I am pretty sure that the Year 2022 will go down as the year when the Federal Reserve went to massive lengths to battle inflation. The highs we captured in 2021 quickly reversed as the Fed executed the most aggressive rate-hike path in decades. Granted, the war in Ukraine nor China’s zero Covid policy didn’t…
Secure Act 2.0
Nothing like year-end government planning! The original SECURE Act was signed into law on December 20th, 2019. Its “sequel,” the SECURE 2.0 Act, was similarly enacted at year-end on December 29th, 2022. Both pieces of legislation seek to reform how Americans prepare for retirement while juggling current spending needs. But a hard truth remains: Employers…
When Should You Take Your Social Security?
Ever since President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed off on the 1935 Social Security Act, most Americans have ended up pondering this critical question as they approach retirement: “When should I (or we) start taking my (or our) Social Security?” And yet, the “right” answer to this common query remains as elusive as ever. It depends…
Six Financial Best Practices for Year-End 2022
To say the least, there’s been plenty of political, financial, and economic action this year—from rising interest rates, to elevated inflation, to ongoing market turmoil. How will all the excitement translate into annual performance in our investment portfolios? Markets often deliver their best returns just when we’re most discouraged. So, who knows! While we wait…
NEW RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTION LIMITS FOR 2023
Contribution limits do not go up every year. But every couple of years, we’ve come to expect gradual increases across the various types of accounts. The Internal Revenue Service has just released new limits for the coming year. For the most part, the amount of increases are linked to inflation. So perhaps it does not…
Implications of Owning Rental Property
People love real estate, whether it’s their own home or buying rental property. Even if you don’t own your primary house or second home, you have probably heard somewhere that owning them is a surefire way to become rich. While owning a rental property is one way to kickstart the wealth-building process, we think it’s…
Q3 – 2022: Brandon’s Quarterly Market Commentary
While it may seem like a distant memory, Q3 started with optimism. We saw (potential) signs of inflation slowing, solid corporate earnings, and expectations that interest rate hikes might end sooner than later. But beyond mid-August, that optimism was eroded by sticky inflation data, geopolitical concerns, and Chairman Powell suggesting more “pain” was to come….
How Much is Needed for Retirement
Do you remember when a million dollars used to be the gold standard for the amount to have saved at retirement? Well, as we all know, a million dollars is not what it used to be! Knowing how much you need to save is certainly important, but your target should not be arbitrary. It could…
Remembering Summers Past
So many big events competed for our attention this summer … said nearly every investor, almost every summer, ever. We’re not making light of this summer’s uncertainties. Inflation is real, and needs to be managed; we also can’t rule out the possibility we’ll still see stagflation and/or a recession (although neither has happened yet). Heightened…
Want To Lose Money? Check Your Portfolio Frequently!
The average American checks their phone 96 times a day. While phones may have become a central piece of our lives, this is once every 10 minutes! Entirely too much, wouldn’t you agree? This has also made it easier for people to check on their portfolios. Whether it’s pulling up news and quotes on Yahoo…
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