Blog | Journey Tree Financial Planning & Investments

Market Commentary – March 2019

March 6, 2019

What a rollercoaster ride! After dropping nearly 20% from early October to Christmas Eve, the S&P 500 stock market average has dramatically rebounded in the roughly two months since. That leaves the US stock market within about 5% of its all-time high achieved last year and close to its level of a year ago. While the market is not exactly a bargain at this level there are sectors that have become more attractive and better values found in some overseas…

Qualified Charitable Distributions & Taxes

March 6, 2019

General

New tax laws have changed how people can make charitable contributions in 2019. Now that the standard deduction has more than doubled, itemizing deductions no longer make sense for most tax payers. For those over 70 ½, are required to take a required minimum distribution (RMD), and want to make a charitable contribution to an eligible organization might think about making a “Qualified Charitable Distribution” (QCD). A QCD is a charitable contribution made directly from your qualified IRA. Instead of…

Weathering Market Turbulence

December 20, 2018

Market Update

By Irina Pack On a particularly stormy morning (Tuesday, Dec. 18th to be exact) here in Eugene, as the rain poured heavily and the strong wind whipped everything from side to side, I clung to my umbrella with both hands. Despite the fact that I managed to hold on to my umbrella and keep my head and upper body dry, my lower body was covered with rain drops. It occurred to me, as I stepped into the office, that this…

Market Commentary – December 2018

December 5, 2018

Market Update

Navigating the Rapids Our goal with investing for our clients is to help them arrive safely at their destinations in life. It’s a bit like taking a raft trip down a river. You have to read the river and make judgements along the way to minimize dangers. There are tricky rapids to negotiate, boulders to avoid, and placid stretches to be enjoyed. In reading the river today we can see that: We’ve had a relatively smooth ride for almost a…

The Great Generational Transfer of Wealth

August 29, 2018

Inheritance

America is in the midst of the largest transfer of wealth in its entire history. Over the next decade or so trillions of dollars will be changing hands. To help you make the most of an inheritance here are some pointers on what to do: Take a deep breath – most of the time suddenly finding yourself with a substantial amount of money means that an emotional event has occurred either through loss, divorce, or some other life event. Take…

Market Commentary – August 2018

August 29, 2018

Investing, Market Update

Year to date, US stocks (S & P 500) are up a little under 7%, Real Estate Investment Trusts are up 1%, while US bonds and international stocks are down .84% and 4.52% respectively. YTD The American economy seems to be holding up well as evidenced by much higher corporate profits and lower unemployment. However, the price of many stocks is still elevated and have gotten ahead of earnings. What is more, there are a number of potential concerns lurking…

Identity Compromised?

June 7, 2018

General

If you or someone you know has become a victim of identity theft, here are a few steps which should be taken immediately: Check for and clean computer of any malware. Change passwords for all services: email, social media, financial sites, etc. Place a fraud alert with one of the credit agencies: Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax. Contact Journey Tree to make us aware so we can contact TD to have additional security measures added to your accounts. For additional assistance…

FAQs

June 7, 2018

General, Investing

Why do rising interest rates negatively affect bonds? Sam has a bond paying a 2% coupon. The Fed raises rates to 3% and suddenly, Sam’s bond is not as attractive, so the price of his bond drops to reflect the new yields. Along comes Bob – he can now either buy the new 3% bond, or buy Sam’s 2% bond but at a discount to ultimately yield 3%.

Market Commentary – June 2018

June 7, 2018

Investing, Market Update

Unlike the calm market conditions of 2017, 2018 has so far presented a tough, volatile market landscape. The volatility index (VIX), surged about 80% during the first quarter. Headlines, like “U.S. Stocks End Worst Week in Years”, “The Unseen Forces Behind the Market’s Plunge”, and “Volatility Roars Back With Biggest Quarterly Rise Ever”, started to appear on front pages of major news providers. And this has been a challenging year so far not just for U.S. stocks, but for global…

Market Commentary – March 2018

March 14, 2018

Investing, Market Update

The U.S. stock market reached new highs to close out 2017. The S&P 500 stock index was up over 21% last year and already another 6% in January before experiencing some decline in February. Given that the long term average return for the stock market is around 10%, future price appreciation is likely to be much lower. Not to mention that the market has not had a significant drop in almost a year and a half – far from the…