The fourth quarter ended on a positive note with stocks and bonds rallying to end what was otherwise a difficult year for investors. Stocks staged a strong comeback in November in response to the Federal Reserve (Fed) indicating that its pace of policy tightening would slow along with signs that inflation is cooling.
Read MoreStocks reached the unenviable milestone of entering a bear market this quarter. A bear market is when the market declines 20% or more from its peak. The S&P 500 reached its high in early January and has sold off 23.5% at its lows in June. 2022 marks the worst start to a year since 1970. There have been worse six months periods for stocks over the last 50+ years, but this is an attention-grabbing headline nonetheless.
Read MoreWe're currently experiencing one of the strongest economic recoveries in generations. Despite some reasons to feel concerned about the future -- be they political, humanitarian, other otherwise -- you probably have even more reasons to feel optimistic about your finances right now.
Which makes right now an excellent time to make some smart money moves that either help you take advantage of the healthy economy or prepare you for the point in the future when the tides inevitably change.
Read MoreThe good times continue to roll for investors. Stocks, bonds, and commodities saw widespread gains this quarter. The S&P 500 has seen 34 new all time highs since the start of the year and the market is up 92% from its March 2020 lows. The explanation for these stats is simple. The US economy is seeing an economic recovery unlike anything that we have seen before.
Read More2020 ended the year with a bang. This was likely from two things; strong returns from the financial markets and most of us slamming the door on 2020! Stocks ended the year on an upbeat note despite the economic headlines and persistence of COVID 19.
Read MoreI’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way and some were real gems. Fortunately, most of the mistakes were in my 20s and seemed bigger at the time but have proven to be pretty lost cost life lessons. Here are a few of the financial mistakes that I’ve made along the way.
Read MoreThere are a lot of financial advisors out there and all of those are just a little bit different. So now that you've made the decision that it's time to hire a financial advisor, how do you make sure you're choosing the right one for you?
Read MoreRoth IRAs come with income limits, and once you exceed them you can’t contribute to a Roth, at least not directly. But you CAN use backdoor Roth conversions.
Read MoreStocks experienced their second consecutive quarter of significant gains sustaining a historic recovery that few expected in March. This quarter saw the S&P 500 eclipse its previous all time high reached before the COVID market sell off. This is a remarkable feat, all things considering. The bear market experienced in March of this year was the fastest seen in history and we have just experienced the fastest recovery to all time highs.
Read MoreWhen you get a big raise or a significant promotion, you naturally want to celebrate. This may include treating you and your spouse to dinner out or a vacation you have been talking about for years. It might also mean you are going to increase your spending to coincide with your new income growth. Lifestyle creep is something that impacts people in different stages of life. It is particularly important to recognize and avoid before it affects your financial goals.
Read MoreWhether the COVID-19 pandemic is the catalyst for your own desire to buy your dream house, or if updating your current property to make it feasible to keep as your forever home was always part of the plan, there are 3 factors to consider before making any major changes.
Read MoreWhen it comes to financial planning and decision-making, a key question that you need to answer over and over again is, “how should I use my next dollar?”
Read MoreWhen going through a divorce, you’re balancing a million different things at any given time. From working through new family and social dynamics to creating a gameplan for lifestyle shifts, you have a lot on your mind.
Read MoreAt Beyond Wealth, we believe in investing in a way that matches your goals. Rather than day trading and chasing returns, we think that if you start with a sound financial plan that prioritizes your goals and values, a solid investment strategy is sure to follow. Let’s talk about how you can start to organize your goals, and translate them into an investment plan that moves you toward the life you want.
Read MoreHave you ever created a spending plan, or set savings goals, only to find yourself falling off the bandwagon a month or two later? The problem that many people have with creating a financial plan, is that they assume it’s a set-it-and-forget-it, and we don’t blame them! It would be incredibly convenient to create a one-time plan, stick with it, and always trust that your financial life was neatly squared away.
Unfortunately, that’s rarely how financial planning works.
Read MoreHere is a summary of the critical legislation that went into effect on March 27, 2020. We’ve compiled the following review as a resource to find additional information on each of the program specifics. To see if you’re eligible for the benefits listed below, follow the links referenced. Please reach out if you need assistance determining which if any of these programs would be beneficial to you. We will do our best to update this information as new details present themselves.
Read MoreWe wanted to take a moment to give you an update on the current market conditions and our thinking.
We expect there to continue to be large daily moves in the stock markets until we see stability in the bond markets.
Bonds are normally boring investments, but in the current environment, there is above average volatility. Once this settles down, and it will, we should see less pronounced moves in stocks.
As we said last week in our note, we would likely trim some investments. There has been selling and some reallocating in your accounts. These are actions we have taken to raise some additional cash.
Read MoreWe wanted to share some updated thoughts with you about the continued sell off in the stock market. We understand that you are probably nervous and that is ok. Bear markets are not the fun part of investing, but things will recover.
Read MoreHome equity line of credits or HELOCs are usually thought of as a tool to pay for a kitchen remodel or to update a bathroom. Outside of this use, they can be an important component of your financial plan to provide greater financial flexibility. HELOCs can be a savvy cash management tool when used selectively. Given the low interest rate environment and the appreciation housing has seen, it is worth revisiting how a HELOC might fit into your financial plan.
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Markets around the globe experienced a surge in the fourth quarter. This move drove annual gains over 20% for the first time since 2017. Stocks were lifted by improving economic outlook, a potential resolution to the US/China trade war, and additional easing by central banks around the world. All major international markets posted a positive return in the quarter.
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