Craig’s Insights2022-07-20T15:40:33-04:00

Insights, Opinions, & Information

Investment Advisory Information
Form ADV: Part 2 A&B Click Here.

Taking Care of Your Family

Hello from Sycamore,

Each year as we have our annual meetings with you, we revisit the question(s) do you have a last will and testament (will), living will, healthcare power (HCP), and/or power of attorney (POA) documents. Having these documents in place not only gives you peace of mind knowing that your future wishes will be carried out, but they can […]

By |October 7th, 2020|

Sycamore Updates and Investment Decisions

Hello from Sycamore,

We admire everyone’s efforts to stay safe as we all continue to navigate through challenging times caused by COVID-19. At Sycamore, we take pride that during these times of uncertainty, there are quite a few things we can remain certain about:

  1. We are fully operational via phone or email for all questions, concerns, and account reviews.
  2. Our clients […]
By |April 28th, 2020|

COVID-19 Stimulus Package

Hello from Sycamore,

On March 27th, 2020 congress passed and the President signed into law a roughly $2 trillion stimulus package to help individuals and businesses deal with the fall out due to COVID-19. We have not had a chance to learn the specifics of this bill but understand the basics. Here are some of the policies that we think are […]

By |April 2nd, 2020|

Surviving the “Bear”

Hello from Sycamore,

Sir John Templeton, founder of the Templeton funds, had some investment advice for us in August of 1958. “To buy when others are despondently selling and to sell when others are avidly buying requires the greatest fortitude and pays the greatest ultimate reward”. In March of 1994 Sir John had additional wisdom for us. “ This time is […]

By |March 30th, 2020|

Coronavirus Precautions Announcement

Hello from Sycamore,

We thank you all for your patience and understanding as we have navigated through the unchartered waters of COVID-19. The virus continues to be a significant risk to all of us so while we continue to remain fully operational, all business will continue to be conducted remotely (phone or computer screen share) through March 31, 2021. Our physical […]

By |March 16th, 2020|

This Cranky Market

Hello from Sycamore,

As I type this the market is down about 25% from its recent high and down about 9% today. The recent decline and wide daily fluctuations combined with the current media frenzy can make us all uneasy as investors. We wanted to review some points about your account(s) and let you know what we are thinking.

First, at the […]

By |March 12th, 2020|

Could the Saver’s Credit Help You Save More?

Hello from Sycamore,

The ‘Saver’s Credit’ may make it possible for you to receive a tax credit on your eligible contributions to your IRA or employer-sponsored retirement plan. Depending on your adjusted gross income, you may be eligible to receive a tax credit of up to 50% on the first $2,000 of contributions you make to a qualified retirement plan or […]

By |March 3rd, 2020|

Reevaluate Your Beneficiary Designations

Hello from Sycamore,

Are your beneficiary designations current?

Over time, events may arise that necessitate a change in beneficiary information for your qualified & taxable brokerage accounts. It’s important to periodically check the beneficiary status of your investment accounts. Accounts that are lacking beneficiary information, or contain information that is not up to date, could create an issue for your survivors. It’s […]

By |October 31st, 2019|

Maximizing your 401(k) Match

Hello from Sycamore,

Retirement accounts such as a 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), etc., can be useful wealth building tools. These plans can help you achieve your dreams of retirement. Choosing to sign up and contribute to a retirement plan is step number one, ensuring you are getting the full benefits of the plan is step two.

Retirement plans are typically set up in […]

By |June 27th, 2019|

Performance Update – January 2018

Hello from Sycamore,

“Well 2017 has come to a close and we think you’ll agree that it was a very good year.  Our Growth and Income Composite gained a bit more than 21% for the year. In fact we had enough gain in 2017 to equal two very good years so we’d not be surprised to see the pace slow significantly […]

By |January 25th, 2019|

The Low Down on Retirement Accounts

Hello from Sycamore,

It’s that time of year again – if you are over 70 ½ and haven’t taken your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) for the 2018 tax year, you can expect to be hearing from us!

What is an RMD?

An RMD is the minimum distribution you must withdraw from your retirement account each year.

When do I have to begin taking RMD’s?

You […]

By |December 5th, 2018|

The Market is Volatile – Is this Normal?

Hello from Sycamore,

If you have been watching the news lately, you have likely seen that the markets have been volatile. What should you do you ask? We believe it is best to stay the course. These recent, large single day declines may seem a bit spooky, but when we look at the big picture, these are to be expected with […]

By |November 13th, 2018|

Qualified Charitable Distributions – Summer 2018

Hello from Sycamore,

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD), a gift to charity may also be a gift to you:

A qualified charitable distribution is an otherwise taxable distribution from an IRA that is paid directly to the qualified charity. With the recent tax law changes and elimination of many itemized deductions, this may be the right year to ask us how this could […]

By |June 28th, 2018|

Tax Cuts and Job Acts – Spring 2018

Hello from Sycamore,

There are tax law changes that went into effect on 01/01/2018 and are set to expire on 12/31/2025. Sycamore, although not tax professionals, would like to point out some items that could have material affects to you. Below are some of the changes that may impact you – please consult a tax professional for advice and confirmation:

INCOME TAX […]

By |April 17th, 2018|

We Don’t Want To Brag but…

Hello from Sycamore,

Building the wealth of our clients means we focus on essentials and generally avoid the clutter associated with marketing ourselves as a firm. But sometime the news is so good that it becomes a genuine occasion to celebrate with our friends. We just had one of those moments.

In 1990 we began to manage separate accounts for our clients […]

By |May 5th, 2016|
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