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Market Update: 2019 in Review

Posted By Lineweaver Financial Group
May 30, 2019 Category: Market Update, Chad Roope

We spend a lot of time analyzing the market’s history, the macroeconomy, and many other aspects of the financial markets; and while past performance doesn’t always indicate future performance, there are a lot of good indicators that will help us to look forward.  The fourth quarter of 2018 was the S & P 500’s third worst in history, while the first quarter of 2019 was the best first quarter in 21 years. The Fed’s complete U-Turn with interest rate policy and the massive Chinese stimulus of around $1T USD really has played a big part in that change in sentiment. Earnings have been a positive surprise so far this quarter as well. Earnings so far for Q1 have been generally good with 78% of companies reporting a positive EPS.  But, to be fair, these numbers are coming on low expectations. Q1 was very good with all 3 months in positive territory.  In the prior 22 times this has happened, the market was higher about 91% of the time during the next 9 months.  So, history would suggest there’s a decent likelihood of continued gains.  But, there also may be some challenges up ahead. Specifically, the yield curve inversion in March.  Typically, if the yield curve, which is the relationship between stocks and bonds, stays inverted, one begins to worry about recession.  The good news is that the curve has steepened, and we no longer have the 10 year/3-month inversion now. However, there is some concern about German

Were Your Taxes a Costly Surprise This Year?

Posted By Lineweaver Financial Group
May 02, 2019 Category: Taxes, Trump, Portfolio

There’s been a lot of confusion this year, as we all file for the first time under the New Trump Tax Law. Some people are finding that their returns are lower, or that deductions they’ve always depended on have gone away. The biggest cause that we see for a lower return is a lack of tax strategy and planning in advance – most strategies have to be in place by the end of the tax year – not at filing time.  There are estate planning implications as well – for example, if you’re considering a ROTH conversion, which can be a great strategy, there used to be q “do-over” period you had in case something happened after the fact, or if you changed your mind. However, that’s no longer the case. There are two parts to this; 1) being proactive, and 2) investing for tax efficiency, because taxes have the ability to take the largest bite out of your portfolio and your returns, and, it’s important to remember that it’s not what you make – it’s what you keep. That means working with a team to build a portfolio that takes advantage of taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-exempt accounts, understanding your tax bracket under the new law, and choosing investments that are tax-efficient, and, as much as possible, preparing you for the volatility and uncertainty that have been rampant in the markets. While coordinating financial plans properly is always challenging, it is especially challenging today given with in