The first quarter of 2020 started with record stock market highs and then a steep decline due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. While the US and international stock markets are down sharply for the quarter, both the domestic and global bond markets are up from the beginning of the year. For those near, or in retirement, the…
We get it, it's natural and justified to be worried about the coronavirus (COVID-19). As the virus spreads around the world, still much is not known, including the severity in the U.S. Bonds It’s important to remember that most people have an allocation to both stocks and bonds. Bonds have been a common complaint from people over the…
THE FACTS The coronavirus has been making news headlines not only for its severity and rapid spread, but also for triggering volatility in global stock markets. While 2020 gains may be fluctuating at the moment, China’s prompt and internationally coordinated response to the coronavirus may offer some reassurance that the economic (and human!) effects can be limited.…
Think back to the beginning of 2019. We had just ended the worst year for the financial markets since 2008, and the media was predicting a gloomy year ahead. Many people thought we had seen the end of the bull market and tough times were on the horizon. 2019 turned out very different than predicted. In fact,…
At the end of December Congress passed into law the SECURE Act, the implications have a significant impact on retirement. As your financial advisors, we are keeping abreast of the new legislation and doing lots of research so we can assist you with taking advantage of the changes. There will be many new strategies for optimizing retirement…
They say hindsight is 20/20 but we think taking a moment to plan for the year end and the year ahead can give you some 2020 foresight... pun intended! We get it, it’s holiday time and your focus is probably not on your finances, but in actuality, year-end is an important time to take stock of where…
The Social Security Administration announced earlier this month the annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) will be a 1.6% increase. While this raise is lower than last year’s, the increase is tied to the consumer price index (CPI) which means inflation is currently low. This is typically a good thing. Low inflation boosts employment, makes it more…
The stock market had mixed results for the 3rd quarter, while the bond markets and real estate provided above average returns. The continued stories of trade tensions with China and lower interest rates were the major drivers behind the results. While it is easy to get lost in the headlines and the short term movements of the…
Although market volatility is a completely normal and expected part of investing, nevertheless it tends to stir up people’s nerves. No one wants to take a loss, so when you see the market falling the natural reaction is to want to jump ship. Ironically, this is typically the way to solidify a loss rather than to prevent…
By Myriah Lipke August 9, 2019 A common question we receive from clients is determining appropriate ways to communicate about wealth and finances to the next generations. This question spans all age groups from parents and grandparents who want to teach the concept of saving to young children, to talking to adult children about estate planning and…