By Steve Kim, CFP ® Election years breed uncertainty, and in general, the market does not respond well to uncertainty. It is tempting to speculate how each candidate might affect your investments, but making decisions based on unknowns could cause long-term harm to your portfolio. The key, just like in […]
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By Steve Kim, CFP® If you have been reading the news, you have probably noticed that inflation has been a top headliner. Questions and concerns are rising: when will inflation drop, and when will the Fed cut interest rates— if at all? As the months creep by and we still […]
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Let us get the elephant out of the room: money is emotional. How can it not be, when it provides for your childrens’ education, memorable vacations, and so much more? It is only natural to worry when the stock market takes a dive, and you see the value of your […]
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As we begin the new year, I want to share my reflections on the financial markets in 2023 and the outlook for the markets in 2024. If you have not done so already, I recommend taking time from the start of the new year to review your budget, past year expenses and investment allocations. Optimally, you would want to do this on a regular basis throughout the year. Targeting your annual budget and spending to income without sufficient financial reserves could weaken your future financial plans due to life events outside of your control.
Index* Ticker QTD YTD TTM Yld Dow Jones DIA 13.03% 15.98% 1.81% S&P 500 SPY 11.64% 26.14% 1.40% S&P 500 Equal Weight RSP 11.81% 13.65% 1.64% Nasdaq QQQ 14.52% 54.76% 0.62% Mid-Cap 400 MDY 12.53% 17.12% 1.26% Russell 2000 IWM 14.03% 16.80% 1.35% Micro Cap IWC 16.00% 9.09% 1.17% EAFE […]
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The path to the kind of retirement you’ve dreamed about may not be well-marked and neatly groomed. It might be riddled with traps, rough patches, and obstacles. It’s likely that when you retire, you’ll have put in anywhere from 40 to 50 years of work, so don’t let your dedication […]
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Annuity products have existed since the Roman Empire.1 And yet, even today, these products are often misunderstood. The bottom line is that annuities may be an option that can help people meet their needs for retirement income. However, we feel that very few people understand the features, benefits and drawbacks […]
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I get asked this question A LOT! It’s hard to say really, because it is a feeling and ultimately hard to articulate into a why? In short, it is the relationships. It is the people, the time, and the trust that builds over the years as I see their hopes and dreams unfold. Of course, there are times when people are scared and uncertain as it pertains to economic environments. There are births, deaths, job changes, job losses, COVID, and sending kids off to college. The best part of my job is sitting down with my clients annually (often more) and hearing all about their life.
We all spend decades working and saving toward the far-off retirement of our dreams. And while we may all have ideas about what we want to do, have you ever thought about your actual retirement lifestyle will be? U.S. News and World Report recently outlined “10 Retirement Lifestyles Worth Trying,” […]
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Retirement can last 20 to 30 years or more, so it may be helpful to consider it as a series of phases. Here are three phases that you might pass through on your retirement journey, and some questions to ask along the way. The Transition Some people leave work one […]
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