Our Weekend Word

Does the Presidential Election Spell Risk for the Markets?

As the U.S. presidential election draws closer, there are growing questions (from both sides) on whether the outcome will negatively affect the markets. Of course, this is not unusual. As you may remember from the last election cycle, many predicted doom if Trump were to win. In the election before that, we saw similar worries concerning Obama. In both cases, despite the fears, the markets ended up doing quite well. Given this, what risks—if any—does the upcoming election pose for the markets? Let’s take a closer look.

One for the Photo Album

As many of you know I am originally from Rochester NY, so anytime my hometown hits the national news I take an increased interest. Well the past three weeks have been a rollercoaster ride if you’ve followed any of what’s happened with Eastman Kodak.  There is a lot going on so why don’t we recap?

The Fine Print on Social Security

Social Security is one of the biggest things on people’s minds when they approach retirement. Every 5 years we get a statement from the government with a nice large bold number on it that reaches out to us like a pat on the shoulder and says “Hey, you’re going to have some income in retirement” and that makes people feel pretty good.

The awkward thing about that is, depending on your retirement plans, that number is probably wrong…

Addition by Destruction?

We spend a fair amount of our time as financial planners meeting with portfolio managers, analysts, and company representatives to make sure that we are consistently monitoring the products we use.   The one thing we continually hear is critical to their stock selection is clean balance sheets, but if that’s the case how can some of the world’s most reputable brands waste thousands if not millions of dollars every year.

Too Much or Just Enough?

With the government going for another round of epic spending before it could pay off the last one, many fiscal conservatives have wondered if this time will be too much. 
 
Will flooding all of this money into the system eventually cause uncontrollable inflation and devaluation of money?

College Savings

We’re midway through July and despite the pandemic college tuition payments are creeping up quickly.  College is becoming an insurmountable and somewhat terrifying expense for many these days, but there are a few savings vehicles that can help us battle its high costs with the power of tax deferred growth. 

Is Now the Time to Buy or Refinance?

June usually marks the height of the spring real estate market—it’s National Homeownership Month, after all. But this June hasn’t been typical. With job loss numbers in the tens of millions, the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic has put home ownership at risk, with many struggling to make mortgage or rent payments.

There is one unexpected bright spot, though: Interest rates have dipped to historic lows. 

Presidential Predictor

Looking back at the tail end of 2019, you could not help but think the biggest disruption in 2020 was likely going to be the presidential election.  In 2016, when we first started the Weekend Word, it was all we could find to write about.  Here we are four short years later on the precipice of the election and it is almost an afterthought with all that is going on.  The markets might not feel the same way though.

Is ESG Investing for you?

While the sentiment of ESG investing is good, naturally Wall St. saw an opportunity to make money and started slapping the ESG acronym on anything they could get their hands on. In 2017 40 new ESG funds hit the market and that number has increased since. The current issue with ESG is that there is really no definition of what an ESG fund has to do to use those letters.

Raising Awareness of COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance Claim Fraud

With COVID-19 causing an unprecedented increase in unemployment insurance claims over the past few months, reports of identity theft are rising.