Social Security: Shoring Up America’s Safety Net

Social Security: Shoring Up America’s Safety Net

Ever since a legal secretary named Ida May Fuller received the first Social Security retirement check in 1940, Americans have been counting on Social Security to provide much needed retirement income. For many older Americans, Social Security is their main source of guaranteed retirement income—income that continues throughout their lifetimes and is indexed for inflation every year (in 2019, the cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, was 2.8%).

Market Strategies: Three Ways to Play Defense in Your Stock Portfolio

Market Strategies: Three Ways to Play Defense in Your Stock Portfolio

Defensive investment strategies share a common goal—to help a portfolio better weather an economic downturn and/or bouts of market volatility. But there are some key differences, including the specific criteria by which particular stocks are selected. If you are nearing retirement or just have a more conservative risk tolerance, one of these defensive strategies may help you manage risk while maintaining a robust equity portfolio.