Broker Check

Blog

Monday, August 7, 2023

Over the past several years, the world has had its share of dramatic events. These include the global pandemic, continual political rancor, and the war in Ukraine. As if these events weren’t enough, investors have had to deal...

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

It is likely that you have seen stories in the financial and mainstream media about the national debt and the debt ceiling. As usual, there are plenty of predictions and strong opinions.  We are here to not only manage your money,...

Friday, April 7, 2023

2022 had not been a good year. In a rare occurrence, both equities and bonds had fallen. Stocks fell over 18% and bonds fell 13%. The massive liquidity that had been injected into world economies had caused inflation to surge, rising...

Monday, March 13, 2023

You have likely seen in the ongoing news that some bank closures have occurred in recent days.  As your financial partner, we are committed to following events that can affect you and your portfolio. Keeping our clients informed...

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

There is no shortage of available information in today’s world.  And while this information is empowering, it can also be unsafe.  This is true of all industries, but I’ll provide you a few examples as it relates...

Show All

Monday, February 13, 2023

You may have heard about the Mega-Backdoor Roth 401(k), but how do you do it? And why does it matter to you? This strategy allows you to maximize your 401(k) contributions for tax-free income in retirement. Now how does it work...Elect...

Thursday, January 19, 2023

Because of the recent and continuing storms, the IRS announced a blanket extension of the deadline for tax payments and for tax returns where the tax payment or the tax return is coming from an individual or a business located in the...

Friday, January 6, 2023

Would you hesitate to buy fire insurance for your lab or office building?  Of course not. What about liability insurance in case someone slips on your steps?  Same answer.  But have you insured what could be your most...

Friday, January 6, 2023

After more than a decade of strong returns across most asset classes, rarely interrupted by sustained declines, investments turned rocky in 2022. While in previous years markets did encounter their share of challenges, 2022 brought a...

Thursday, December 29, 2022

On December 23, 2022 Congress passed—and the President is expected to sign the legislation during the week of December 26, 2022— the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (the Appropriations Act). The Appropriations Act...

Thursday, November 10, 2022

With year-end approaching, it is time to start thinking about moves that may help lower your tax bill for this year and next. This year’s planning is more challenging than usual due to recent changes made by the Inflation...

Thursday, November 3, 2022

Leaving a financial legacy to support your family or a worthy charity shows how much you care. If this is one of your lifetime goals, there are several ways to help you make a real difference in the lives of others...

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Investment markets during the third quarter continued a volatile course, with frequent advances and sudden reversals. In the early part of the quarter, investors had hoped that the Fed’s interest rate hikes had done their job and...

Monday, September 26, 2022

The last few weeks have been difficult for investors. Persistent inflation has forced the Fed into a decidedly hawkish stance, aggressively raising rates by adding another three quarters of a point last week. Fed statements have...

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Volatility continuesAs we enter September, markets continue to deal with inflation, interest rates and the Ukraine conflict.  As we have seen throughout 2022, investors debated whether the Fed would be able to control inflation...

Thursday, September 1, 2022

You have spent years planning for retirement, do not let a missed deadline derail your financial future. As you approach and enter retirement, there a several important age deadlines to be aware of. Below is a list of these important...

Thursday, July 7, 2022

During the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the world and markets had to adjust to a new landscape. We yearned for a return to normal. While the reopening has continued in 2022, it has had a different set of problems and has been both...

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

After three straight calendar years of strong gains, investment markets have experienced heightened volatility in 2022. Investors have had to deal with a litany of concerns. Pent-up demand and easy money policies have, together with...

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

First growth, then income. If you’re like most investors, you want to achieve growth while you’re working and income after you retire. But that doesn’t necessarily make it smart to change your investment strategy when...

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Markets have had a rough go of it in 2022. After declines earlier in the year and a partial recovery in March, equity markets resumed the declines, recently hitting new lows for the year. In fact, as of last week, the DJIA registered...

Friday, May 6, 2022

Monday, April 11, 2022

Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Thursday, March 3, 2022

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Wednesday, January 5, 2022

Thursday, December 16, 2021

Monday, November 29, 2021

When world events begin to affect investment markets, we always try to see past the sometimes-unsettling headlines to seek perspective and stay actively engaged with our clients. Over the past few days, world investment markets have...

Friday, November 12, 2021

With year-end approaching, it is time to think about moves that may help lower your tax bill for this year and next. This year’s planning is more challenging than usual due to the uncertainty surrounding pending legislation....

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Automatic Extension of Certain Deadlines for Taxpayers Affected by Disasters A mandatory (automatic) 60-day deadline extension period applies to qualified taxpayers impacted by federally declared disasters. Authority to Postpone...

Friday, October 29, 2021

Overview of tax provisions under the framework: The Build Back Better framework includes a new surtax on the income of multi-millionaires and billionaires (including trusts and estates) – the top 0.02 percent of Americans. It...

Friday, October 15, 2021

On October 13, 2021, The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced a 5.9 percent benefit increase for 2022. The annual increase is known as the Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). Given the benefit increase, now may...

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

The “Backdoor Roth IRA” refers to the strategy of making a non-deductible after-tax IRA contribution and subsequently converting it to a Roth IRA. Anybody with earned income (or a spouse with earned income) can contribute...

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

We have come a long way since the depths of the pandemic in March of 2020. Effective vaccines were produced far more quickly than many expected. In the face of a dramatically changed world, businesses and individuals adapted quickly...

Thursday, September 23, 2021

As the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) sunset provisions (generally 12/31/2025) get closer every day, many tax and fiscal issues remain uncertain. Today, it appears that tax legislation may be in the offing once again. In fact,...

Thursday, September 9, 2021

In June, Michael shared a concept called The Hierarchy of Savings that we discuss with many of our clients. This provides a great roadmap of where you should consider putting your money to work in order of importance. Another option...

Monday, July 26, 2021

The news keeps getting better for Social Security recipients.It's now projected that benefits will increase 6.1% in 2022, up from the 4.7% forecast just two months ago. That would be the most significant increase since 1983.1...

Friday, June 11, 2021

There are many different types of savings and investment accounts and an increasing number of ways to save for your goals and financial planning objectives. Specifically, many clients we work with are trying to purchase a home, save...

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Congratulations Ryan! Open Advisors Partner, Ryan Baker, has been elected as the Technology Committee Chair for The Resource Group's 2021 Board of Directors. See below for the full press release and all Board of Directors elections....

Friday, May 21, 2021

You may have heard about the Mega-Backdoor Roth 401(k), but how do you do it? And why does it matter to you? This strategy allows you to maximize your 401(k) contributions for tax-free income in retirement. Now how does it work......

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Recent market movements, events and thoughts on investing Market performance Markets have advanced so far this year, as vaccination numbers grew and new infections stabilized. U.S. stocks, as well as developed foreign and emerging...

Thursday, April 22, 2021

As the country moves forward from the effects of the Coronavirus and the 2020 elections, it is time to consider potential key tax law changes that may affect you in 2021 and beyond. Given the 2020 election results and the Tax Cuts and...

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Recently, there have been news reports of volatile trading in a handful of both domestic and international securities. These movements have been linked to the reported liquidation of a leveraged hedge fund that experienced liquidity...

Thursday, March 18, 2021

On Thursday, March 11, President Biden signed into law the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA, PL 117-2). Following are selected business provisions included in the Act. Targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advances...

Thursday, March 18, 2021

On Thursday, March 11, President Biden signed into law the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA, PL 117-2). Following are selected provisions included in the Act. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance ARPA extends the...

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

You may have seen news reports about recent interest rate movements in the media. We want to keep you informed as to what is going on in the markets and offer our perspective on what that means for you and your portfolio. Recent...

Friday, February 19, 2021

Overview In 2017, a relatively new “investment” called cryptocurrency garnered a tremendous amount of media attention, most notably Bitcoin. While Bitcoin lost media interest at the end of 2017, it is now back in the...

Thursday, February 4, 2021

Market activity involving a small number of stocks has certainly garnered a lot of attention in the media recently. At least for now, the frenzy has subsided a bit. However, these things are subject to frequent reversals and may take...

Monday, February 1, 2021

Over the past few days, there has been unusual volatility in a small number of stocks. This has garnered a lot of attention in the media. We thought a brief note on what is going on and our perspective on it might help. What exactly is...

Friday, January 15, 2021

On December 20th 2019, the SECURE Act went into effect. The Bill will make it easier for small businesses to offer 401(k(s), and to include annuities in retirement accounts. The most important change as we see it, is the abolition of...

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Americans are living longer than ever, thanks to advances in health care, improved diets and better exercise. About one out of every four 65-year-olds today will live past age 90, and one out of 10 will live past age 95, according to...

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Getting remarried includes merging two well-established financial and emotional lives. Both partners bring accumulated assets, debts, forged spending habits, obligations and perhaps children to the relationship. Determining how to...

Monday, December 7, 2020

For most investors—even those with significant wealth—a secure financial future doesn’t simply happen. Instead, it must be carefully crafted to help meet your most important goals and leave nothing to chance. Of...

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

It’s that time of year again! Whether your family is gathering together around a table or around a computer, the focus is still the same: don’t burn the turkey! It’s during these times that we join together to share...

Monday, November 23, 2020

For today's business owner, death can mark the beginning of a significant tax problem. The investment and sweat that went into building your business year after year could add up to a whopping federal estate tax bill for your heirs...

Friday, November 13, 2020

2020 has been an eventful year for the financial markets and the past few weeks have been no different. As we approached the election, nerves were frayed. Given the jarring personal and financial impacts of the pandemic, economic...

Friday, November 13, 2020

Now that the 2020 elections are over (i.e., pending potential recounts, possible judicial review of various issues, and certification of results by the states), it is time to consider potential key tax law changes that may affect you...

Monday, November 9, 2020

Having a career that brings you personal satisfaction and financial success places many demands on your time and energy. You may find yourself putting off important tasks simply because there’s no strict deadline for completing...

Monday, October 26, 2020

In a “traditional” estate plan, each spouse provides for his or her assets (or most of the assets) to pass to the surviving spouse, with the understanding that those assets will go to their children at the surviving...

Monday, October 12, 2020

Tuition costs have risen dramatically over the last 30 years, and parents need all the help they can get in financing a college education. There are many of options available, including 529 plans and Coverdell accounts, so it’s...

Thursday, September 24, 2020

Many successful companies know the importance of rewarding and retaining key employees. One tool your employer may use is to offer stock options. Stock options give you the opportunity to profit directly from your contribution to the...

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

The main single from Queen's second album was a song that would become a future staple of live shows, the Seven Seas of Rhye. This article is entitled The Five Myths of Roth. While not nearly as cool as that song, hopefully this...

Monday, May 4, 2020

Is your company 401(k) plan important for you to hire and retain employees? Is your 401(k) effective at inspiring employees meet their retirement savings objectives? Does your plan provide enough investment options to appropriately...

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Because it’s so important for us to stay connected, we’re excited to introduce Investment Insights. This audio episode provides a market update summarized in a few minutes from our Chief Investment Strategist, Tim Johnson....

Monday, March 30, 2020

Employee Retention Credit for Employers Subject to Closure or Experiencing Economic Hardship Due to COVID-19. This provision provides a refundable payroll tax credit for 50 percent of wages paid by eligible employers to certain...

Monday, March 30, 2020

Individual Provisions Under the CARES Act Unemployment Insurance Provisions Benefit. The worker will receive an immediate benefit (i.e., no one week waiting period) for an additional $600 per week for up to four months. This $600...

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Over the past few days, we have seen volatility that has impacted our world in many ways. It can be difficult to stay focused with the plethora of information in the 24/7 news cycle and the whirlwind of activity. During times like...

Thursday, March 19, 2020

These are strange days indeed. In the spirit of offering something productive to clients concerned about what comesnext, many of whom I fondly regard as friends, here’s a list of movies you can watch to pass acouple of hours with...

Monday, March 9, 2020

In the wonderful world of retirement investment accounts, we hear many different terms like Traditional, After-Tax and Roth. So, what does “Roth” mean and how is this different than Traditional?...

Monday, January 27, 2020

Welcome to a new month, a new year, and a new decade of perspective shifting, benefit rich content in all your favorite areas related to retirement planning, investments, estate planning, business succession, and executive compensation...

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Congress recently passed—and the President signed into law—the SECURE Act, landmark legislation that may affect how you plan for your retirement. Many of the provisions go into effect in 2020, which means now is the time to...

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

As the end of the year approaches, it is a good time to think of planning moves that will help lower your tax bill for this year and possibly the next. Year-end planning for 2019 takes place against the backdrop of recent (i.e., the...

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Perspective Series: bringing you perspective enhancing commentary, often from third party experts, to benefit you, your family, and your network. Before we introduce this quarter’s third-party Perspective, let’s take a look...

Monday, January 14, 2019

Before we jump into a new year with our Perspective series quarterly letter we’d like to hit pause for a moment and do three things: First, we’d like to say thank you to our long time readers, especially those who take the...

Monday, October 1, 2018

This month’s Perspective sheds light on challenge that more families are experiencing first hand: the need to provide Long Term Care (LTC) for a loved one. How will your family handle it when the time comes? The answer may depend...

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Summer… a time when many of us step away from our daily routine for some Time Off in order to reset and recharge our bodies and minds with a period of rest and relaxation. At least that was the idea, once upon a time! Now when a...

Monday, May 14, 2018

This quarter’s Perspective is a video from our Chief Investment Strategist that takes us back to the basics with a summary of our key investment principles. These are fundamentals that guide our thinking and advice in good...

Friday, January 19, 2018

Welcome to the first Perspective of 2018. First, we’d like to wish you a very Happy New Year from your team at Sagemark! Second, let’s take a moment to revisit what our Perspective series is all about. In a word, it’s...

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

So far, 2017 has been a year of progress in the investment world against a backdrop of uncertainty and concern. While most asset classes continued to build on gains, unsettling global events generated headlines. Deplorable acts of...

Friday, July 14, 2017

Welcome to the first Perspective in our new quarterly series. The format is the same: our comments with a link to a third party perspective on topics we hope you find interesting and beneficial to you, your family and your network....

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

This month’s Perspective comes from Robert Shiller, by way of an article originally published by Bloomberg. Shiller is a Nobel Prize winning economist and Yale University Professor best known for his stock market valuation method...

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

This month’s Perspective comes from Steve Blumenthal, the Executive Chairman and CIO of CMG Capital Management Group, on the topic of rising interest rates. The reason we are sending this to you can be summed up with one quote...

Monday, January 30, 2017

Welcome to a New Year with new policies from a new administration and a host of uncertain outcomes as a result. Uncertainty seems to be a consensus reached by many economic and financial forecasters this year. Some forecasts are...

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

My son loves holiday movies… this year we’ve watched The Santa Claus, The Santa Claus 2, Santa Paws, Fred Claus, The Polar Express, and of course, Elf. All are modern classics judging by the frequency they air on TV. Most...

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

This month’s Perspective comes from Ed Easterling, the founder of Crestmont Research on what is perhaps the most important concept in investing: cumulative returns. Cumulative returns are the only returns you get to spend. Period...

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Aging. We’re all doing it. Most of us accept aging as a fact of life. After all, there is nothing we can do about it, right? As you’ll see, getting older and aging are not exactly the same thing, and it turns out we can...

Thursday, September 15, 2016

We have been hearing a lot of questions and concerns about Europe lately. So, in this month’s Perspective we are wading into the muddy waters of geopolitics in Europe and the Middle East with ex-CIA agent George Friedman as our...

Friday, August 26, 2016

In certain finance circles gold is held in such disregard that it is commonly referred to as a “barbarous relic,” seen as having absolutely no reason to own. Interestingly, the term “barbarous relic” was...

Friday, July 15, 2016

Last month we looked at two dominant market narratives that we described with the caricature-like titles: “party-on” vs. “doom and gloom.” We shared a video from Oppenheimer Funds that we thought neatly captured...

Monday, June 27, 2016

This month’s Perspective comes from Krishna Memani, Chief Investment Officer at Oppenheimer Mutual Funds in the form of a short video. There are currently two dominant camps, or perspectives, when it comes to investing in the...

Friday, May 13, 2016

This month’s Perspective is a six-for-one! Meaning you are receiving the perspectives of six gifted people on a single topic: Epiphanies. Why Epiphanies…? Because they are fundamental, perspective-shifting, revelations...

Friday, April 1, 2016

This month’s Perspective comes from our new website in the form of a short one minute and thirty second video. We know you have been busy sorting through various statements and tax forms, diligently working to fulfill your civic...

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Negative Interest Rate Policy (NIRP): a bizarre, upside-down experiment where the lender pays the borrower interest, instead of the other way around. The theory is that this will incentivize borrowing and spending, which in turn may...

Friday, January 1, 2016

This month’s Perspective comes from Mohamed El-Erian. El-Erian is the former head of the Harvard Endowment and former CEO/CIO of PIMCO, the world’s largest bond investors. He is also credited with contributing the term...

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

With the Holidays in full swing, this month’s Perspective is a note from your team at Sagemark. In the months ahead we will be discussing an important phenomena playing out in the market, one that we are already positioned for,...

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Right now the dollar is strong relative to other currencies thanks to the action of Central Bankers around the world. With the recent drop in headline unemployment to 5%*, will the “data-dependent” Fed finally raise rates...

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Last quarter we brought you an independent market outlook from one of our tactical managers, Harry Clark. A few highlights from Harry’s Perspective as of July: The current bull market in US stocks is getting old by historical...

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

This month’s Perspective is a recent Wall Street Journal article discussing a niche real estate opportunity: mid-tier apartments. The article features the perspective of one of our specialty investment managers who is an expert...

Saturday, August 1, 2015

This month’s perspective is a little different. It is a 30 minute animated video by Ray Dalio. If you don’t recognize the name, Ray Dalio is the founder of the world’s largest hedge fund firm, Bridgewater Associates,...

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

This month’s Perspective comes from Harry Clark, CEO of Clark Capital, one of the investment managers we use. Harry is the author of Clark’s Navigator Report, the attached quarterly market and economic commentary. We hope...

Monday, June 1, 2015

Ok, so there are a lot of differences. And, no, we didn’t steal this setup from a late-night comedy show. This is serious. As in, SEVEN-HUNDRED-MILLION-DOLLARS serious. That’s right, $700,000,000 is what the Jackson estate...

Friday, May 1, 2015

This month we are hearing from Steve Blumenthal about what he thinks may be “an outstanding investment opportunity.” Steve is the CEO of CMG Capital Management Group and writes to advisors on a regular basis. Steve gave us...