Hello all! Just when you thought it couldn’t get any wackier!? It did. Several weeks ago, my son asked me if I had seen what was happening with GameStop, AMC and Blackberry stocks. My honest reply was, “No, but are those companies still in business?” In “short,”...
finances
Expect the Unexpected for the 2021 Stock Market, and Plan Accordingly
Last year was a paradox: The second quarter was the worst GDP performance on record. However, November was one of the best months for the stock market on record, led by long-lagging small caps and value stocks. The Russell 2000 Index (small company stocks) enjoyed the...
Here’s a Merry Approach to Mortality
he holidays (normally) conjure warm images of large family gathering with dinners, gift exchanges, and merriment. The holidays are different this year. As the COVID pandemic is filling ICUs across the country, our mortality has entered the national conversation. With...
Top Gifting and Tax Considerations to Know Now
TAX CHANGES IN 2021? Maybe. One of the possible implications of a change in the White House is tax regulations. Americans, blue or red, are asking the same question: are my taxes going to change? Joe Biden’s victory could spell changes in income, payroll, estate, and...
Stay Calm and Prepare for Another Wave of Pandemic Panic
Election Day is over. The sun rose the following morning. The stock market did not crash. So our attention has turned back to the pandemic. A second wave of the virus is surging across the nation. To wit, I was hospitalized (non-COVID) in June at the University of...
Christmas Giving Tips and Tricks
I love Christmas. I love the Christmas cookies and food. I love Christmas lights. I love watching Christmas movies. I love decorating my house to the most extreme. Most importantly, I love giving gifts to the people that I love in celebration of the best gift that we...
Hang in There, Things Will Get Better
Several weeks ago, I (virtually) attended the Vanguard Advisor Symposium. Sidebar: One of the unexpected silver linings to the COVID pandemic has been access to great meetings without the hassle and expense of air travel and hotels. The event kicked off with a...
Risky Business
Why do we talk so much about risk assessment? The financial markets are always reacting to a variety of global events and this volatility can be unnerving for individual investors, especially if investing without first understanding one’s personal risk profile. So,...
Silver and Gold!
"Silver and Gold! Silver and Gold! How do you measure its worth? Just by the pleasure it gives here on Earth!" - Sam the Snowman from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer I can’t help but think about Cornelius the prospector from the Rudolph movie when people ask about...
What Should I Do With My Money? It Depends…
From the perspective of personal financial planning, the answer to many of life’s complexities is, “It depends.” Of course, we all prefer black and white answers to important questions. But “It depends” fails to give us any certainty of outcomes. Here are some common...