Private Wealth Management Insights

The Market is Not the Economy

Why is it that stocks keep going up against a backdrop of horrible economic data? While I will never be able to answer the first two questions satisfactorily, we can look to facts to at least partially explain the last.

The Alphabet Soup of Economic Recoveries

There appears to be a bright spot forming in the coronavirus conversation; a light at the end of our lockdown tunnel. These conversations begin with how and when our homes, businesses, and communities can return to normal.

Silver Linings Playbook

The global pandemic has caused massive disruption in the financial, healthcare, and employment markets over the past several months. It seems you can’t go more than a few hours without hearing about all the damage this virus is causing. Here are some of the possible opportunities, or “silver linings,” we see in our little corner of the world.

What Dr. Fauci Can Teach Us About Financial Planning

Dr. Fauci warns us that reopening the economy will require a reliable plan to be successful. Whether we are looking at reopening the world’s largest economy or planning a successful retirement, Dr. Fauci is right- we need a plan.

Grants for First Responders & Volunteer Fire Departments

COVID-19 has put financial stress on individuals, businesses, and most of all, our first responders. During these times of difficulty for our nation and our world, our first responders are stepping up to the front lines–“one for all.” Our government has created several grants to provide financial support to our first responders, specifically our fire departments.

Preparing in the Wake of a Pandemic

Some of you might be feeling anxious and uncertain because of the Coronavirus and its potential impact on the stock market. It is normal to feel this way. Unfortunately, this type of market decline is not unusual. Historically, there is a 10% market decline every 18 months. And nearly half of those declines turn into a 20% loss (about once every 3.5 years, believe it or not). However, there is a bright side.

Fee-Free is Not All It’s Cracked Up To Be

To many casual market followers, the announcement from Charles Schwab (followed by TD Ameritrade a few hours later) to eliminate commissions for online Equity and ETF trades seems like, on the surface, a victory for the average investor. The fee-free paradigm shift has begun, and some are ready to declare victory for everyday investors.

What Bull Market?

There seem to be countless stories of the stock market's all-time highs and the fantastic returns we have experienced over the past several years.  We thought we’d dig into those claims a bit more and research if that really has been the case.

The Best States For Retirees

While clients think about how much income tax they’ll have to pay in retirement, we have found that the calculation is much deeper. First, as clients retire, their income typically drops substantially and moving to Florida or some other state with a low-income tax rate may not be worth the effort of moving.