powell delivers a speech on the U.S. inflation and employment outlook in Boston. | On Wednesday, ADP’s latest payrolls report appears along with the latest ISM service sector PMI and earnings from Lennar. | The September Challenger job-cut report and a new weekly initial jobless claims snapshot arrive Thursday, plus earnings from Constellation Brands and Costco. | The Department of Labor issues its September employment report on Friday.
| % CHANGE | Y-T-D | 1-YR CHG | 5-YR AVG | 10-YR AVG |
| DJIA | 7.04 | 18.22 | 14.68 | 15.53 |
| NASDAQ | 16.56 | 24.68 | 22.56 | 30.56 |
| S&P 500 | 8.99 | 16.09 | 14.45 | 16.34 |
| | | | |
| REAL YIELD | 9/28 RATE | 1 YR AGO | 5 YRS AGO | 10 YRS AGO |
| 10 YR TIPS | 0.91 | 0.44 | 0.46 | 2.03 |
Sources: wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov - 9/28/18
5,6,7,8Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. These returns do not include dividends. 10-year TIPS real yield = projected return at maturity given expected inflation.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.0.86" custom_margin="0px|||" custom_padding="0px|||"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Forward to friends - Text" _builder_version="3.0.86" background_layout="light" text_font="Alegreya Sans SC||||||||" header_font="Alegreya SC||||||||" header_font_size="48px" background_color="#dddddd"]
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Meld Financial, Inc.
P.O. Box 43626
Birmingham, AL 35243
Phone: 205-967-4200
Email: Meld@meldfinancial.com
www.meldfinancial.com
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Securities Offered by - Text" _builder_version="3.0.106" background_layout="light" saved_tabs="all"]
Securities offered through Triad Advisors, LLC. Member FINRA/SIPC.
Advisory services offered through Meld Financial, Inc.
Triad Advisors and Meld Financial are not affiliated.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Disclosure Detail - Text" _builder_version="3.15" text_font_size="10px" module_class="fine-print-post-text"]This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate and when redeemed may be worth more or less than when originally invested. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All market indices discussed are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment. Indices do not incur management fees, costs and expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world's largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. MarketingPro, Inc. is not affiliated with any person or firm that may be providing this information to you. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.CITATIONS:1 - businessinsider.com/federal-reserve-fomc-statement-and-interest-rate-decision-september-2018-2018-9 [9/26/18]2 - conference-board.org/data/consumerconfidence.cfm [9/25/18]3 - briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2018/09/24-28 [9/28/18]4 - cnbc.com/2018/09/26/august-new-home-sales.html [9/26/18]5 - markets.wsj.com/us [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F28%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F28%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F28%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F27%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F27%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F27%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F29%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F29%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F29%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]
7 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [9/28/18]
8 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [9/28/18][/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
