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A bear market is officially here thanks largely to stubbornly high inflation. For many of us, it has probably felt like a bear market for a while now, but the S&P 500 Index didn’t close more than 20% below its January 3 record high until June 13. Tech stocks are down a lot more—the Nasdaq Composite is more than 32% below its November 2021 record high. So now that the bear market is here, what should investors expect?

The bull market that began in March of 2020 is dangerously close to an end, and the S&P 500 is just 2% shy of the level at which bull markets end and bear markets begin. If the U.S. economy is able to avoid recession over the next 12 to 18 months, LPL Research explains why this selloff may be over soon and stocks could potentially make a run at their previous highs by year-end.

2022 has been a challenging year for investors so far. The S&P 500 Index just had one of its worst Aprils in decades, and May is off to a rocky start. Bond investors have not fared much better as rising interest rates have pushed down bond prices. LPL Research explains why time in the market, not timing the market, may be more beneficial to long-term investors.

Social Security benefits currently represent approximately 33% of the aggregate total income of Americans aged 65 and older, according to the Social Security Administration. For future generations of retirees, Social Security may represent a much smaller percentage of retirement income.

The story is a common one these days. You have been furloughed or laid off, just a few years before you plan to retire. Or, your work-from-home arrangement is ending, and you're not keen on resuming the commute or going back to a crowded workspace. So why not retire now, since fate has presented the opportunity? Many 50- and 60-somethings are asking themselves this very question.

COVID 19 has brought tragedy to many families and businesses and impacted personal finances. It has also rendered many an estate plan inaccurate and unrepresentative of current circumstances. If you, your family or your beneficiaries have been affected by the virus, you may need to review and make changes to your plan.

New legislation -- the CARES Act -- permits qualified individuals to take early distributions from their retirement assets, such as their 401(k) or individual retirement account (IRA) -- penalty free. The rules, which sunset after 2020, are designed to help the many cash-strapped Americans who have suffered financially as a result of the coronavirus epidemic. But tapping into your retirement savings has its costs, and there may be better ways to shore up your short-term cash flow.

Most businesses today do not offer a pension plan. But pensions are still a common benefit for teachers, federal employees, and others who work in the public sector. Many grandfathered private-sector plans also still exist.

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.

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.