About half of baby boomers' 401(k) plans have allocations to stocks that are higher than what Fidelity recommends for their age group, putting them at greater risk in a market downturn, a recent study found. Fidelity recommends baby boomers allocate 54% to stocks and the remainder of their retirement account to safer assets.

Early retirement may appear out of reach for millennials when considering school debt and other factors. But it might still be possible if they're willing to make some adjustments and sacrifices, Pavithra Mohan writes.

A survey by Lincoln Financial found that most women prioritize planning for retirement and their family's future, but more than seven in 10 believe they are not doing a very good job. Running out of money in retirement is a big worry for 70% of women, but only 20% of them have come up with a plan to deal with this challenge.

The quality of care in nursing homes is negatively affected by low Medicaid reimbursement rates, particularly in rural areas, said experts who testified before the Senate Finance Committee. The wages typically offered by nursing homes are not enough to attract and retain good employees, they said.

Strategists say the Federal Reserve's switch to accommodation is the main reason the US stock market continues to climb, despite concerns about an economic slowdown and a decline in corporate earnings. JPMorgan Chase strategist Marko Kolanovic calls the switch "an enormous shift in monetary policy" and says "it is clear that the dovish turn is here to stay, and this should be a sustained tail wind for risky assets."

Hoya Capital Real Estate has brought to NYSE Arca an exchange-traded fund offering broad exposure to the US housing sector. The Hoya Capital Housing ETF is linked to the Hoya Capital Housing 100 Index.

Medicare patients may not know that an annual physical, which can include lab tests, is not a covered benefit, while the annual wellness visit, which is more general and focused on prevention, is fully covered. The wellness visit was established through the Affordable Care Act, but if it extends beyond specific covered services, beneficiaries can be billed for other charges. Medicare Advantage plans, however, may cover annual physicals.

The US economy would have grown more than 4% last year if the Federal Reserve hadn't raised interest rates and scaled back bond holdings, President Donald Trump said. US GDP grew 2.9% on an annualized basis in 2018.

CEOs' expectations for the US economy dropped notably in the fourth quarter, falling below the level immediately before the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, according to the latest Business Roundtable CEO Economic Outlook Index. In contrast to the sharp rise in optimism recorded at the start of 2018, CEO expectations on employment, sales, capital spending and overall economic growth in the US have fallen.

Advisers who want to take their careers to the next level must be willing to constantly and confidently prospect, Matt Oechsli writes. He puts forth three key skills advisers must master to do so.