Blog | Journey Tree Financial Planning & Investments

Market Commentary – June 2018

June 7, 2018

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…

Six Signs it is a Scam

December 29, 2017

General

Whether it’s an email from an overseas prince asking you to wire cash, or an unsolicited phone call from someone asking for identifiable information, scams are a familiar concern that can cause an unsuspecting victim financial harm and heartache. Protect yourself and your loved ones from telephone, email, mail or other types of scams by questioning the conversation. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum offers six signs that an offer might be a scam. Scammers Contact You “Out of the Blue.”…

Market Commentary – November 2017

November 29, 2017

Investing, Market Update

In investment circles it is often said that “You make your money when you buy.” The basic notion is that the investor buys the stock of a good company that is temporarily selling at a low price and holds onto it until it can be sold at a much higher price. So, to have a good chance to make a profit one needs low prices as a starting point.The problem is that seldom has there been such an absence of…

There is No Such Thing as a “Best Investment”

August 11, 2016

Financial Planning, Investing

An article published in the USA Today titled “Warren Buffett: This is the best investment most people can buy” was forwarded my way recently. I find it interesting to read statements attributed to Warren Buffet, even if the journalists covering them sometimes rephrase or take things out of context. Judging by the quotes in the article, all Warren actually asserted was that the Vanguard 500 Index fund is a great choice if you are looking for passive exposure to the “American…

Financial Literacy Education Provided by NEDCO

February 22, 2016

Financial Planning

We wanted to spread the word about a great local organization that offers introductory financial literacy classes and counseling to our community. Neighborhood Economic Development Corporation (NEDCO), located in downtown Springfield, offers a monthly class series called Financial Foundations. The classes are offered in both English and Spanish and cover topics including financial goal setting, budgeting, tackling debt, improving credit, and understanding insurance. After attending the class series, participants receive individualized advice from a financial counselor. For lower-income participants, enrolling…

An Overview of 529 College Savings Plans

February 22, 2016

Financial Planning

A number of our clients have been asking how they can help provide college funding for their kids or their grandkids, so we thought we would provide a quick overview of 529 college savings plans. With nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars invested in these plans, Americans are increasingly using the 529 plan as a tool to save for future education needs. The basic idea behind a 529 plan is to allow families to save for college costs with…

Social Security Retirement Benefits: The Mini Series

August 14, 2015

General

INTRODUCTION In my most recent installment of this series, I wrote about a few hard to believe nuances of Social Security benefits. In this final installment, we are going to meet Pat and Val, a married couple with gender-neutral names, and review some simple and more complex Social Security planning strategies available to them. In the following comparisons: Val and Pat are the same age Their “full retirement age” (FRA) is 66 Val’s benefit at FRA is $1,000 Pat’s benefit…

Roth Accounts and Required Minimum Distributions

August 14, 2015

General

By Kath Suchan Siblings, you got to love them. First of all, I am the “baby of the family” and sometimes it is difficult for my five older siblings to realize that I may know just a bit more than they do when it comes to financial planning issues. There are times I feel like I am a five years old again carrying on the “Is so,” “Is not,” “Is so,” “Is not” intellectual exchange. This article is a result…

Social Security Retirement Benefits: The Mini-Series

February 20, 2015

General

INTRODUCTION In my last article, I provided an overview of the calculations behind taking benefits early or delaying benefits. In this installment, we were going to meet Pat and Val, a married couple with gender-neutral names, and review some of the simple and complex Social Security planning strategies available to them. Unfortunately, I have been fighting a headache for a several days and I cannot get by head around that topic just now. Instead I will fast forward to the…