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Market Rundown Q3 2024 As we approach the final stretch of 2024, the crispness of fall sets in, leaves drift to the ground, and daylight fades a little earlier each day—definitely a shift in mood. While the cool air marks the season’s change, one reassuring constant remains: the markets continue to show resilience and growth.…
In today’s world, it’s important to plan your finances wisely. Creative charitable giving strategies, such as Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) are a way to increase your charitable impact while reducing potential taxes. What’s a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)? It’s a direct transfer from your IRA to a qualified charity that counts towards the money you’re…
Losing a loved one brings a flood of emotions that can make tasks like managing financial obligations feel overwhelming. This checklist is designed to help you stay organized during this challenging time. Please feel free to share it with others who may need support as well. Remember, you don’t have to navigate this journey alone.…
Required minimum distributions (RMDs) can be quite burdensome. The IRS mandates withdrawals from your retirement accounts, even if you don’t need the funds, potentially pushing you into a higher tax bracket. However, there are strategies to mitigate your RMD tax burden. Withdraw Early from Your IRA Taking larger distributions in the early years of retirement…
Over the past few decades, the investment landscape has been characterized by declining interest rates, low inflation, and globalization. However, this is now changing. Interest rates are at a 23-year high, inflation remains elevated, and globalization is facing headwinds. Additionally, geopolitical tensions have increased. And despite the highest Federal Reserve policy rate in 23 years,…
Market Expectations: Investors are keenly observing the Federal Reserve’s actions amid concerns about rising inflation. Historically, the Fed has responded to inflation by adjusting interest rates, and many anticipate a similar move in 2024. However, the Fed’s decisions are influenced by a range of economic indicators, including employment numbers and GDP growth, not just inflation…
Social Security benefits serve as a critical component of retirement income for millions of Americans. Deciding when to elect these benefits can significantly impact one’s financial well-being in retirement. However, the optimal timing for claiming Social Security isn’t a one-size-fits-all scenario. It depends on various individual circumstances, including financial needs, health status, longevity expectations, and…
Over the past year, equities have shown significant upward momentum, rebounding strongly since the S&P 500 hit a low point in October 2022. This surge has resulted in a remarkable 26% increase in the S&P 500 over the last year, prompting questions about the potential for further growth. Despite concerns of a looming recession in…
We are pleased to bring you the latest update on tax deferral strategies and regulations that may impact your financial planning. In this ever-evolving landscape, staying informed about changes in tax laws is crucial for making informed decisions and optimizing your tax position. Our update aims to provide you with key insights and updates on…
As we enter the new year there are a lot of mixed feelings on where the direction of the economy may go, but one thing we believe is for certain, there is a lot to look forward to. When we look back at 2023, it was an interesting year. We had banks collapse, recession fears,…
The market can fluctuate and make various investment vehicles attractive. Throughout 2023, Money Markets were a haven for cash; they returned greater than 5% while possessing little to no risk (Moody’s Analytics). As an investor, you are trying to find the best possible way to create the highest return on what you own. The current…
The world has changed a lot over the last eighty years. The way we function as a society will continue to change until the end of time. Every year, we have become more and more efficient as people and as a society. We will only continue to become more and more efficient with our time…
Uncertainty is all we have felt over the last 18-24 months. Many questions continue to arise as the trajectory of the economy is still up in the air. Is the idea that the economy will fall into a recession fading? Will there be a soft landing? There are plenty of questions we find ourselves asking,…
FINRA Posts Life Settlement Alert For Consumers On July 31, 2023, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) posted an investor alert and guide aimed at older consumers who are thinking about selling their in-force life insurance policies to others through life settlement transactions. This is FINRA’s first posting on life settlements since 2009. SALE OF…
My name is Davis Johnson, some of you might know me already. I recently graduated from the University of Cincinnati. As I embark on this journey into the financial planning field, I am entering into a dynamic and fulfilling profession that plays a vital role in helping individuals and families achieve their financial goals. I…
Regardless of if you are wary or optimistic, we believe planning provides our clients, at any stage of life, the confidence to face life’s uncertainties. Through our Strategic Pathways Process you have a proven financial roadmap, completely personalized to guide you as your life and needs evolve. If you or someone you know could…
On Wednesday, June 20th at 10 a.m., Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Jerome Powell, gave his Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to Congress. The main question viewers sought was, will there be more rate hikes this year? The short answer is not yet. Over the course of the last year…
As this could be the most widely anticipated recession in decades, investors are asking: Will there be a recession? How bad will it be? and What comes next? The U.S. Federal Reserve’s aggressive campaign of interest rate hikes to combat persistent inflation has amplified the risk of recession. Recent banking sector turmoil, which will likely…
Through planning, money becomes a tool to help you live the life you want. Accumulating as much wealth as possible is no longer the primary objective of your financial plan. The traditional path to saving and investing has been to focus on the future (retirement) and rely solely on numbers and return on investment (ROI).…
In early March, news of financial stress for Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) gripped markets. Given the questions investors may have, we wanted to provide some comments regarding SVB. Silicon Valley Bank is the 15th largest bank in the U.S., by deposits. Despite its size, SVB largely serves a niche market of business deposits of tech…
Economic & Market Outlook The combination of energy price pressure, a war in Ukraine, mid-term elections, and the leading contributor, the U.S. Federal Reserve and other major central bank initiating a series of aggressive interest rate hikes to fight inflation, lead to both stocks and bonds falling in tandem during 2022. This is a rare…
The last time U.S. headline inflation was above 9%, IBM was selling their first personal computer using Microsoft software, Ronald Reagan was president and Marty McFly was traveling Back To The Future. In some ways, it feels like we are taking a trip back to the 1980s as the Federal Reserve has made a strong…
Mortgage Rates on the Rise, Do We Have Another 2008? Housing prices soared through COVID and now with the Federal Reserve increasing interest rates, mortgage rates have followed suit and existing home sales have dropped for six straight months. A recent article from First Trust provides good perspective between the events of today verse those…
Market Insights at a Glance Geopolitical developments and the increase of the money supply have elevated volatility and our outlook of course continues to evolve. This summary is intended to aggregate the Firm’s current overall views and present an at-a-glance dashboard. Our Portfolio Convictions Our investment committee is aware of the policies driving markets, the…
Series I Bonds Providing a 9.62% Annualized Yield As inflation has pushed higher, Series I bonds which are tied to inflation have garnered headlines. Here is what you need to know. I Bonds are backed by the U.S. Government, they will not lose value and they pay interest in two parts, a fixed rate and…
Retirement Savings Checkpoints As we embark into summer and head out on your annual summer vacation, you may find yourself envisioning the relaxation of your retirement years. Here is a guide on how much you should have in retirement savings based upon your age, family income and maintaining that lifestyle throughout retirement. Fee-based planning offered…
The stock market has provided fairly consistent growth over the past decade and as high inflation, rising interest rates and the war in Ukraine continue to disrupt markets, it’s easy for investors to ask, “Will the market ever go up again?” The Federal Reserve has begun to raise short-term interest rates and have signaled that…
Could a Sabbatical Increase Your Return On Life The personal and professional displacement we all experienced during the pandemic has inspired many people to reassess what work means to them. Rather than let these questions linger, it could be productive to approach them with a more formal plan of action, introspection, and recalibration. If your…
Living Your Retirement As you focus in on living your best retirement life, here is a guideline to help you in preparing for your retirement journey. Five years from retirement – Begin to prepare Initiate the retirement discussion, among the topics to discuss are: Help them consider a target retirement. Create a plan to build…
Return on Life There’s a movement toward redefining money: instead of accumulating money for what it can buy, more of us want to use money to live the best life possible with what we have––a concept known as Return on Life™ (ROL). With ROL, money becomes a tool to help you live the life you…
2022 Contribution Limits On November 4th, 2021, the IRS announced the new 2022 cost of living adjustments for retirement plans. Preview the changes in the table below: Fee-based planning offered through Focus On Success, LLC, a State Registered Investment Advisor. Third Party Money Management offered through Valmark Advisers, Inc., an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Securities…
Develop an Estate Plan to Give Your Family a Great Return On Life Designing an estate plan that cares for your loved ones and makes a positive impact on the world isn’t as simple as deciding who gets how much of what. Your answers to these three questions will help you weigh your family’s unique…
Inflation – Financial Planning “If life were predictable it would cease to be life and be without flavor.” – Eleanor Roosevelt Well, Mrs. Roosevelt was right, life has had a lot of flavors recently. As we look to the markets, we see a combination of federal stimulus funding, unprecedented stockpiles of household savings and the…
Seven Common Rollover Mistakes If you are changing jobs or looking to retire in the near-term, make sure you take your money with you and avoid any negative tax consequences. Life doesn’t stop and rather than losing track of an old retirement plan, transfer your retirement savings to an IRA immediately when you are going…