2020 First Quarter (Q1) Market Commentary
Most economic slowdowns occur over time with a slow deterioration of Employment, Consumer Confidence, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Companies generally tighten their belts and the Fed and Government make monetary and fiscal policy changes to help soften the blow and eventually we come back slowly. It’s called the business cycle. We have been going…
Read MoreFederal Student Loan Borrowers Get Some Relief Due to COVID-19
On March 20, 2020, the Department of Education announced terms for student loan relief for tens of millions of borrowers in response to COVID-19.1 Here are answers to some questions about the new rules. For more information and to follow subsequent potential rule modifications, visit the federal student aid website. Does the relief apply to all student loan…
Read MoreClient Alert: Coronavirus and Market Conditions – A Note from Tom & Tim
Over the weekend, oil prices dropped by about 20-30% as Saudi Arabia slashed its export oil price likely starting a price war with Russia. This spooked the markets which were already on edge with the spread of the Coronavirus. As a result, we saw the stock market drop 7% at the open this morning and the…
Read MoreCoronavirus Concerns? Consider Past Health Crises
During the last week of February 2020, the S&P 500 lost 11.49% — the worst week for stocks since the 2008 financial crisis — only to jump by 4.6% on the first Monday in March.1 By all accounts, the drop was largely driven by ever-increasing fears about the potential effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and its…
Read MoreThere’s Still Time to Contribute to an IRA for 2019 Taxes
Even though the tax filing season is well underway, there’s still time to make a regular IRA contribution for 2019. You have until your tax return due date (not including extensions) to contribute up to $6,000 for 2019 ($7,000 if you were age 50 or older on December 31, 2019). For most taxpayers, the contribution…
Read MoreWhat do I need to know about the new RMD rules?
When do the new RMD Rules start? Do I need to take my RMD if I turned 70 1/2 before 12/31/2019? Do I need to take my RMD if I turned 70 1/2 on or after 1/1/2020 but already took my RMD in 2019? When do I need to take my RMD under the new…
Read More2019 Q4 Market Commentary
One year ago, the market was convinced that our economy was headed for a recession and we began 2019 on the heels of one of the worst quarterly market returns in more than a decade. This could not have been further from the truth. Once the market figured out that a recession was not happening,…
Read MoreAll about IRAs for 2020
An individual retirement arrangement (IRA) is a personal retirement savings plan that offers specific tax benefits. In fact, IRAs are one of the most powerful retirement savings tools available to you. Even if you’re contributing to a 401(k) or other plans at work, you might also consider investing in an IRA. What types of IRAs…
Read MoreYear-End Tax Tips for 2019
Immediate and Long-Term Tax Planning Tips Over the last two years, we have seen many individual tax changes that may have reduced some deductions, increased others and dramatically changed your tax return. There are still a number of tax planning strategies available and in this letter, we will remind you of a few. 401k The…
Read MoreWhat is an Asset Allocation?
Asset allocation is a common strategy that you can use to construct an investment portfolio. Asset allocation isn’t about picking individual securities. Instead, you focus on broad categories of investments, mixing them together in the right proportion to match your financial goals, the amount of time you have to invest, and your tolerance for risk.…
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