Blog

by Dan Zalipski, CFA 

Over the past month the equity markets continue to grind higher.  Investors are optimistic that the U.S. may be nearing a trade deal with China.   President Trump had pushed back the March 1st deadline to raise existing tariffs on Chinese goods to 25%, a sign that progress is being made on negotiations.  This is further supported by National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow stating that negotiators have made ‘great headway’ working on a deal.  Even so, concerns remain as mixed messages continue to trickle out, with the President recently stating that he is in no rush and would even walk away from a potential deal that fails to address key issues, such as intellectual property and technology transfers.  Two steps forward, one step back.

IPO Market

by Scott Rosenquist, CFA​

This year is set to be a potential record for the IPO market.  Some well-known companies plan on going public in 2019 and will grab the market’s attention as their shares begin to trade for the first time.

 by Jon W. Flaherty

When was the last time you checked on any of your financial rates, including those for savings accounts, mortgages, home equity loans, credit cards or even CD’s?  If it’s been awhile, you may be leaving money on the table.

by Dan Zalipski, CFA 

The S&P 500 had its worst December since 1931 to close out the year.  Fast forward a month, and you may be surprised to learn that the S&P climbed nearly 8%, its best January in 32 years.  Dig a little deeper and it may not be that surprising at all to learn that some of the best market days are in close proximity to its worst days.   

Lesson Learned?

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. ​

by Bob Veres with Inside Information

Investors who reacted emotionally to market movements have been humbled yet again.  When U.S. stocks (measured by the S&P 500 index) fell 13.97% in last year’s fourth quarter, most of us felt in our gut like the market was in the midst of a major bear market collapse.  The downturn would continue into the new year, and take some or (worst case scenario) all of the 9+ year bull market profits with it.

 by Tom Rueger, CFP®​

By now everyone is aware of President Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that overhauled the tax code and generally lowered corporate and individual income tax rates beginning with the 2018 tax year. Following is an update of those changes as they will apply to the 2019 tax year (to be filed in April of 2020).

by Dan Zalipski, CFA 

The Fed raised interest rates as expected in December.  Investors were expecting the Fed to pause any additional rate increases after December’s move, but the Fed forecasted two more rate increases in 2019.  Investors were concerned that continued rate increases could spell trouble for the economy as it was already starting to show some potential signs of slowing. 

by Scott Rosenquist, CFA

2018 Recap

The financial markets finished down last year across almost every major asset class.  You know it was a difficult year when cash was the best performing asset.  The year 2018 was almost the exact opposite from 2017, when all asset classes were positive, and cash was the worst performer.  This is quite unusual to say the least. 

Making sure your kids are prepared to make smart financial decisions may be one of the last lessons you can teach them. Entering the workforce in a full-time position is one of the most exciting and nerve-racking times for a young adult (and their parents, too!).

Disability insurance can be a means of shortfall funding. It also goes hand and hand with life insurance as typically individuals in prime working years are more likely to face disability than death. Many workers are covered through their employer but may not be well versed on the specifics of coverage. You need to have a firm grasp on the terms of your employer’s disability insurance, so you can evaluate if a supplemental policy is needed. I will cover the basics of disability insurance including length, definition of disability, elimination periods and other common factors.