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Wednesday, January 20, 2021

The stock market is at all-time highs once again. Check out this chart of the S&P 500 Index over the past 8+ years. Do you have investments in stocks and/or stock funds that you expect to leave to beneficiaries? If so, it may make...

 

Sunday, December 6, 2020

We did a recent interview with Medicare insurance expert Laurel Jolliff about important considerations regarding Medicare insurance coverage and the actions you should take each year to review it. If you haven't reviewed your Medicare...

 

Saturday, April 4, 2020

Wow! No other word seems a more appropriate expression for what's happened to financial markets in the past six weeks. The S&P 500 stock index is currently down almost 27% from its high on February 19th. Small cap stocks in the U.S....

 

Friday, March 13, 2020

Andy Puzder's recent Op Ed made the following excellent points that all investors should remember. While the coronavirus pandemic is a medical crisis, President Trump pointed out that it “is not a financial crisis.”...

 

Friday, February 28, 2020

“The stock market takes the stairs up, and the elevator down,” is a classic Wall Street saying. This last week has sure felt like taking an express elevator down, as the end of February brought a historic stock market...

 

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Saturday, January 4, 2020

Happy New Year! What a difference a year makes. One year ago the stock market was plunging and came perilously close to ending what has become the longest bull market ever recorded. In December 2018, dropping stocks were suggesting an...

 

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Hindsight is 20/20, but finding clarity in future uncertainty can be fuzzy. 2019 has been a very rewarding year for investors. One year ago at this time, we were all tested with market volatility, but hope that guidance based on solid...

 

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Turning the calendar from October to November brought more than trick-or-treaters, pumpkins, and leaves to rake. It also brought a wave of important economic updates that delivered more treats than tricks and helped the stock markets...

 

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

If you own a business, even as a side business while also an employee of someone else, you can deduct significant amounts of income by contributing to a retirement plan. Whether or not you have w-2 employees, there's a low cost plan...

 

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Summer has turned to fall, and there’s a little chill in the air. Three-quarters of the year is behind us now, and both stock and bond markets have had a strong year so far, although we expect to see regular—but...

 

Monday, September 9, 2019

The Dog Days of Summer were on full display this past month, as a variety of concerns pushed stocks and bond yields lower. After reaching new record highs in late July, the S&P 500 Index dropped approximately 1.8% in August as trade...

 

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Knowledgeable investors are aware that investing in the capital markets presents any number of risks—interest-rate risk, company risk, and market risk. Risk is an inseparable companion to the potential for long-term growth. Some...

 

Thursday, August 8, 2019

This summer has been interesting. U.S. large-cap stock indexes are hovering near record levels, while investment-grade bonds and precious metals have also participated in gains. And yet all other assets classes are negative.

 

Thursday, July 4, 2019

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. These aspirational words,...

 

Friday, June 7, 2019

Trade tensions have interrupted an unusually calm year in U.S. stocks. In May, the S&P 500 Index fell from an April 30 record high as the United States and China failed to reach a trade deal and escalated tariff tensions. The United...

 

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Hi All, Join us at this free Financial Leadership Forum where I'll be one of about 8 panelists from various fields of expertise. Hors d'oeuvres will be free, so RSVP to Kelly Hambly at 925-997-0359 or kkhambly@sbcglobal.net so as to...

 

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Those of you who've used our Riskalyze software to determine your personal Risk Number will probably get a kick out of this webpage and video put together by Riskalyze. I had a good laugh while watching it! http://www.riskharmony.com/...

 

Saturday, April 6, 2019

April brings showers, baseball, and historically, the best month of the year for the S&P 500 Index (for the last 20 years). On top of that, the S&P 500 had its best first quarter since 1998, and in March we celebrated the 10-year...

 

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

The S&P 500 Index has staged an impressive rally after nearly entering a bear market December 24, with U.S. stocks notching their best start to a year since 1991. Stocks have climbed the “wall of worry” once again, but...

 

Friday, February 8, 2019

Most of the country might still be in the throes of the winter, but after extreme cold throughout many parts of the United States, thankfully the weather has warmed up. Stocks followed a similar path, warming up in January after a...

 

Friday, January 11, 2019

It’s a new year and resolutions are in place, but investors in the financial markets may be struggling to find their optimism. The past several weeks have been very difficult, as the stock market sell-off resulted in the worst...

 

Sunday, January 6, 2019

After a mixed first half of the year and a solid third quarter, stock markets weakened considerably in the closing weeks of 2018. Turmoil in the financial markets is never a pleasant experience for investors, and that’s why we...

 

Friday, December 21, 2018

Stock Valuations Have Come Down Significantly The benefit of market declines is of course that stocks get cheaper. How much cheaper have they gotten? After trading at a price-to-earnings ratio (PE) just under 19 only 11 months ago...

 

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Another year is drawing to a close, but so far neither market volatility nor market-moving headlines have shown any signs of winding down. As we reflect on a challenging 2018 and look for bright spots in 2019, confidence in continued...

 

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

The potential outcomes of the midterm elections have been dominating the news cycle lately, and we know from history that the markets typically do not like uncertainty. With the Democrats taking control of the House of Representatives,...

 

Thursday, October 25, 2018

Here's a video series by PortfolioPlus ETFs taking a look at previous market declines. Presumably they'll be producing videos about the subsequent recoveries too. Enjoy! https://www.portfolioplusetfs.com/historical-returns/oil-crisis/

 

Thursday, October 25, 2018

We're thrilled to announce we have a new financial planning technology that enables you to view your financial plan, including budgets, net worth and goal progress, in REAL TIME on all your devices! Just login, enter your data and link...

 

Friday, October 5, 2018

The first day of fall may be in September, but the beginning of October is when that autumn feeling really kicks in. Whether you’re mourning the end of long summer days or embracing the return of pumpkin spice at your local...

 

Friday, September 7, 2018

It’s back to school for students all across the country, and whether it’s the first week in kindergarten, high school, or college, parents and students alike are excited yet probably nervous at the same time. What will the...

 

Saturday, September 1, 2018

The standout stories for the summer so far have been strong U.S. economic growth and surging corporate profits. Although tariffs continue to grab headlines and may raise investor concern, it doesn’t appear that they have had a...

 

Monday, May 7, 2018

May’s arrival has brought warmer weather to many parts of the U.S. (finally), but it also brings talk of one of the most widely cited stock market clichés in history. “Sell in May and go away” is a longstanding...

 

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

The first quarter of 2018 is wrapping up, and it’s time to spring forward and look ahead to what we could expect in the coming months. After a large market drop kicking off the month of February, March retested the February lows...

 

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

After more than 18 months of nearly uninterrupted advances, the U.S. equity markets started declining last week, with a large sell-off on February 5, 2018. Although it is always difficult to endure these declines when they’re...

 

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

We're one month into the new year and I hope it finds you and your family well! The year is off to a fast start with lots of changes in store. On Friday, December 22, 2017, President Trump signed the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into law...

 

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

This time of year can seem quiet, with summer vacations and back to school behind us, but the buzz of the holiday season still a few weeks away. Although this sense of calm may be a welcomed break, there is plenty of activity in the U...

 

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

During the past several weeks, we’ve seen news headlines dominated by everything from extreme weather to heightened geopolitical risks, with speculation on policy changes in the U.S. an ongoing hot topic. With so many events...

 

Friday, August 18, 2017

As summer winds down, vacations come to a close, and kids head back to school, the calendar is relatively quiet in terms of major market events. Earnings season for corporate America—which was a good one—is behind us. No...

 

Monday, July 24, 2017

The hottest part of the summer has arrived across the U.S., with many feeling the effects of heat and humidity with temperatures well into the 90s in many places. At the same time, the stock market has put together a pretty impressive...

 

Friday, June 30, 2017

Check out this excellent piece from LPL Research about BUYING AT RECORD HIGHS

 

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Another earnings season is in the books and it was a good one. With more than 90% of S&P 500 companies having reported first quarter 2017 results, S&P 500 earnings are tracking to a solid year-over-year increase of more than 14%...

 

Friday, May 19, 2017

According to Russell Investments, working with a fiduciary advisor adds about 4% to client annual returns over time. Read the article here. 2017 Value of a Fiduciary Advisor

 

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Thank you to all of you who stopped by the booth to visit with us! We wish you continued success and look forward to working with many of you.

 

Monday, April 24, 2017

The world’s oldest annual marathon was run on April 17 as amateur athletes from around the world descended on Boston, Massachusetts for the 121st running of the Boston Marathon. While elite athletes grab the headlines, over 25...

 

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

The answer to that question depends on what your financial advisor does for you. Many advisors write financial plans for clients. If you want a plan written for you, hire an advisor with the CFP designation (Certified Financial...

 

Sunday, March 19, 2017

It’s March, and that means one thing: March Madness. All across the country, people are filling out their brackets, studying the teams, and trying to pick that upset that will impress their friends and coworkers with their...

 

Friday, January 20, 2017

Markets are off to a much better start in early 2017 than in 2016. After 10 trading days, the S&P 500 is up 1.3% year to date, compared to an 8% decline during the same period in 2016. You may recall that a year ago, in early 2016,...

 

Saturday, December 31, 2016

Watch the video below and note that the last question to ask is imperative. If your advisor manages your investments and is compensated by asset management fees, then hire someone with the highest asset management credential in the...

 

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

The Federal Reserve’s (Fed) policy-making arm, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), raised its target for the federal funds rate by 0.25% (25 basis points) yesterday as expected at the conclusion of its two-day meeting. By...

 

Monday, December 12, 2016

Our firm uses Interactive Brokers for client accounts. This article explains some of the reasons why, but misses the most important. For example, IB offers their Stock Yield Enhancement Program (SYEP) which serves to reduce our client...

 

Sunday, August 14, 2016

This summer so far has been anything but quiet. Between the June Brexit vote, several headline-grabbing jobs reports, the winding path of oil prices, and all-time highs for stocks, there has been a lot of activity to absorb in these...

 

Friday, June 24, 2016

Today we received the unprecedented news that the United Kingdom (U.K.) has voted to leave the European Union (EU), which led to significant volatility in the global markets. In situations like these, it becomes more important than...

 

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

It's time again to file tax returns and suffer the burden that is INCOME TAX. If your Adjusted Gross Income is over $36,841 (as of 2013 data), you are among the half of Americans who pay more than 97% of the federal income taxes...

 

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Enjoy this video from LPL Financial's Research Team discussing their investment outlook for 2016.

 

Monday, February 29, 2016

Historically, high yield bonds have performed extremely well following periods of stress like in recent months. Of course, historical performance is no guarantee of future results, but it may shed some light on the probabilities...

 

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

A very good article from AAG about how to strategically use a reverse mortgage. https://www.aag.com/news/featured-article-7-ways-to-use-a-reverse-mortgage-as-a-financial-planning-tool

 

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Money can buy many things, but can it purchase happiness? To find out, we asked several popular personal finance writers and bloggers whether money can, indeed, make you happy. While all agree that cash can’t actually purchase...

 

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Check out #9 on the list.

 

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Article Link Here

 

Friday, October 30, 2015

Many investors are concerned about the risk of increased inflation in light of the Federal Reserve’s unprecedented balance sheet expansion from $900 billion to $3.1 trillion since 2008. This concern is warranted and begs the...

 

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Today, many families are concerned about the potentially adverse effect of wealth on the financial values of their younger generations. The goals that many affluent parents and grandparents have set for their children or grandchildren...

 

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Thinking about the need and the costs of long-term care is enough to make anyone uncomfortable. But while it’s a difficult subject to talk about, it’s also a topic that often generates lots of questions and misunderstanding. Consider...

 

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Although much of the last decade has been an exception, historically, stock returns have outpaced inflation by the widest margin and have provided the strongest returns over the long term. Those long-awaited golden years have arrived,...

 

Saturday, August 13, 2011

If you have already retired or if you can count the number of years until retirement on your fingers then please heed this friendly warning: Unless you’re already making the most of your current retirement planning strategies,...