Commentary
2020 1st Quarter Commentary: HOW TO HANDLE A TAX AUDIT
Before we get into tax issues: WE HAVE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK: IT WILL END! Historically, when we have had severe downturns in the markets, we spend a lot of time speculating about what caused it and how long it will last. THIS TIME WE KNOW WHAT...
Our Thoughts on Recent Market Volatility
Monday – March 9 – was the eleventh anniversary of the crescendo of global panic that marked the bottom of the bear market of 2007-09. It is to us a thing of the most wonderful irony that the world has elected to celebrate this iconic anniversary with – you guessed it...
2019 4th Quarter Commentary – MUTUAL FUND MANAGERS CAN HELP MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF A MARKET DOWNTURN
In our 3rd Quarter commentary we discussed how we can help our clients structure their portfolios to help meet current and future income needs while staying within their risk tolerance parameters. This quarter we want to focus on how fund managers work inside of our...
2019 3rd Quarter Commentary – PREPARING FOR MARKET DOWNTURNS
Lately there has been a lot of talk about a possible recession in the U.S. economy. Most of the rhetoric is speculation as we approach the 2020 Presidential election. When this is going on, it is important to focus on official sources of economic information. The...
2019 2nd Quarter Commentary – THE MOST NEGLECTED FINANCIAL RISK IN RETIREMENT
The most common goals for people when planning for retirement are: Paying off college debt for children Paying off the mortgage Having enough assets to create a sustainable income Having time to travel Having time to spend with loved ones Locking in a supplemental...
2019 1st Quarter Commentary – BREXIT: A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY
On June 23, 2016, British citizens voted to leave the European Union (EU). Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which created the EU, gives the EU and the exiting country two years to agree to the terms of the split. It wasn’t until March 29, 2017 that Theresa May, Prime...
2018 4th Quarter Commentary – KEEPING YOUR EYE ON THE ECONOMIC INDICATORS
On 12/25/2018, the Kansas City Star posted a story titled, “Economy is Strong. Leadership is Shaky”. As most of you are aware, 2018 was a year that gave us a very volatile stock market, especially in the 2nd half of the year. The S&P and the Dow were both up...
2018 3rd Quarter Commentary – PUTTING UP HAY IN THE BARN
As we approach autumn, many farmers are putting up hay. Farmers store hay because they know there might be a harsh winter, or a drought, when there might not be enough grass available for the stock. No one has ever been able to predict when the hard times will come,...
2018 2nd Quarter Commentary – Bitcoin, Crypto-Currency, & The Wild, Wild West
Crypto-currencies began to emerge during the banking crisis of 2008. Over time, Bitcoin has become the most popular crypto-currency. In the early days, Bitcoin owners would contact each other and meet at Starbucks to swap Bitcoin for cash. Since then, there have been...
2018 1st Quarter Commentary – ALARMISM SELLS!
2018 1st Quarter Commentary ALARMISM SELLS! Yes, alarmism sells when you are trying to sell newspapers or air time on television and radio. However, it is not always helpful to us as investors. Lately, we are being told that we should be alarmed about the...