The Inversion Aversion

Most of 2018 played out according to plan in the bond market. Early in the year market strategist expected faster U.S. economic growth, higher inflation and a Federal Reserve that might be “behind the curve” in its efforts to head off inflation via higher interest rates. Tax cuts, healthy job growth and high consumer confidence buoyed stock prices and long-term[...] Continue reading

Tax season Q&A: Guide to filing your 2018 tax returns

With the U.S. Tax Reform bill in place, and a year of impressive market performance, we know that our clients are eager to file their 2018 tax returns. For many years, important tax documents regarding taxable withdrawals and realized gain and loss information have been mailed directly to investors from the account custodian (Charles Schwab, Fidelity, TD Ameritrade, U.S.[...] Continue reading

Investor Beware – Not all financial advisors are created equal.

Investor Beware – Not all financial advisors are created equal. Many financial professionals carry the title ‘advisor’ yet follow a traditional sales business model, mainly getting paid through earning commissions from selling a product or collecting bonuses from meeting sales quotas. A conflict-of-interest arises because the advisor has an incentive to recommend[...] Continue reading

Why slowing retail earnings growth isn’t a bad thing

As we reach the tail-end of earnings season, we’ve seen a majority of companies report in line or slightly better than anticipated. It looks like this may be the end of earnings growth, but overall earnings are positive. However, slowed corporate earnings isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and it doesn’t equate to companies losing money. For one, companies are hiring[...] Continue reading

Making the best of long-term care

There is nothing that can deplete retirement funds more than extensive health care and long-term care costs. During client review meetings, we believe incorporating a discussion regarding long-term care insurance is an important facet of a holistic financial plan. At some point in our lives we have either experienced personally or know someone that has seen a family[...] Continue reading