Diversification still matters!
Over the coming weeks there will continue to be a stream of information coming out regarding the collapse of several banks in the US and in Europe. We will undoubtedly learn more about the failures that led to the banks collapsing, the cost of the collapse, and what changes need to be implemented to attempt to stop these sorts of things from occurring in the future. One thing we already know that this situation reminded us of is that diversification still matters in your financial life.
Banking Crisis Averted
In light of recent news events, we wanted to spend some time sharing information and perspective around the current banking situation. However, before we can begin to understand the current headlines, let’s first understand what a bank actually is…
SECURE 2.0 Act
When Congress approved the $1.7trillion omnibus spending bill in December of 2022, much of the focus was on the size of the spending that would occur funding the government through September 30, 2023. While that is surely important, buried inside the bill was also legislation that would affect Americans everywhere. The SECURE 2.0 Act is now law and touches Americans at all stages of life.
Year End Review & 2023 Outlook
In the beginning of December, I was able to visit Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure in Orlando, FL with a few friends for a VIP Experience tour. The tour includes breakfast, lunch, and a guided walk throughout the parks guaranteeing you to ride at least ten rides, skipping the lines and going straight to the front. As an annual passholder, it was not my first time at these parks and I eagerly put together a list of rides that were essential for us to ride. The list included multiple rollercoasters, several simulators that were in 3D, and other rides that spin you and move you around in a quick fashion. As the day ended, I realized what started with excitement ended with a sore neck, nausea, and a group discussion on if thirteen rides were really a good idea after all. While that day is one of my favorite memories of 2022, the feeling getting off the last rollercoaster resonated with me as to what many investors probably felt in 2022: a period of excitement to begin the year, followed by the discomfort of what turned out to be a year full of ups and downs and unexpected nausea and fatigue…
Child Tax Credit Changes for 2022
I’ve learned many things as an Enrolled Agent with the IRS, but the one universal truth I know is that the only constant with our tax system is that things always change! So let’s address those changes for the Child Tax Credit…
What is Tax-Loss Harvesting?
It certainly never feels good to lose value in your investments, and we understand that no one begins investing with the intention of losing money! However, the inevitable ups and downs of the stock market will occur. The premise of TLH is to sell some of your investments at a loss to offset gains you may have realized from selling other investments that increased in value…
What is Loss Fatigue?
This year for investors has been unusually difficult and painful. After many years of positive market returns even in the face of things like Covid-19, threats of trade wars, and geopolitical events like Brexit and the Greek Debt Crisis, 2022 is producing our first truly substantial downturn since the Great Financial Crisis in 2008. While market volatility isn’t new for investors, the length and duration of the drawdowns in the markets feels new and different for many investors, because it is. For the first time in almost twenty years, many investors are having to grapple with Loss Fatigue.
2022 Third Quarter Update
If you’ve ever spoken to anyone who has run a long-distance race, swam an endurance swim, or competed in an endurance event of any kind, they will tell you about the euphoric moment of finishing or even winning the event, but often the pain of training and enduring is left out. Similarly, when investing we talk about our wins or how we completed our financial goals, but we fail to share the pain or anxiety that comes with that at times. Unfortunately for many of us in our marathon of investing, we are in the midst of training season and now is a difficult time.
I Bonds- Treasury Securities for Inflation
What are I Bonds?
I Bonds are savings bonds that earn a combined interest of the rate of inflation and a fixed interest rate for the life of the bond. Through the end of October 2022, a I Bond is paying over 9% in interest.
What’s in the Inflation Reduction Act?
The “IRA” was signed into law on Aug 16, 2022 and is projected to cost $430 billion.