Wall Street wrapped up the second quarter last week. It was one for the record books. The recovery from the “Coronavirus Contraction” has been substantial, but in many ways is still incomplete. April was a particularly strong month, and the entire quarter went down as one of the best in over 20 years. Lockdowns have…
Financial Mistakes
Since 1997 I have been helping people with their money. Thousands of conversations later, with people from all walks of life, I think I’ve seen every possible mistake made. Don’t get me wrong. We all make mistakes. But as the old saying goes, “Only a fool keeps making the same one”. Humans by nature are…
Recency Bias
Do you think a blizzard will drive up the demand for people wanting to buy snow tires or 4-wheel drive vehicles? Sure does. How about car dealerships – will they sell more convertibles once the weather gets warmer? Without a doubt. What is at play here is a psychological phenomenon called recency bias. It is…
Giving
Charitable giving is a personal choice, and several factors typically determine how much a person “gives” away. Financial status. Upbringing. Trust factors. Priorities. Egos. I’ve had this topic come up lately with clients – people wondering HOW MUCH SHOULD WE BE GIVING? HOW MUCH DO OTHER PEOPLE GIVE? It’s a welcome discussion, particularly with all…
The New Normal
It’s been months since most of us, myself included, have shuttered the office and started working from home. Like many, I’m feeling the strain of upended life. How about you? Are you ready to venture out again? In this post, I thought I’d provide a rundown of some of the latest economic projections as well…
Stop Wasting Money
Are you looking for ways to cut your spending? With the Covid shutdown, perhaps your income has shut down – or at least slowed down. Now is the time to evaluate your spending habits. I don’t consider myself a penny-pincher, but the reality is EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS. Not only that, but people have difficulty understanding…
How The CARES Act May Affect You – And Your Retirement Planning
When our $21 trillion economy comes to a screeching halt, there’s going to be an economic contraction. That’s what we’ve all been experiencing the past couple of months as we deal with the Coronavirus. The Federal government’s $2 trillion fiscal rescue act is part of extraordinary measures attempting to limit the impact to our economy….
Beneficiary Reviews
I thought of something helpful for people “quarantining” to do while spending time at home: review the beneficiary designations on their accounts! Admittedly updating beneficiaries on life insurance and financial accounts isn’t the most fun part of financial planning, but it could be one of the most important things you do! If you are thinking…
Q1 – 2020: Brandon’s Quarterly Market Commentary
Well, that was quick. Feeling good after a strong finish to 2019, we’ve seen some dramatic changes happen in a very short period of time. Let’s call it the “Coronavirus Contraction”. It came swiftly, and it came with force. And while the economy was on a roll to start the year, in a matter of weeks, we were…
Roth Conversions
We’re going through some tough (and interesting!) times these days. Even if you fear the sky is falling, it’s important to be able to see things optimistically. I like to look through the noise for opportunities. Which led me to this idea – the current environment is ripe for Roth IRA conversions. Before I get…
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