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Dear Clients and Friends:
North Korea fires missiles over Japan. Major hurricanes, fires and flooding plague the United States. Equifax announces the largest data breach in history. Washington drama continues. Protectionism rises on the international stage. Yet the stock and bond markets barely move, at least not significantly downward. What gives?
Some clients express to me their dismay at national and global events, fearing that a market crash will follow. The important thing to realize is that financial markets are looking at economic conditions much more than political ones. Economic reports released in August (which we track monthly) confirmed that the U.S. economy continued to exhibit steady growth in the third quarter after a solid rebound in the second. Labor markets are healthy. Business spending is playing an increasing role (vs. consumer spending) in driving the economy. While growth expectations don't match what has occurred in the last two years, neither are we hearing predictions of impending catastrophe from our research sources.
Rest assured that we continue to hedge risk in our portfolios, especially for those of you in retirement. Nevertheless, we urge you to take the news for what it is-- don't compound your worries.
Rachel Wagner
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Beneficiary Designations
Naming a beneficiary is a crucial component in a sound financial plan. It is also one of the most overlooked. While it may feel like a morbid subject, it is a critical step to making sure your family and loved ones are looked after. If you are not sure whom you have named as a beneficiary on your accounts, give my office a call and we can give you an update!
Not all beneficiary designations are the same. Take a look at this blog post to learn more.
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Like a closet that isn't reorganized from time to time, a portfolio that isn't reviewed regularly can leave you feeling like the pieces no longer fit. In 2015, for example, stocks, as measured by the S&P 500 had annualized returns of 13.69%.
U.S. investment grade bonds gained 5.97%, while international stocks declined -4.49%. Given this diverse composite of returns, a portfolio that was carefully allocated in 2014 would have shifted a long way from what was intended.
Getting your portfolio back on track is critical because studies have confirmed that asset allocation is the single most important determinant of investment success.
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If you're like many homeowners, you bought your home insurance policy, got standard coverage and haven't given it another thought. Unfortunately, that type of thinking could lead to gaps in your coverage.
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standard homeowners policy offers coverage for a wide variety of perils - theft, vandalism, fire, wind, lightning and ice, among others - but not for everything. Here are six situations where you need to bolster your policy to get help.
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When Considering adoption, it is important to understand the legal process, the evaluation by a social worker, programs that can help you finance an adoption, and your ability to care for a child, financially.
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