The investing year is half over – and at least half full. The S&P 500 (Total Return) Index gained 4.28 % in the second quarter on top of the first quarter’s 10.56 % increase; bringing the gain for the first half to 15.29 %. Once again, the market was led by large cap technology stocks […]
2nd Quarter Client Note – Will the Bull Market Broaden, Pause or Fade? Read More »
For the most part, 2024’s first quarter markets performed exceptionally well. The S&P 500 (Total Return) Index gained 10.56% — on the heels of 2023’s stellar gain of 26.29% The market continues to be led by high tech growth stocks; contributing further to concentration and overweight in highly valued companies. But not by as wide
1st Quarter Client Note – Nvidia, Bitcoin and the Loss of Another Giant Read More »
The markets shook off news of dramatic bank runs and failed banks being taken over by the FDIC and sold off in piece parts. Led by a big rebound in technology stocks, the S& P 500 (Total Return) Index gained 7.57% in the quarter. Large cap growth technology stocks were up 14.3% with large cap
1st Quarter Client Note — Bank Runs Are Back Read More »
Artificial Intelligence applications — and especially chatbots, which can seemingly research and write like us humans, are becoming increasingly prevalent. Chatbots are by no means perfect in the output they produce. And they are somewhat controversial, particularly in academia, as students begin to use them to assist with their homework. The following answer to the
Will Artificial Intelligence replace your financial planner? Read More »
The political football has been tossed back into the hands of workplace retirement investors who want to take their values into account in managing their portfolios. At the end of 2020, the US Department of Labor, responsible under ERISA for regulating 401Ks, changed the rules for sustainable investing, moving the goal posts for fiduciaries by
ESG Investing Back in the Arena, Political Hot Potato Gets Tossed Again Read More »
Talk about a yo-yo. We reached bear market (top-to-bottom drawdown of 20% or greater) status twice this year. The S & P 500 (total return) index was down 22% on June 13, 2022. Then recovered to be down only 9% on August 16. But ended the third quarter down 24% for the year. Since I
3rd Quarter Client Note – A Roller Coaster Ride Read More »
Planning for our senior years would be so much easier if we knew how long we will live and the state of our health toward the end of our lives. In my specialty of retirement planning, I have to ask my clients to ponder the imponderable: late-life care. In this article I share information about
Options for Senior Living through the Spectrum of Aging Read More »
For the second consecutive year the US stock market posted an extraordinary gain. This, in the midst of a once-in-a-century pandemic. The S & P 500 (Total Return) index was up 28.71% for the year, including a 11.2% increase in the fourth quarter. On top of the utterly surprising 18.4% increase in 2020. Other asset
Q4 Client Note – A Good Year for Stocks, If Nothing Else Read More »
Running joke: If it’s a one-page financial plan, then why isn’t the book only one page? I first read Carl Richards’ novelty of a book, The One-Page Financial Plan, when it was published in 2015. But I only recently grabbed it off the shelf to re-read and figure out ways to apply it in our
Managing life-stage transitions is an essential component of good financial planning. Late life planning – for a time when you need help with everyday tasks on account of either physical or cognitive decline – can be a special challenge. One increasingly popular choice is the Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), which provides both housing and
Choosing a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) – Advantages and Pitfalls Read More »
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