To Inform: China watchers have noted a marked shift in the attitude the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has taken towards the business class in China. Chairman XI has been using the phrase “common prosperity” to describe the CCP’s philosophy of narrowing the country’s wealth gap between rich and poor. This philosophy of common prosperity has […]

To Inform:  One of the biggest tailwinds to the strong stock market returns in the US over the past decade is the expanding profit margins in publicly traded US companies. Expanding margins, the result of lower interest rates, steady input costs (materials and labor) and modest price increases have contributed to this rise in profit […]

To Inform: We’ve seen a few personalities in the financial media call this month “The September to Remember” because there is a lot going on in the world. Let’s take a look at a non-exhaustive list: The Federal Reserve is meeting next week and talk is they will preview a “tapering plan” to reduce bond […]

Last year we talked about Health Savings Accounts Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) as a tax saving and wealth building tool (read that article here). Now let’s explore how folks can utilize their HSA account, especially in their retirement years, if they have been using it as a wealth savings vehicle. If you have been fortunate […]

To Inform: Last week, Alex Durbin and I were privileged to facilitate a lively discussion at our Portfolios at Panera event. We covered a multitude of topics and in this issue of WealthNotes, we review the two key issues that generated the most discussion. Inflation Inflation is clearly a hot topic and something we as […]

To Inform: When talking to people about stocks, the topic of dividends usually comes up. “What’s the dividend?” is usually the question being asked, and it is a reasonable one. Dividends are tangible ways for investors to understand that owning stocks is a claim on the cash flows of a business. That being said, paying […]

To Inform:  When investors look at the returns on their portfolios, they want to know, “How am I doing?” Although it’s a simple question, from experience, we know there could be multiple meanings behind the question. “How am I doing?” could mean: Am I making money? Am I reaching my goals? Are other investors doing […]

To Inform: Are you starting Medicare soon or has your income changed significantly while on Medicare? If so, make sure that you’re aware of how your income affects your Medicare premiums. Most people know that taxes increase as income goes up, but many are unaware that Medicare premiums also go up with higher income. Fortunately, […]

To Inform: As we wrap up the dog days of summer and enter a period that has been historically weak in the stock market, it’s worth checking in on some of the key indicators that point to the strength of the economic recovery. We’re now approaching 200 trading days without so much as a 5% […]

To Inform: We know political events set off emotions for clients, but they also set off emotions for the markets. At the risk of talking a little politics, there are two key political areas we are paying attention to as they could spur some market headlines in the months ahead. The Debt Ceiling This weekend, […]