Tag: Investing

Market Update – Assessing the Technical Damange

Jul 26, 2024

Key Takeaways

  • Volatility came back with a vengeance this week as selling pressure in the mega cap space dragged down the broader market. Counterbalancing weakness in these heavyweight names poses a challenge for the rest of the market.
  • Overbought conditions can also be blamed for the recent weakness. The S&P 500 reached a 14.9% premium to its 200-day moving average (dma) last week, marking the highest level since 2011. Historical comparisons point to momentum continuing over the next year, but not on a linear path.
  • Technically, the S&P 500 violated a short-term uptrend yesterday as momentum indicators turned bearish. While there is a growing risk the current pullback continues lower, there is plenty of support before the longer-term uptrend is challenged. Furthermore, longer-term breadth metrics and overall market leadership remain bullish.

(more…)

Tags: , ,



Making Investment Choices

Jul 19, 2024

Investment Choices Doors Room
Are your choices based on evidence or emotion?

Information vs. instinct. When it comes to investment choices, many people believe they have a “knack” for choosing good investments. But what exactly is that “knack” based on? The fact is, the choices we make with our assets can be strongly influenced by factors, many of them emotional, that we may not even be aware of. (more…)

Tags: , , ,



Market Performance is a Tale of Haves & Have-Nots

Jul 15, 2024

Market Update
Market Update

The S&P 500 strung together 37 record highs this year aboard an 18.1% rally, as of July 10. The advance has largely been powered by a handful of mega cap names tied to technology and/or artificial intelligence. In fact, six stocks — NVIDIA (NVDA), Microsoft (MSFT), Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Meta (META), and Alphabet (GOOG/L) — are responsible for nearly two-thirds of the S&P 500’s total return this year. As highlighted in the chart below, the Magnificent Seven, which adds Tesla (TSLA) to the aforementioned six stocks, is up 51% on an equal weight basis. Without these seven stocks, the S&P 493 (ex Magnificent Seven) would only be up 8.3%.

(more…)

Tags: , ,



Should You Care What the Stock Market Does Each Day?

Jul 12, 2024

Stock Market Quotes Chart
Focusing on Your Strategy During Turbulent Times

Investors are people, and people are often impatient. No one likes to wait in line or wait longer than they have to for something, especially today when so much is just a click or two away. (more…)

Tags: , , , , ,



How US Savings Bonds Work

Apr 15, 2024

US Savings Bonds instead of Chinese products for Christmas - Home | FacebookDid you buy U.S. Savings Bonds decades ago? Or did your parents or grandparents purchase them for you? If they’re collecting dust in a drawer, you may want to take a look at them to see if any of your bonds have matured. If your bonds have matured, that means they are no longer earning interest, and it also means you may want to consider cashing them in.1 (more…)

Tags: , , , ,



A Decision Not Made is Still a Decision

Mar 27, 2024

Person with Options
Indecision can lead to no decision.

Investment inaction is played out in many ways, often silently, invisibly, and with potential consequence to an individual’s future financial security, especially when it comes to retirement planning.

Let’s review some of the forms this takes. (more…)

Tags: , , , ,



Tax Efficiency in Retirement

Mar 1, 2024

Stopwatch Gears
What role should taxes play in your investment decisions to make them run as smoothly as the gears in a stopwatch

Will you pay higher taxes in retirement? Do you have a 401(k) or a traditional IRA? If so, you will receive income from both after age 73. However, if you have saved and invested much of your life, you may also end up retiring at a higher marginal tax rate than your current one. Tax efficiency in retirement is paramount and many people forget it. In fact, the income alone resulting from a Required Minimum Distribution could push you into a higher tax bracket. (more…)

Tags: , , , , ,



Tax Planning Tips: Life Insurance

Jan 26, 2024

Tax Planning
What to know about your IRA, HSA, and more

Understanding the importance of life insurance is one thing. Understanding the tax rules is quite another. As insurance products have evolved and become more sophisticated, the line separating insurance vehicles from investment vehicles has grown blurry. To differentiate between the two, a mix of complex rules and exceptions now governs the taxation of insurance products. If you have neither the time nor the inclination to decipher the IRS regulations, here are some life insurance tax tips and background information to help you make sense of it all.

(more…)

Tags: , , , , ,



What is the 4% Rule for Withdrawals in Retirement?

Dec 13, 2023

Free Atm Withdraw Cash photo and pictureSaving for retirement is not easy, but using your retirement savings wisely can be just as challenging. How much of your savings can you withdraw each year? Withdraw too much and you run the risk of running out of money. Withdraw too little and you may miss out on a more comfortable retirement lifestyle.

(more…)

Tags: , , , , ,



Six Keys to Investing

Dec 6, 2023

InvestingA successful investor maximizes gain and minimizes loss. Though there can be no guarantee that any investment strategy will be successful and all investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal, here are six basic principles that may help you invest more successfully.

(more…)

Tags: , , , , ,



More Insights

Jul 26, 2024

Key Takeaways Volatility came back with a vengeance this week as selling pressure in the mega cap space dragged down the broader market. Counterbalancing weakness in these heavyweight names poses a challenge for the rest of the market. Overbought conditions can also be blamed for the recent weakness. The S&P 500 reached a 14.9% premium … Continue reading “Market Update – Assessing the Technical Damange”

Jul 24, 2024

Life insurance can be an excellent tool for charitable giving. Not only does life insurance allow you to make a substantial gift to charity at relatively little cost to you, but you may also benefit from tax rules that apply to gifts of life insurance.

Jul 22, 2024

When you think of Social Security, you probably think of retirement. However, Social Security can also provide much-needed income to your family members when you die, making their financial lives easier. Your family members may be eligible to receive survivor benefits if you worked, paid Social Security taxes, and earned enough work credits. The number … Continue reading “Social Security Survivor Benefits”

Jul 19, 2024

Information vs. instinct. When it comes to investment choices, many people believe they have a “knack” for choosing good investments. But what exactly is that “knack” based on? The fact is, the choices we make with our assets can be strongly influenced by factors, many of them emotional, that we may not even be aware … Continue reading “Making Investment Choices”

Jul 17, 2024

As a business owner, you should carefully consider the advantages of establishing an employer-sponsored retirement plan. Generally, you’re allowed certain tax benefits for establishing an employer-sponsored retirement plan, including a tax credit for establishing the plan and a deduction for contributions you make. In return, however, you’re required to include certain employees in the plan, … Continue reading “Retirement Plans for Small Businesses”

Insights + Resources >