Fighting Inflation – Why This Time Feels Different and Could Actually Be Successful
Key Takeaways There were 11.4 million job openings in April equaling 1.92 job openings per unemployed person, a huge benefit to a Fed attempting to bring down inflation without cratering the job market. The Fed’s ideal labor market resolution is that companies fill current openings while maintaining their current workforce. Friday’s jobs report showed a […]
Managing a Household Allocation
One of our mantras in planning is to “Know What You Own.” Peter Lynch popularized this term during his management of a Fidelity mutual fund in the 1980’s, and we think it applies to more than just investments. Your home, your health insurance, your business, and yes, your investments each have features, risks, and opportunities […]
(With Perspective) There Is Good in This Selloff
Yes, I said it; there are countless reasons to celebrate what we are and have been experiencing in the financial markets. From a historical perspective, we believe the developments in this environment are constructive to a healthier economic and market environment in the future. Let me count the ways: 1. The Market is […]
Market Volatility & Behavior Finance
If you feel like the stock market has been all over the place recently, there is some merit behind the feeling. So far, during 2022 we have experienced 41 days where the S&P 500 has returned greater than a +/- 1% return. This represents approximately half of the trading days of the year so […]
The Inverted Yield Curve of April 2022
Key Takeaways: The 2-year/10-year yield curve inverted for the first time since 2019. This type of inversion has preceded the last eight recessions. Proper portfolio allocation can help insulate investors from the negative outcomes of recessions. Three years ago today, on April 4, 2019, I wrote about the Inverted Yield Curve […]
Managing a Household Allocation
One of our mantras in planning is to “Know What You Own.” Peter Lynch popularized this term during his management of a Fidelity mutual fund in the 1980’s, and we think it applies to more than just investments. Your home, your health insurance, your business, and yes, your investments each have features, risks, and opportunities […]
Managing a Household Allocation
One of our mantras in planning is to “Know What You Own.” Peter Lynch popularized this term during his management of a Fidelity mutual fund in the 1980’s, and we think it applies to more than just investments. Your home, your health insurance, your business, and yes, your investments each have features, risks, and opportunities […]
Determining a Retirement Savings Rate
As we meet with new families, we continually hear the same two questions: 1) are we making good decisions with the money we earn and 2) are we saving enough for retirement? These questions are typical whether a person is 35 years old or 55 years old. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. […]
Interest Rates & Inflation
Over the past decade, the Federal Reserve has been pushing for modestly higher interest rates and inflation. To anyone following the markets or economic news, this statement is nothing new to hear. However, with higher inflation starting to build momentum, an economy that is beginning to stand on its own, and the potential of a US government […]
Inflation Concerns: Are Higher Prices Here to Stay?
Higher prices are here – I learned this last month when booking a rental car for our summer vacation, a 6-day rental for which I had typically budgeted $400-$500 was now going to cost over $1,000. Although an unpleasant surprise, the reasoning is quite simple, the travel demand has skyrocketed, in conjunction with a major […]
Is the Recent Climb in Interest Rates a Real Threat?
If you pay as close attention to mortgage rates as we do, you may have noticed a fairly significant move higher over the last few months. In fact, 30-year mortgage rates have risen in nine of the past eleven weeks, up 41 basis points from a low of 2.93 percent earlier this year, to the […]
529 College Savings Plans and the New FAFSA
If you are planning to save for college expenses for your child or grandchild, a 529 college savings plan can be one of the best ways to do it. You put the money into the plan, it grows tax-free, and then if you use the funds for qualified education expenses, it comes out tax-free as […]
