After a long year, these spring days seem particularly sweet. Unlike 2020, when uncertainty was so widespread, we now see more clearly looking ahead. The recent government checks to consumers, plus the big infrastructure project on the drawing board, could boost the...
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Speculating on Hoops and Investments
It’s madness, March Madness! It is always fun to fill in a NCAA basketball tournament bracket, whether for family bragging rights or for the office bracket pool. As the tournament unfolds, most of the basketball powerhouses smash lesser rivals while a few Cinderella...
New Baby in the Family? Here’s Some Financial Advice
In the midst of much trial and tribulation around our country, can I share a personal story on the lighter side of life? I’m a first-time grandpa. This experience is good beyond my imagination – all the joy with none of the responsibilities! Still, as a financial...
Legacy Planning: Designating Your Beneficiaries
According to the Investment Company Institute, total US retirement assets exceed $23 trillion, mostly in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRAs. How these assets transfer to the next generation is a very important part of the financial planning process....
Should I Buy GameStop Stock?
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,”...
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...
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...