Insights, Opinions, & Information
Investment Advisory Information
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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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 – […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Fiscal Cliff Tax Changes – February 2013
Fiscal Cliff Tax Changes
The ‘fiscal cliff’ brought us a last minute tax law that most investors seem pleased with. During the month of January Sycamore’s Growth and Income composite gained nearly 6%. Your portfolio likely performed about as well. Of course we’re all fully aware that this pace will not […]
2012 Review – January 2013
Two thousand and Thirteen! Yes it is…just like that another year has passed! And, we’d like to add, a very good year for share prices. It certainly seemed ‘nip and tuck’ for most of the year but the world did not end. Stories abounded throughout the year…Greece, presidential election, Mayan […]
Indiana Inheritance Tax Repeal
Good news on the tax front if you are an Indiana resident. And better still if you are an Indiana resident’s beneficiary. Indiana’s inheritance tax will be completely repealed by year 2022. Starting in the year 2013, the tax will be reduced by 10% each year until it phases out […]
What Does A Share of Stock Really Represent? – Fall 2012
Hello from Sycamore,
We strongly encourage our clients to meet with us once a year. We do this for several reasons. Your investment portfolio reflects the short and long-term financial goals you’ve set for yourself. These objectives are a moving target. As you close on one goal […]
Multi-Taskers from Old
A couple of weeks ago, I began reading Daniel Patrick Forrester’s book, “Consider”. The book tackles the question of how well the average person processes the tremendous amount of data that pours into our conscious mind each day and why we need to actively include periods of reflective thinking in […]
