Dear Garden State Trust: What are the chances that the wild ride for stocks will end soon? What does the latest GDP figure suggest for the future? —All Shook Up Dear Shook: The U.S. Gross Domestic Product grew at a record 33.1% annualized rate during the third quarter of the year. The previous one-quarter record was…
Author: gstc
The Keystone State
Garden State Trust Company has been granted permission to provide our services to Pennsylvanians, and we are excited about the prospect. Although Pennsylvania has many nicknames, the most well-known may be as the Keystone State. A keystone (or capstone) is the part of an arch that is needed to keep the other stones from falling…
What Is a “Corporate Fiduciary”?
Dear Garden State Trust: I understand that you are a “corporate fiduciary.” What is that exactly? Aren’t you just a different flavor of stockbroker or financial planner? —Shopping For Advice Dear Shopping: “Fiduciary” is a legal term that describes the duties that one party owes to another in a business relationship. A fiduciary duty is…
The New Millionaire’s Tax… Applies To Who Exactly?
Looking to create additional tax revenue to offset the losses from the pandemic and provide additional relief, New Jersey has opted to implement a “Millionaire’s Tax”. Does the millionaire’s tax affect all millionaires? New Jersey has a lot of millionaires, with some estimates showing over 250,000 households with over a million dollars in investable assets.…
Ultra-Low Interest Rates
Dear Garden State Trust: How much longer will these low interest rates last? As the bonds in my portfolio mature, I’m having a really hard time replacing their income. —Frustrated Bond Investor Dear Frustrated: I’m afraid that the very low interest rates we have today will not soon change. Interest rates are being kept low…
Retirement Gift Ideas
One of the recent changes in approaching retirement has been a shift from a complete exit of the labor force to a partial one. Retiring for many may mean the freedom to work only the amount of time they want, and for work to become an optional part of their lives. This may be because…
Retirement Readiness
Dear Garden State Trust: I’m old enough to retire, but I’m not sure I’m ready yet. I think I have strong financial resources, but I don’t know if they are enough to make me financially independent for the rest of my life. Retirement seems so terribly uncertain to me. When should I make the jump?…