• Do not respond to emails or phone calls from individuals or companies pretending to be the IRS especially if they exhibit threatening tones. The IRS does not call or email. They send letters that can be verified. • Never open a link or any attachment from a suspicious or even unfamiliar email. • Continue to review your credit reports to detect any suspicious activity as early as possible. • If possible, file early. The later you file, the greater window of time scammers have. • File taxes electronically with direct deposit. • Keep tax paperwork in a safe, locked…

Please find the next blog in our monthly series that provides a review of the prior month’s market data, the state of the economy and the global financial markets. Global Economy: The New Year brought a new attitude toward risk assets, propelling the S&P 500 to its best January since 1987 and its strongest monthly outcome in over three years. Though there is still significant concern over global growth, Brexit, China and the US government shutdown, there was enough positive sentiment to reinvigorate investors. With the March 29th deadline approaching, there continues to be no clear predictable outcome for Brexit….

Background Formally defined by Merriam-Webster, an investment is “the outlay of money usually for income or profit.” Generally intended to meet financial objectives years into the future, the act of investing is consequently a long-term endeavor. Despite this fundamental understanding, investors of all levels of sophistication spend a great deal of time and energy focused on short-term events and outcomes. A recent blog post by Behavioural Investment provides a fairly exhaustive list of reasons explaining why this phenomenon persists and argues how it often leads to emotional decisions that can make investors worse off.  Average Returns Typically Elusive Investors today…

Please find the next blog in our monthly series that provides a review of the prior month’s market data, the state of the economy and the global financial markets. Global Economy: Perhaps “Down-cember” would be a better name for the final month of 2018, as equity markets declined significantly, despite the largest one-day point gain in the history of the Dow Jones Industrial Index (+1,086 on December 26th). Uncertainty continues to be the market’s nemesis with the US Government “shutting down” in late December and with no tangible outcome in the US-China trade discussions. The Trump White House continues to…

When your child or grandchild gets their first “real” job and begins to start their career, it’s an exciting time. For them, the world is at their fingertips and they are thrilled to launch into adulthood. As a parent, your instinct is to protect them. You want them well-prepared to make good decisions for themselves. It is important to make the most of this exciting time. Have discussions with them about what their long-term career objectives are, and use those as a framework in all career decisions. For example, when evaluating job offers from potential employers, it is important to…