Ben and Brittany share Hilltop’s latest investment views: a strong economic year with cooling inflation, a broadening market rally, and likely impacts from the US election.

Brittany shows a scenario where a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) could reduce your tax bill for years to come. In a year with abnormally high taxable income, consider a DAF as a way to make the most of your charitable donations.

Chris shows how making Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from an IRA can be a tax-smart way to donate to charities in retirement. If you’re over age 70.5, have an IRA, and want to donate to charities, consider QCDs as a way to minimize your taxable income and maximize your charitable giving! As always, talk with your financial and tax advisor.

Election season is one of the most important aspects of our political system, but there’s no doubt that getting through it can be stressful. But one thing you shouldn’t have to stress over is how the elections will impact the markets.

Chris and Dave share Hilltop’s latest investment views: a concentrated market run-up, bonds recovering, upcoming opportunities, and more. If you would like to discuss anything, we look forward to hearing from you.

Starting early with a Roth IRA can make a significant difference in your financial future. By taking advantage of the potential tax benefits and benefits of compounding, you may position yourself for success and flexibility in the long term. Remember, the earlier you start, the more time your money has to grow.

Rusty and Brittany share Hilltop’s latest investment views: the inflation outlook, opportunities in AI, the timing for the Federal Reserve’s interest rate cuts, and more.

David and Ben share Hilltop’s latest investment views: opportunities in fixed income, the upcoming US presidential election, the growth of the “Magnificent Seven” stocks, and more.

With the start of the New Year and classes coming back in session, there is no better time for a fresh beginning with your finances. Here are 8 smart budgeting tips that can help you build a strong financial foundation before you graduate.

Brittany and Chris share Hilltop’s latest investment views: opportunities in fixed income, the impact of global conflict on markets, recessionary risks, and more.

Whether your earnings came from hard work or good luck, the final few months of the year are a perfect time to review this year’s income and make sure you have a smart tax plan in place. Here are the planning steps to take.

David and Rusty share Hilltop’s latest investment views: cooling inflation, economic resiliency, narrow stock market leadership, and more.

Ben and Brittany share Hilltop’s latest investment views: bank failures, decelerating inflation, moderately strong market performance, and more.

Graduate school can be a worthwhile investment, but it can also be expensive and time-consuming. To help you weigh your options, take these three steps:

With an HSA, not only do you get a tax deduction on the money you contribute, but the earnings in the account are tax-deferred and the withdrawals are tax-free if you use the funds for qualified medical expenses*. Read on to learn more about the HSA and why you might want it to be part of your longer-term savings plan.

The SECURE Act 2.0 significantly changes the rules of retirement savings. The good news for savers in or near retirement is that most of SECURE 2.0’s provisions offer greater flexibility than previous rules, and there are some new opportunities available.

David and Chris share Hilltop’s latest investment views: just how bad the markets were in 2022, what we can look forward to this year, and how Hilltop is updating allocations.

For younger investors, we believe the overarching theme of SECURE 2.0 is greater opportunities to save for retirement. Here are five of the biggest updates for young professionals.

If you have federal student loans, you have undoubtedly enjoyed the past few years of zero interest + zero required payments on your loans. However, federal student loan payments and interest accrual are set to resume by mid-2023, and this could be a harsh awakening for many loan borrowers.

There’s no one right or wrong way to approach financial advising, but given the plethora of options it’s not surprising that only 35%* of Americans work with a financial advisor – it’s so hard to know when and where to start!

At some point, you realize the Internet doesn’t have all the answers you need. Sometimes facts and general education aren’t enough – you need someone who knows you and can help you make a decision.

Brittany and Rusty share Hilltop’s current views on challenging bond markets, rising interest rates and recession risk, low unemployment, and how we’re updating allocations.

If you’ve built up substantial savings in your 401(k) or another retirement plan, professional management could provide significant benefits. Here are five ways an advisor can help.

Ben and Curtis share Hilltop’s current views on the Fed’s tightrope act, recession concerns, persistent inflation, how we’re navigating current markets, and more.

When it comes to financial goals, we’re often thinking about big, long-term objectives like saving for retirement, paying for college, or buying a home. Life is all about balance, though: you deserve to enjoy life now while planning for the future, so it’s important to consider what your shorter-term priorities might be.

Chris and David share Hilltop’s current views on the Fed, inflation, deglobalization trends, how we’re navigating current markets, and more.

Curtis and Rusty share Hilltop’s views on inflation, economic reopening, market opportunities, and more.

Hilltop will share our quarterly outlook video in a few weeks. But with the daily fluctuations being as wild as they are, we wanted to share a sneak preview of our thoughts.

For families who are in the position of paying for daycare or a nanny, it can still be a complicated decision to make because there are many factors to consider - some of these factors are financial, some are less quantifiable. While every family should make the decision that is uniquely best for them, it is wise to weigh the potential advantages of either choice.

The new year is right around the corner, so it’s a great time to revisit your charitable gifting strategy. In today’s installment of our series “Uncertain Seas: Navigating 2021 Tax Reform,” Brittany Mollica has a case study in some tax-efficient ways to give.