One of the most frequent questions that I receive is regarding how much money is needed to retire. There is no easy answer to that question due to many variables that effect retirement outcomes. Things such as your lifestyle, location, health, and spending habits all go towards determining how much money you need. Factors such as inflation and market returns also …
Summertime Playbook
Although summer does not officially begin until June 20, my mental view of seasons is grouped by the months. Summer: June, July, August; Fall: September, October, November; Winter: December, January, February; Spring: March, April, May. So with summer already getting underway in this writer’s mind, it’s a good time to look ahead to the key themes to watch across the …
The Monday Minute: Gifting and Estate Taxes
When planning for the future, gifting assets is a strategy some people use to reduce their taxable estate. By transferring wealth during your lifetime, you can lower the value of your estate, potentially decreasing the taxes your heirs will have to pay upon your death. However, while gifting may seem like a simple solution, there are tax implications to consider, …
Ulysses
“The lights begin to twinkle from the rocks: The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs: the deep Moans round with many voices. Come, my friends, ‘Tis not too late to seek a newer world” –Ulysses, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1842 For more than a decade, the U.S. stock market has resoundingly dominated its global developed international and emerging/frontier counterparts. But …
The Monday Minute: Home Equity Loans (HELOCS)
Home equity loans can feel like a financial lifeline since they offer large sums of cash at relatively low interest rates. But behind the appeal is a very real series of risks that every homeowner should understand before tapping into their home’s value. First, your home is on the line. This is the biggest risk because your house actually secures the …
Into the Mystic
Stocks are sailing. It’s extraordinary to consider that in just six astral weeks, the U.S. stock market has transformed from cascading endlessly to the downside to magnificently floating to the upside.
Getting In Tune
“I’m singing this note ’cause it fits in well with the chords I’m playingI can’t pretend there’s any meaning hidden in the things I’m sayingBut I’m in tuneRight in tune” – Getting In Tune, The Who, 1971 It is the unexpected beauty of the Liberation Day tariff announcements from just over a month ago. When you initially announce tariffs against …
April Showers
April was a turbulent month for global financial markets, characterized by heightened uncertainty and sharp price swings. Just three months into the Trump Administration, sweeping shifts in trade policy – most notably a 10% import tariff announced on April 2nd – rattled investor confidence. The announcement fueled concerns over rising inflation and increased borrowing costs, prompting sell-offs across both equity …
Catch Bull At Four
Investors have been in search of a new bull market with stocks careening to the downside for more than two months.
War Is Over (If You Want It)
Capital markets are finally making some constructive progress following two tumultuous months. After a gradual descent following its February 19 peak, the U.S. stock market accelerated to the downside once the calendar flipped to the second quarter and the Liberation Day trade war was underway. But following a series of steps by the U.S. to scale back their initial trade …