April 5, 2019
The breadth of the U.S. stock market gain in the first quarter of 2019 caused all sectors of the S&P 500 to end higher for the first time since 2014. The headline article in the April 2nd Wall Street Journal reports manufacturing activity in the U.S. …Read More
March 5, 2019
The U.S. stock market is celebrating its best start to a new year since 1987. One big factor that drives this rally is the flexibility coming from the White House to delay the March 1 deadline to raise tariffs on $200 Billion of Chinese exports from 10% …Read More
January 18, 2019
2018 brought a remarkable divergence between U.S. economic data and U.S. stock market performance. The economy and the forward-looking stock market have always existed as separate disciplines, and in the short-run they often go their separate ways. In …Read More
December 5, 2018
The above is a quote from Jeff Sommers as the title of his 11/18/2018 “Strategies” column in the New York Times. He keeps buying stocks even when they are falling because he has “faith in the future.” What is the basis of his faith? It might be …Read More
November 2, 2018
You are not going to like your October statements. The U.S. and international stock markets have entered correction territory — as defined by a 10% decline or more from prior peak. History shows that markets average one 14% annual …Read More
October 3, 2018
Despite all the news that could be so distracting, investors are focusing on U.S. economic strength to rise above the breakdowns in global trade and Washington politics. Read about this and …Read More
September 12, 2018
Brian Cornell, age 60, Target CEO, asserts that we are in the best consumer environment that he has seen in his 35-year career. Target reported the best quarterly results in more than a decade as shares gained 33% this year. With the strongest same-store …Read More
August 24, 2018
One of the biggest changes resulting from the new tax law signed in December 2017 is a severe limit imposed by the Republican-controlled Congress on state and local tax (SALT) deductions. Under the previous law, these deductions were unlimited for …Read More
August 2, 2018
For the second quarter (Q2) of 2018, U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) grew by an annualized rate of 4.1%. This is an encouraging increase from Q1 growth of 2.2%. 2018 is on track to grow by 3% or more, which has not happened since 2005. This achievement …Read More
July 25, 2018
Under the new tax law effective in 2018, can you claim your home mortgage interest as a deduction? Would you save more money taking the standard …Read More
July 3, 2018
The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 reached the end of the second quarter well below their all-time highs from January 2018. The Trump tariff activity did not start until after January, and it remains the dominant impediment to U.S. stock …Read More
June 4, 2018
Imagine if President Trump would have adopted a period of reflection and silence after he signed the tax cut bill in December. This is what Rick Newman, columnist for Yahoo Finance, considers if Trump would just get out of the way of our strong economy: …Read More
May 9, 2018
Since the creation under the Small Business Protection Act of 1996, 529 accounts have allowed savers to contribute after-tax dollars for the purpose of paying education expenses to the beneficiary. The money is invested and can grow tax-free. Withdrawals …Read More
May 2, 2018
The stock market wobbles when the Federal Reserve consistently raises interest rates. This is normal as businesses and consumers need time to adjust to higher financing costs. In response to the Fed increases, the 10-year U,S, Treasury yield passed …Read More
April 4, 2018
An analysis of the market, the most important investment principles, the threat of tariffs and trade …Read More
March 12, 2018
The estate and gift tax exemption in the federal tax code (Form 706) applies to an individual’s gifts made during life and to assets left at death. Beginning in 2018, the exemption from tax is doubling to nearly $11.2 million per individual and $22.4 …Read More
March 5, 2018
Be a Winner — Learn to Live with Volatility February brought the highly anticipated 10% pullback after the biggest drop in 2017 of only 3%. Corrections of 10% are evidence that the market does not continually rise, and they motivate technicians to …Read More
February 27, 2018
This is an overview of a Health Savings Account (HSA), a unique savings & investment vehicle w/ tax benefits: who qualifies, advantages, restrictions, what medical expenses are covered, which aren't, what you can do before 4/17/18, 2018 caps, not to be …Read More
Bell received notification from our custodian, Charles Schwab, of a text message-based phishing attempt imitating Schwab. The phishing attempt appears to have been sent to a random set of phone numbers, not necessarily clients of Schwab or Bell Investment Advisors. The phishing attempt was conveyed through text messages appearing to come from Schwab, but in …Read More
