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As we look forward to the year 2020 and a new decade, some key trends and market signals will be important to watch, including progress on U.S.-China trade discussions, an encouraging outlook from corporate America, and continued strength in consumer spending.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, someone turning age 65 today has almost a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care services and supports in their remaining years. Whether you or your spouse will require long-term care is difficult to predict. But it is wise to consider long-term care insurance and whether it may be a good idea for you.

Americans are woefully unprepared for retirement. As survey after survey has shown, the average person is simply not saving enough to provide for a comfortable retirement. That’s why Congress is currently proposing reforms to retirement plan rules.

The federal estate tax exemption for 2019 is a whopping $11.4 million -- and twice that for a married couple. It is estimated that only 1,900 estates will be subject to the tax in 2018 -- less than 0.1% of the 2.7 million expected deaths in that year. So why then should any but the super-rich bother with a trust?

One of the first steps in planning for retirement is to get an accurate read on just how much income you can expect to receive from Social Security. The exact amount of your Social Security benefit will depend upon your earnings history and retirement timing. Although Social Security provides only about a third of a typical retiree's income, it often serves as the foundation for calculating how much other income you'll need and how much you'll need to save.

Identity theft affects millions of Americans each year, and Social Security numbers are the skeleton key. And what better way to get someone's Social Security number than by pretending to be from Social Security.