2023 Market Snapshot While the year began with fears of a looming recession, 2023 defied expectations with one of the best years for stock market performance in the last decade. As we entered the year, the Federal Reserve continued to aggressively raise interest rates to fight high inflation, but the economy remained resilient, inflation eased, and both U.S. and global stocks and bonds ended with a positive Q4. A few interesting data points: After posting double-digit losses

2023 Q1 Market Snapshot The first quarter of 2023 brought single-digit gains in both stock and bond markets, but it was still a bumpy ride for investors. Inflation was stickier than expected, which perpetuated the uncertainty around what to expect from the Federal Reserve and interest rates. In March, concerns shifted from inflation to liquidity issues at regional banks nearly overnight with the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank . The Fed's response helped assuage concerns of w

Every few years there seems to be a new market crisis. We had the real estate meltdown of 2008-2009, the coronavirus pandemic, and now the Silicon Valley Bank collapse. Each situation had a different catalyst and required a new approach from the government. During times like this it’s normal to wonder what went wrong and how you as an investor can avoid these situations. For now, we want to share a bit about Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and what happened over the past week, as w

The latest round of retirement system legislation was just passed, and the SECURE 2.0 Act is now in effect. Here is a quick snapshot of the most notable changes:  Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)  Beginning January 1, 2023, the age at which people must start taking required minimum distributions from pre-tax retirement accounts increased from 72 to 73. SECURE Act 2.0 also includes a provision to increase the starting age to 75 in 2033 (anyone born in 1960 or later).  Ple

2022 Q4 Market Snapshot Macroeconomic forces were a dominant factor in the stock market volatility of 2022. Central to everything was stubbornly high inflation and the Fed's unprecedented response of aggressive interest rate hikes. Inflation was fueled by a number of factors, including global impacts of Russia's attack on Ukraine, a strong U.S. economy, and ongoing supply chain challenges. As a result, inflation persisted at higher levels longer than most investors (and the F

The year continues to be marked by volatility in both the stock and bond markets. The Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to disrupt global markets and inflation is significant and stubborn both in the U.S. and around the world. In the U.S., the Federal Reserve's no-holds-barred approach to increasing the Federal Funds rate still has investors concerned about the possibility of recession.Inflation will need to start coming down quickly for markets to begin turning around. I

Saving for College: What You Need To Know   Recent data shows that a bachelor’s degree increases income 86% compared with a high school diploma. But it doesn't come cheap - the average cost of college in the United States is $35,331 per student per year, including books, supplies, and daily living expenses. Multiplied by four years per child, this is one of the largest expenses a family will incur. As with pursuing any financial goal (new car, travel, new job, retirement, etc

2022 Q2 Market Snapshot A bumpy first quarter of 2022 turned into a volatile first half of the year, both in stock and bond markets. The Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to disrupt global markets, impacting global energy and food security. Domestically, what started as uncertainty about Fed policy responses to persistently high inflation evolved into concern about aggressive Fed rate increases leading the U.S. economy into a recession. A few interesting data points from

Below is a snapshot of key top-line economic indicators: 2022 Q1 Market Snapshot 2022 got off to a bumpy start in the U.S. with inflation continuing to climb (ending Q1 at 7.9%) and the Federal Reserve raising interest rates for the first time since 2018. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February caused global concern and sparked the fastest growing refugee and humanitarian crisis within Europe since World War II. The subsequent increase of global geopolitical pressure fu

The holidays are upon us... and unfortunately, the Grinch isn't far behind!   With deep sympathy, we appreciate the willingness of cherished clients to share their recent misfortune as a warning to everyone.   The Scam Just last week, a person impersonating a bank security representative contacted a client of ours to inform them of possible fraudulent bank card transactions at a local pharmacy. The fraudsters convinced our client to meet them at the bank branch and hand over