February Newsletter | Solid Start to 2024
Stocks are off to a solid start in 2024. January gains are particularly enjoyable because of the old adage from the Stock Trader’s Almanac, “As goes January, so goes the year.”
January 2024 | Important Lessons From 2023
Stocks defied the skeptics in a very unpredictable 2023. The Dow Jones finished at an all-time record high on December 28, and the S&P 500 came within a whisker of a fresh all-time high after the index rallied more than 20% for the year.
December 2023 | IRS Releases 2024 Tax Brackets, Retirement Contribution Limits
The Internal Revenue Service recently released updated income tax brackets, standard deduction, and retirement contribution limits for the 2024 tax year. While these taxes are not due for some time, it may benefit you to start thinking ahead.
November 2023 | Offering Thanks
The penultimate month of the year is often a time to reflect and offer thanks. And while economic and geopolitical uncertainty can overshadow the positives, there are things to be thankful for. Here is just some of what we’re thankful for, now that we’re in the second to last month of the year.
October 2023 | Staying The Course
Whether your goal is growth, value, or probably some combination of the two, there wasn’t a difference in performance between the two (on the Russell 1000 indexes). Stocks in both investing styles generated nearly identical total returns during the quarter. Growth, however, still maintains its more than 11 percentage point year-to-date gain over value.
September 2023 | Navigating Market Setbacks
Financial markets lived up to their reputation during the month of August, which has a record for being difficult. Still, despite the credit-related downgrades, markets were able to navigate their way through the ongoing debate of the country’s financial strength. Better than expected earnings reports, coupled with an optimistic outlook, helped underscore the overall durability of corporate America.
August 2023 | Staying Invested In A Tricky Market Environment
Making economic forecasts and stock market predictions can be humbling. It’s especially tough when you expect stocks to go higher and get a big drop instead. The environment today is the opposite, but still tricky, as recession hasn’t followed the chorus of predictions. In some ways, figuring out what to do now that stocks have gone up is as difficult as considering what to do when stocks are down.
July 2023 | Market Timing is Exhausting
Market timing is exhausting. And sometimes, it can be expensive. When you time the markets, you have to be right twice – first when getting out and second when getting back in.
June 2023 | Most Unloved Bull Market In History
What is a bull market, and more importantly, who determines if we are in one?
May 2023 | Having Financial Conversations with Adult Children
Financial conversations can be challenging, especially with adult children. However, with a little bit of planning (and a large amount of care), they can make all the difference.
April 2023 | Best Bang For Your Refund Buck
Its tax refund time! Have you given any thought to what you'll do with your tax refund this year? Vacations, cars and home improvement items often top the list, but is that the smartest use of your tax refund dollars?
March 2023 | How Will You Transfer Wealth
When investors combine solid financial planning and adherence to a disciplined investment philosophy, it can help put them in a position to pass on wealth to their heirs and favorite charities. This process is called wealth transfer.
February 2023 | New Retirement Contribution Limits
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released new limits for certain retirement accounts for 2023. After months of high inflation and financial uncertainty, some of these cost-of-living-based adjustments have reached near-record levels.
January 2023 | Back to Basics
The longer we are in this business, the more convinced we are that change is in the only constant. We realize that market ups and downs can be extreme and unpredictable, and that volatility can play havoc with your nerves. In times like these, we like to remind our clients to expect the unexpected and try not to let emotion derail your long-term investment plans.
December 2022 | You're Never Too Young to Begin Building an Investment Portfolio
There's a simple word that has profound implications for savings and investing: compounding. Like a snowball that grows as it rolls down a hill, compounding provides the potential for your money to grow, investing your investment earnings.
November 2022 | Retirement Leaves You With a Finite Amount of Money. Be Smart and Make a Plan.
Many retirees share the common dread of outliving their money. Besides being psychologically debilitating, the feat of going broke can cause you to overly constrain your retirement lifestyle. On the other hand, not preparing properly can lead to overspending and unpleasant consequences as you age.
October 2022 | Managing Your Retirement When Switching Jobs
Changing jobs can impact your retirement plan. To minimize disruptions to
your contributions and the vested portion of your previous employer's
contributions, it's important to understand the choices you may have when
you make a career transition.
September 2022 | Important Details on Student Loan Relief
The White House recently forgave up to $10,000 to student loan borrowers as part of a larger debt forgiveness program. There are still quite a few questions to be answered, but here are some key points to know.
August 2022 | When Bears Are Loud
While negative headlines are eye-catching, a gloom-and-doom
perspective misses some finer details.
July 2022 | Summertime Checkup
Summer’s here, and the time is right for vacations, outdoor activities, and fun. It’s also a good time to consider a few financial matters.
June 2022 | Don't Go It Alone
There’s no doubt that stocks have been gut-punched in the first half of 2022, and the bear bandwagon seems crowded. But Wall Street has a resilience all its own. Meanwhile, time IN the markets, not timing the markets, remains the wise way to go.
May 2022 | An Attractive Entry Point
The investing climate is quite challenging, but history suggests patience will be rewarded. Even if there may be some downside in the short term, consumer and business fundamentals remain supportive. Strong profits and lower stock prices mean more attractive valuations. Our belief is that current levels could end up being an attractive entry point.
April 2022 | Staying Positive
Inflation is running hot, gasoline prices are up, and interest rates are climbing. Add in Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine, and there are plenty of reasons to be discouraged.
March 2022 | There's Always Good News & Bad News
It’s easy to get excited reading the news. With all of the storm and stress of the last few years, it’s only natural to react to each ping of our phone’s news apps with a deep sigh and a cynical “what now?”
February 2022 | Contribution Limits
Preparing for retirement just got a little more financial wiggle room. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced new contribution limits for 2022.
January 2022 | Welcome to 2022!
We like to think of the New Year as a time to look to the future and consider what ideas and interests we want to pursue in the year ahead. Let us help you in planning your financial future.