To Inform: Virtually every conversation I have about financial markets lately involves the upcoming Presidential election. That’s no surprise as the prospect for shifts in economic and tax policies after the election is significant regardless of which candidate is your favorite. I will say though, there seems to be a disconnect between the way “Main […]

It’s easy to get dragged into the daily gyrations of the stock market and take your eye off the ball in what’s happening with the “real economy”. The market reacted violently in the early stages of the Coronavirus pandemic but staged a rebound the likes of which have never been seen. We’ve gone into some […]

To Inform: One of my favorite questions I sometimes receive from clients is “what is something happening out there that no one is talking about?” With most eyes focused on the election and the negative economic impact of COVID-19, I think something which is flying under the radar are the individuals out there taking risks […]

To Inform: The 2020 Tax Holiday and What to Do About It Did that long-awaited vacation you planned for 2020 get cancelled because of Covid-19? You’re not alone. Fortunately, you can send (some of) your taxes on vacation instead. For this year only, required minimum distributions (RMDs) have been suspended, which might mean that your […]

To Inform: Earlier this week the Federal Reserve announced they are planning to keep interest rates low for years to come, with the Fed’s own projections implying short term interest rates will remain at zero through 2023. Specifically, here is text from the Fed’s statement: “the Committee decided to keep the target range for the […]

To Inform: When you think of infrastructure investments where does your mind go? Bridges to nowhere? Members of Congress lined up at the trough to capitalize on pork barrel spending? I can see why those things may come to mind, but the kind of infrastructure one ought to think about are the income generating, already […]

To Inform: Several months back when the health and economic impacts of COVID-19 were being digested by financial markets, I remember reading a report talking about how the combination of Federal Reserve stimulus and recovering earnings could lead the S&P 500 to hit a level of 3,400, a new all-time high, before the end of […]

To Inform: I recently had a client ask me about the best way to save for college for their grandchildren. Immediately the 529 plan comes to mind but it’s not just that simple. Let’s start with the basics of a 529. Investment earnings and withdrawals are tax-free as long as they are used for qualified […]

To Inform: Last week’s Portfolios at Your Place Event covered Capital Market Assumptions (CMA) – a fancy term for forecasts of future asset returns over the next 5-10 years based on fundamental data like dividends, interest rates, and valuations. Many large investment banks and asset management firms put out annual forecasts of Capital Market Assumptions […]

To Inform: The words innovation and disruption seem to be getting used more and more around the investment world these days. This might spark a couple of questions. One being, “what does this mean for my investments?” and the other, perhaps, “is this anything new?” Before we answer, let’s define the terms. Innovation simply defined […]