James Bond: “I admire your courage, Miss…?”Sylvia Trench: “Trench, Sylvia Trench. I admire your luck, Mr…?”James Bond: “Bond. James Bond.” –Dr. No, 1962 SPECTRE. The U.S. stock market is a relentless winner. For nearly two decades since the financial crisis, stocks have been repeatedly confronted with all measures of danger and tight spots seemingly impossible to escape. Whether facing down the …
Under OBBBA, there is now more flexibility for holders of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).Namely, the definition of what qualifies as a High Deductible account that is eligible for an HSA has expanded. This will allow more people to access, contribute to and use these accounts. As I have mentioned in previous writings, I love HSAs and I wish more people …
Heavy is the head that wears the crown. While equity markets have staged a powerful recovery since bottoming in April amid noise around international trade, much of Wall Street is beginning to question whether the rebound has gone too far. Market concentration has reached unprecedented levels: 10% of companies within equity markets now account for 76% of total market capitalization, …
“I get this feeling I may know you, as a lover and a friend, but this voice keeps whispering in my other ear, tells me I may never see you again” –Peaceful Easy Feeling, Eagles, 1972 A billion stars all around. It’s all so perfect. The U.S. economy continues to grow at a healthy pace, inflationary pressures remain firmly in check, corporate earnings …
A couple of the headline grabbing items in OBBBA are for tax breaks on tip income and overtime pay. These are both below the line deductions and are eligible to be utilized whether the tax payer is taking the standard deduction or itemizing. The “No Tax on Tips” provision doesn’t eliminate taxes on tips but rather, creates a deduction on up …
“Ain’t nobody dope as me, I’m just so fresh, so clean” –So Fresh, So Clean, OutKast, 2000 Gator belts and patty melts. The U.S. stock market remains on one helluva ride in 2025. After starting the year on a December through February consolidation grind, worries about tariffs that eventually were manifested sent the S&P 500 on a -21% tumble through …
Another takeaway from the passage of OBBBA is the way that charitable donations are handled from a tax perspective. Since the passage of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), the majority of tax filers are simply using the standard deduction. That is great since it was increased, however, it has lessened the direct tax benefits of making charitable contributions for …
Nothing says monetary tension like a photo op in hard hats. When President Trump and Fed Chair Jerome Powell toured the under-renovation Marriner S. Eccles Federal Reserve building in Washington D.C., the visit was more than just a symbolic walkthrough. It marked the latest chapter in Trump’s long-running campaign to pressure the central bank into cutting interest rates. Trump and …
One of the big takeaways from the passage of OBBBA is that the tax brackets that were reset during the passage of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) will not revert back to prior levels next year as previously scheduled. The current tax brackets will remain and are now permanent. Also of note on the brackets is that the 10% …
Coldplayed, verb Emotionally disappointed from being caught up in high hopes, only to be let down Being unintentionally exposed while cheating in public Trouble. It’s been a tough week for people having affairs at concerts. A few key themes have risen to the surface in the process. One, there may actually be such a thing as bad publicity after all. Another, key …
