Fee-Only Investment Advisory and Financial Planning Firm Serving Greater Richmond, Virginia
This year marks the 15th time I’ve had the opportunity to vote for our nation’s leader. When I was growing up in Kansas, my family instilled in me the importance of casting your ballot. It’s a civic responsibility I continue to take seriously. In many ways, this year’s presidential election feels like the most unusual…
Ask investors what kind of return they expect out of stocks in any given year, and many will respond with the market’s historical average return. For the S&P 500 Index from January 1926 through December 2023, that’s been a little over 12%. Unless you have a crystal ball, that’s a reasonable guess in any given…
It’s almost Election Day in the US once again. While the outcome may be uncertain, one thing we can count on is that plenty of opinions and predictions will be floated in the days surrounding the vote. In financial circles, this will inevitably include discussion of the potential impact on markets. But should elections influence…
Investment opportunities exist all around the globe, but the randomness of global stock returns makes it exceedingly difficult to figure out which markets are likely to be outperformers. How should investors deal with this kind of uncertainty? First, they should remember that it’s challenging, at best, to predict a country’s returns by looking at the…
The US stock market had two declines this year that startled many investors. One was just over a month ago, when stocks fell about 8.5% from July 17 through August 5. I had actually forgotten about the other one back in April, when stocks dropped 5.7% from April 1 through April 19.1 Maybe I’m wired to…
Googling “US economy” recently, I got the following headlines as the top two results: “US Economy Is Doing Better than Americans Think” “Famous Economist Who Predicted 2008 Recession Issues VERY Grim Warning over Future of the US Economy” Such is the challenge in evaluating the health of the economy in real time….
Should you change your investments according to which party wins a majority on Capitol Hill? History shows that markets have rewarded investors, no matter who controls Congress. This video was originally produced and shared by Dimensional Fund Advisors. It was not written, created, or published by Summit Financial Partners. Disclosures The information in this…
Many people start out managing their own investments. But as their earnings and assets grow, their financial needs and challenges become more complex—and continuing to go it alone could prove costly in terms of investing miscues. Consider three common mistakes that can reduce returns and increase anxiety: 1. Trying to Time the Market Investors may…
The Magnificent 7’s performance in 2023 may leave some investors wondering how to spot the next Nvidia or Apple.1 Specifically, which technology disruptor will see its stock soaring next. Emerging technology–themed mutual funds and ETFs tout exposure to these opportunities. Of course, investors with broadly diversified portfolios likely already hold many of the companies they hope…
Japan’s stock market has been in the news lately for setting “a new market high.”1 While its stock market did exceed the 1989 high-water mark, this strains the definition of “news.” Using a market-cap-weighted index that includes dividends, that threshold was cleared back in May 2017. Japan’s stock market history is an important talking point but…
Leap day this year has some interesting parallels to 2020. We’re one week removed from a new high in the US stock market. Billie Eilish won Song of the Year at the Grammys. And the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl. Amazingly, these same events unfolded before leap day…
Some investors attribute the Magnificent 7 stocks’ dominance to a “winner-take-all” environment in which a handful of companies achieve sufficient market share to hinder competition.1 In businesses where gaining users drives success, establishing a strong market share may be like building a moat around profitability. But that doesn’t guarantee these companies can stay on top. Think…
