Insights, Opinions, & Information
Investment Advisory Information
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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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Questions During The Bull Market
Stock prices have advanced significantly over the last few years causing several indexes to reach new all-time highs. This has generated a couple of questions that we have been discussing frequently with clients.
Question: Should you consider selling because the overall market indexes are making new all-time highs?
Answer: We don’t think so. Near the time that I started in this business […]
Reflecting on Recent Progress of Economy
As a general rule progress comes in very small increments. Whether we’re talking about the economy or learning to play a piano, often the day-to-day gains are barely measurable. We are primed to want “more…better…now” and as time passes we reassess our long-term investments, asking “what have you done for me… lately?” Frequently the best way to appreciate a financial […]
Diversification – June 2013
Asset Class Allocation
In March 2009 the market hit a low point (I’ll bet you still remember). Since then it has risen about 100% so we’re all feeling much better except for those ‘nagging memories’. During the last few months, as some markets have reached new all-time highs, we’ve had a lot of questions about valuations. “Is the market to high?” […]
Diversification – March 2013
More Good News
Recently the US Labor Department released the February ‘Jobs’ report and it shed additional positive light on our growing economy. The US private sector added 246,000 new jobs in February while the public sector lost 10,000 leaving a net gain of 236,000…more than anticipated. This helped reduce our nation’s unemployment rate to 7.7% and while that’s not yet […]
