Insight Reports
March 2, 2025
Major Asset Classes February 2025 Performance Comparison Introduction February returns for the S&P 500 index (-1.4%) saw two all-time highs followed by sell-off at month-end tied. The market turned on new fiscal tightening, pending tariffs, consumer confidence declines, and forward projections of lower GDP and earnings growth. A shift in […]
February 2, 2025
Major Asset Classes January 2025 Performance Comparison Introduction January returns for the S&P 500 index (+2.7%) exactly offset the losses seen in December. It was a rollercoaster month with another all-time high for the S&P 500 index, followed by sharp drops triggered by a new IA model from China and […]
January 6, 2025
Major Asset Classes December 2024 Performance Comparison Introduction December returns for the S&P 500 index (-2.7%) were down, but lead global markets by a wide margin for the year (+23.3%). US government bonds (-1.7%) were also down in December, struggling to stay positive in 2024, but ending the year with modest […]
December 15, 2024
Roth IRA Conversions Introduction Roth IRA conversions are a powerful tool for tax and retirement planning. A Roth IRA conversion is a financial strategy that allows individuals to move funds from a standard retirement account, such as a Traditional IRA or 401(k), into a Roth IRA. The conversion can have […]
December 3, 2024
2025 Important Planning Numbers Download There are lots of important numbers that we work with in financial, tax, and retirement planning. At the same time, there are many core numbers our clients ask us about and need to keep in mind. In some cases, those numbers change each year. Other […]
December 3, 2024
Major Asset Classes November 2024 Performance Comparison Introduction November returns for the S&P 500 index (+5.7%) were the strongest of the year, benefiting from a post-election rally. Government tax reform, deregulation, and improvements in government efficiencies launched the S&P 600 Small Cap index (+11.1%), while the 20Y+ Government Bond (+2.0%) […]
October 16, 2024
Medicare 2025 – Key Changes and Demographics Today is the beginning of the 2025 open enrollment for Medicare. In response, I share a recent article from the Wall Street Journal. The article is noteworthy as it reveals new challenges tied to the annual contracting process for Medicare Advantage (MA) programs. […]
October 10, 2024
The MasterClass on Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) was taught October 7, 2024 at the Magrath Library, UofM St. Paul campus. The focus on REITs is part of an ongoing series of classes on retirement planning that looks at the building blocks for income generation. For example, a REIT is […]
October 2, 2024
Major Asset Classes September 2024 Performance Comparison Introduction September returns for the S&P 500 index began with a price correction of -4.8% and then rallied back to gain +2.0% for the month, as inflation continued to stabilize and given a jumbo rate cut of 0.5% by the Fed. Moreover, analysts’ […]
August 31, 2024
Major Asset Classes August 2024 Performance Comparison Introduction August returns for the benchmark S&P 500 index (+2.3%) benefited from optimism regarding a ‘soft landing’ and encouraging inflation data. More astounding, US large-cap stocks recovered from a sharp drawdown at the start of the month, with a dramatic shift from risk-off […]