3 Lessons Learned from a Crazy Year!

As I was watching fireworks over the weekend, I got to thinking about how much we have already experienced so far in 2020. The list of events is truly incredibly to review, in part because many of these events would have been massive in any random year and I had almost forgot that some of these things had even happened (here is a complete list of the items that occurred through just April!):

How to Navigate your Employer Sponsored Retirement plan

"My employer provides a Retirement Plan (401(k), 403(b), 457, SIMPLE IRA, etc.), but I don't understand it at all!"

Does Investor Behavior Impact the Stock Market?

Earning and then saving enough funds to invest is the first & most difficult step to growing wealth & achieving your financial goals. But, after investing your hard-earned money, it is crucial to  continue learning how your actions and emotions effect your potential returns. Over the years of working with individual investors we have found that emotions and biases can cloud one’s ability to make well-balanced investment decisions. In recent months we have seen the impact of emotion driven decisions, rather than thoughtful, goals-based decisions. With that in mind here are two "rules" that we would encourage you to follow with your investment decisions.

Monthly Market Update: Looking back - Looking forward

This year has been a roller coaster in every sense of the phrase, and when we take a roller coaster ride it can be hard to know where you are and where you're going! So, let's take a few minutes  to recap where the stock market is today and what  economic & market items we need to be aware of. This "look back - look forward" method helps ensure that we have the correct expectations and plan in place to maximize potential results.

How do we build portfolios at Creekmur Wealth?

Nearly everyone we meet with will eventually ask some form of this crucial question. And it's a good one because being a successful investor is often predicated upon having a well-developed investment plan. Over the years, we have honed our investment management methodology into what we describe as a “Core & Satellite” strategy to ensure that our investment plan is clear and concise. Let me explain how this works in our Creekmur Wealth portfolios.

How does DATA help us make Investment Decisions?

In this week’s Flash Briefing we will dive into how we use data as part of the Creekmur Wealth Investment process. We have found that good, quality data points and clear, unbiased analysis help us make the highest quality investment decisions for our clients. 

Our country, and really the whole world, is incredibly polarized surrounding the correct response to COVID-19. These polar opposite view points are further driven by voices in the media and opinions on social media most of whom claim to be using "data" to arrive at their conclusions. To thrive as investors in this environment, it is critical to track and review unbiased data points to help cut through the noise.

Why is the Stock Market increasing in the midst of such uncertainty?

This year has been quite the ride in markets both domestic and global. Here in the U.S. we have experienced the quickest slide into a bear market in history, followed by an equally incredible market bounce in short order:

Crisis Management for Small Business Owners

During this recent period of "shelter in place" orders across the nation, many small business owners have experienced immediate impact in both revenue and day-to-day operations. In an effort to provide financial assistance for these businesses, the government passed several fiscal support packages to be administered through the Small Business Administration. Unfortunately, due to extremely high demand for these grants and loans, many businesses were unable to secure financing. And, of those who have received a loan, some business owners report uncertainty as to the terms and conditions surrounding how to spend the funds.¹

What steps might help you sustain and grow your retirement savings?

“What is your greatest retirement fear?” If you ask any group of retirees and pre-retirees this question, “outliving my money” will likely be one of the top answers. In fact, 51% of investors surveyed for a 2019 AIG retirement study ranked outliving their money as their top anxiety.¹

 

Retirees face greater “longevity risk” today.The Census Bureau says that Americans typically retire around age 63. Social Security projects that today’s 63-year-olds will live into their mid-eighties, on average. This is a mean life expectancy, so while some of these seniors may pass away earlier, others may live past 90 or 100.^2,3

When did you first notice that something unprecedented was occurring with the Covid-19 virus?

I currently live in Washington D.C. and up until last week there were no noticeable differences in day to day life. However, I recognized the unusual nature of this situation last week when I headed down to Trader Joe’s to stock up on groceries for the next few weeks. Millennial that I am, I thought that if I got to Trader Joe’s 5 minutes before the doors opened at 8:00 AM that I would have the place to myself – I couldn’t have been more wrong.