Blog

 by Jon W. Flaherty

Life happens.  One moment you are lifted up with news of a growing family, a raise at work or retirement and in the very next moment brought down by the loss of a loved one, a loss of a job, or an injury.  Sometimes we trigger a big life transition when we choose to buy a house, other times it happens out of the blue like a car accident.  With all of the good and bad that comes with living, having a reliable financial planner on your side can make all the difference. 

by Dan Zalipski, CFA 

High Expectations for Lower Rates?

Trade issues continued to drag on the market over the past month as President Trump opened a new front against Mexico.  In an effort to curb illegal immigration, President Trump threatened to place 5% tariffs on all imports from Mexico with a plan to scale the tariffs up to 25% by October.  This caught the market by surprise and added fuel to the equity market sell-off that began earlier in May with the escalation of trade tensions with China.

There has been a lot written on tariffs over the past few months as news regarding the trade war with China continues to develop.  On another trade front, President Trump threatened to impose 5% tariffs on Mexico but later dropped those plans as a deal was reached regarding immigration.  Trade should remain in the news as President Trump and Chinese President Xi are likely to meet at the G-20 summit in Japan later this month.   

Vantage welcomes guest contributions. Please know the information, opinions, and forecasts expressed in the article below are presented from unassociated parties and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Vantage Financial Partners.  This article is shared as general information only and should not be considered advice. Consulting with an expert who can help traverse Medicare opportunities and requirements is strongly recommended.  

By Bob Veres with Inside Information

If you haven’t been really, really sick in the last few years, you may not have ever heard of the “donut hole” in Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. 

by Dan Zalipski, CFA 

The Trade War Heats Up

Months of calm and optimism regarding the ongoing trade war with China were shattered with a single tweet from President Trump.  U.S. officials claim China had reversed course on several key points of the agreement being negotiated between the two largest economies. 

Last year’s earnings growth for the S&P 500 will be a tough act to follow.  Earnings increased over 20% in 2018 with the help of tax cuts and record stock buybacks by corporations.  A lower share count boosts earnings per share and therefore the growth reported by these companies.  How does 2019 look now that most of the companies in the S&P 500 have reported first quarter earnings?

by Dan Zalipski, CFA 

Equities moved higher over the past month with the U.S. markets leading the charge.  Emerging and developed international markets were not far behind.  The bond markets also rallied marking the second month in a row that both equities and bonds have moved higher. 

Vantage welcomes guest contributions. Please know the information, opinions, and forecasts expressed in the article below are presented from unassociated parties and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Vantage Financial Partners. This article is shared as general information only and should not be considered advice.

By Bob Veres with Inside Information

Your home is your best investment, right?

I’d like to share an article from Bob Veres that discusses the yield curve, a topic I introduced last August (read it here).  While the yield curve is not technically inverted at this time, it remains flat which has some people still concerned.  I hope you enjoy.

Vantage Financial welcomes guest contributions.  Please know the information, opinions and forecasts expressed in the article below are presented from unassociated parties and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Vantage Financial Partners Limited. ​

Vantage welcomes guest contributions. Please know the information, opinions, and forecasts expressed in the article below are presented from unassociated parties and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Vantage Financial Partners.

By Bob Veres with Inside Information

Here’s a question that some retired Americans may ask themselves from time to time: I recently stopped working, but I am only 65, can I still contribute to an IRA or a Roth IRA?  Can I reinvest some or all of my future required minimum distributions back into an IRA or a Roth IRA?