"We offer a trusted, caring partner to guide you in making wise financial decisions for today and tomorrow."
Lori Watt, Founder and President
Every year the youth group at our church holds a pine car derby for the kids. It is a fantastic night of competitive fun.
Some kids (and parents) really get into it. They invest hours designing their car to maximize its speed potential. They study aerodynamic designs, axle angles, wheel lubrication, and weight placement. They spend days carving, sanding, and painting their speed machine. They are in it to win it.
In my mind, spring begins on March 1. That leaves just over two weeks until I likely encounter disappointment that it is not warmer outside.
Our seasons certainly can bring surprises, but they tend to average out over time. Do you remember December of 2020? We only had half of our normal snowfall in December, but our total precipitation was normal and we had one thunderstorm. The high in Milwaukee on December 23 was 57 degrees.
Most Americans do not like being called needy. It conjures up images of weakness, vulnerability, and dependency in a culture that tends to favor rugged individualism.
Yet, if there was one phrase I would use to describe the stock market at this point in time it would be need E.
While the calendar turned to 2021 just over four weeks ago, your mailbox will likely be full of important memories of 2020 in the coming weeks.
‘Tis the season to collect, organize, and eventually file your 2020 income tax returns. Here are some important reminders as you begin your tax filing process:
2020 is not over.
Over the next six months, reality will unfold one day at a time and we will know whether traders have properly evaluated the economic trajectory for the United States.
In the best-case scenario, …
For every inauguration there must be an equal and corresponding “outaugaration.” If it isn’t already, this should be one of the primary laws of politics.
Only one person can hold a public office at a time, and today we witness the transition of significant power from one President to the next. For investors this can be a time of uncertainty and stress.
I have seen enough mob mentality at work over the last twelve months to last my lifetime. From Portland to Kenosha to Washington, D.C., destructive physical mobs have left a path of devastation and chaos.
It is impossible as individuals to reflect on the actions of a mob without asking ourselves, “What were they thinking?”
The short answer is many of them were likely not thinking.
While most of us hold moral beliefs that would prevent us from ever destroying other people’s lives or property, we also have a natural tendency to go along with a crowd.
Rarely is a new year welcomed with more enthusiasm and less celebration than 2021. Good riddance to 2020, but the only people watching the ball drop in Times Square were security personnel.
My sense is that people are embracing 2021 with such enthusiasm because they fully expect a return to normal by the end of the year (if not sooner). I can certainly understand the appeal of not wearing masks, freely gathering with friends and family, going to a restaurant, attending a baseball game in the summer, and all of the other normal activities that disappeared in 2020.
All of this optimism certainly lifted the financial markets at the end of 2020. However,
On Sunday the President signed into law H.R. 133, The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.” It is a culmination of months of negotiations regarding both COVID-19 relief measures and the federal budget for fiscal year 2021.
If printed, each copy of this 5,593-page piece of legislation would consume 5.5 reams of paper (assuming you printed on both sides) and stand over 11 inches tall. It includes some provisions that will impact financial planning and others that are “just interesting.”
If the Green Bay Packers’ defense surrenders 24 points to the Detroit Lions, how many points could the Kansas City Chiefs score against them? With the Packers’ prolific offense, does it really matter?
