Insight Reports

September 11, 2023

3Q.2023 Earnings Update – S&P 500

3Q.2023 Earnings Update – S&P 500 Index Earnings 3Q.2023 earnings for the S&P 500 index are increasing based on a bottom-up consolidaiton of earnings estimates by company.  Change results since June 30 vary widely by company and sector, but the consolidated change for the S&P 500 index is for annual […]
September 9, 2023

The Roth 401K versus The Traditional 401K

Roth 401K vs. Traditional 401K The Roth 401K was built on a simple idea: Save today and get a tax break tomorrow.  This is the inverse of the traditional 401K, where workers set aside money to save for tomorrow and they get a tax break today. The Roth 401K is […]
September 8, 2023

7 Signs It’s Time To Hire a Financial Advisor

7 Signs Its Time to Hire A Financial Advisor People often wonder if now is the right time for them to hire a financial advisor. And if not now, then when? While almost anyone could benefit from working with a financial advisor, there are certain times in life where it […]
September 1, 2023

August 2023 Returns and Asset Performance

Major Asset Classes August 2023 Performance Comparison Introduction August 2023 returns were negative, ending a 5 month stock market rally.  At one point, the S&P 500 index was down -5.5%, but ended the month down -1.8%. The primary driver of returns was higher borrowing costs , which weighed on the […]
August 28, 2023

New Law Impacts the 401k Catch-Up Rule

Last week, the IRS announced new changes to the 401k catch-up rule.  Previously, the IRS required  high-earners to place their catch-up savings in Roth  accounts with no immediate tax benefit.  The new rule allows savers age 50 and older to make catch-up contributions to pre-tax accounts for two more years.  […]
August 14, 2023

How to Make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QDC) from an IRA

How to Make a Qualified Charitable Distribution from an IRA Introduction to QCDs A qualified charitable distribution (QCD) is an allocation from an individual retirement account (IRA) to a qualifying charity.  Internal Revenue Code Section 408(d)(8) contains the guidelines for doing a QCD. This article summarizes the rules in simple […]
August 2, 2023

July 2023 Returns and Asset Performance

Major Asset Classes July 2023 Performance Comparison Introduction July 2023 returns added to gains seen in June, logging the 5th straight month of gains.  The S&P 500 index was up +3.1% in July and the NASDAQ 100 index up +3.9%, buoyed by resilient GDP growth and a drop in developed […]
July 23, 2023

S&P 500 Earnings Update – 2Q.2023

S&P 500 Earnings Update – 2Q.2023 Index Earnings The S&P 500 earnings seasons for 2Q.2023 is well underway.  Currently, 91 companies or 18% of the index has now reported actual results.  In the upcoming week, a surge of 166 companies will report earnings, taking us to a total of 51% […]
July 9, 2023

ETF Fund Flows: July 7, 2023

ETF Fund Flows – July 07, 2023 ETF fund flows define the net dollar inflows and outflows for exchange traded funds over predefined periods.  Fund flows are useful to identify market trends.  The data broadly reveals the rotations investors make as they shift their funds across different assets, market sectors, […]
July 2, 2023

June 2023 Returns and Asset Performance

Major Asset Classes June 2023 Performance Comparison Introduction June 2023 returns came in strong with the S&P 500 index up +6.5% for the month and the NASDAQ 100 index +6.3%.  In a sign of strong market internals, the small cap S&P 600 Index broke away from the larger market and […]