J.M. Hallmark and Associates

How much is enough for your emergency fund?

Your Emergency Fund: How Much Is Enough? Having an emergency fund may help alleviate the stress and worry associated with a financial crisis.

The IRS can tax up to 85% of Social Security benefits. It may be possible to manage the tax bill.

Social Security Taxes Estimate how much of your Social Security benefit may be considered taxable.

Consider a bucket plan to go with your bucket list.

A Bucket Plan to Go with Your Bucket List A bucket plan can help you be better prepared for a comfortable retirement.

Paying off debt doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Having a strategy can help simplify the process. Two popular debt repayment strategies are debt avalanche and debt snowball. Which is best for you?

Debt Avalanche vs. Debt Snowball: What's the Difference? The debt avalanche method pays off the high-interest debt first, and the debt snowball method focuses on paying off the smallest debt first. Learn how they work.

Bulls and bears, oh my! Why are the financial markets full of animals? Read on to learn what these terms mean, and the history of bull and bear markets.

Bull & Bear Markets: A Timeline This helpful infographic will define bull and bear markets, as well as give a historical overview.

There may be no greater gift that you can give the kids in your life this holiday season than teaching them the importance of giving back to their community. Have them get involved and see the impact they can have in the lives of others!

8 Ways To Teach Kids About Giving and Sharing During the Holidays Finding ways to involve your kids in acts of generosity this holiday season may help to boost their happiness levels, which may inspire them to seek out opportunities to be more giving throughout their lifetimes.

Are you out of time to finish wrapping the gifts? Check out these quick and beautiful ideas to keep it simple and still enjoy the magic of the holidays!

12 Simple Last Minute Gift Wrapping Ideas Use what you have and still create a unique presentation with these 12 simple, last minute gift wrapping ideas!

Want to give back to the community during the holidays but don’t have the extra hours or funds this year? Here are some ideas for good deeds that won’t break the bank or require too much time but will still spread a lot of joy.

20 Thoughtful Holiday Gifts That Give Back The only thing better than giving the perfect gift is knowing you’re supporting an important cause at the same time.

This is it! The holiday season is here! Want to make the most of this festive time of year? This bucket list is filled with fun activities to help you embrace the spirit of Christmas.

Christmas Bucket List: 50 Fun Holiday Activities & Festive Things to Do Need fun holiday activities & ideas for adults, families & kids? The Christmas Bucket List has the best Christmassy things to do this season.

Everyone loves a handmade gift, but what about handmade gift wrapping? Make your gifts stand out with a personal touch!

Make Your Presents Stand Out Under the Tree with These Wrapping Ideas 'Tis the season to get crafty.

Not all debt is created equal! There are good and bad types of debt. Knowing the difference can help you make good financial decisions. Check out these main categories of debt and how they can impact your financial situation.

What Are the Main Types of Debt? Types of debt available for consumers include secured debt, unsecured debt, revolving debt and mortgages. Learn about the different categories of debt.

Want to make your gifts as memorable as can be? Check out these great gift presentation ideas!

Anyone Can Pull Off These Festive Gift Wrapping Ideas Add a personal touch to holiday gift-giving this year.

What beats curling up and turning on a classic Christmas movie during the holidays? Not much! How many on this list of 50 films have you seen?

Here Are the Christmas Movies You Should Binge This Holiday Season If you go through the holidays without watching at least one of these films, you might just be the Grinch...

There is strength in numbers and that goes for volunteering too! The more people you can rally for a cause, the bigger the impact you can make. Need ways to get your company involved? These opportunities are perfect for groups!

https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/5-ways-your-company-can-volunteer-during-holidays

Feeling strapped for cash this holiday season and aren’t sure you can give back? There are still efficient and impactful ways to make a difference! Shop with businesses that give back to the community. Here are 10 of the top businesses recognized for giving back.

Top 10 Companies Giving Back To The Community New generations are more invested in following brands that are more socially conscious and companies that give back to the community.

Turns out wrapping gifts to store-level perfection doesn’t require magic after all! Nail it this holiday season with these 11 simple tips.

Wrap Your Gifts Like a Pro With This Guide We tapped Macy's gift-wrapping expert Belle Wesel to share her tips.

The outlook for the for next year seems to be rather pessimistic, but one group of people are feeling positive: Consumers.

Read our latest blog on the subject.

Consumers Expect Better Days Ahead The outlook for the for next year seems to be rather pessimistic, but one group of people are feeling positive: Consumers. Read our latest blog on the subject.

Think you're too young to worry about long-term care planning or that it doesn't apply to you? Think again! Check out this article to learn why now is the time to start planning.

Long-Term Care Insurance Explained - NerdWallet Chances are you’ll need some help taking care of yourself later in life. The big question is: How will you pay for it? Enter: long-term care insurance.

November 18th is the day dedicated to celebrating the delicious beverage called apple cider!

Have you considered how long-term-care costs could affect your retirement budget? Find out more.

Long-Term-Care Needs Determine your potential long-term care needs and how long your current assets might last.

🏡 Mortgage demand slowed as interest rates continue to rise, reaching the slowest pace since 1995. But there's a new trend emerging—adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) are seeing increased demand.

▪️ Total application volume dropped 1% last week compared to the previous week.
▪️ ARMs, which offer slightly lower rates, now account for 9.5% of total demand, the highest level in nearly a year.
▪️ The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 7.90%.
▪️ The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs increased to 6.99%.
▪️ Applications to refinance a home loan increased by 2%.
▪️ Applications for a mortgage to purchase a home fell by 2% and were 22% lower than the same week last year.
▪️ Buyers are facing higher mortgage rates and limited housing supply, making the market for existing homes even more competitive.



Source:

Adjustable-rate mortgage demand hits highest level in nearly a year as interest rates continue to climb Mortgage demand has essentially stalled at the slowest pace since 1995, as mortgage interest rates continue to rise.