In volatile times, remember your time horizon; follow facts not feelings; and, if needed, reposition gradually Within a matter of weeks, the spreading Coronavirus, tumbling oil prices, recession fears, alarming headlines, and a 10-year Treasury yield well under 1% have thrown a record-high S&P® 500 index into, at least, temporary turmoil. In many corners of the market, the bulls’ decade-long ebullience has been swiftly replaced by palpable panic. To borrow from Britain’s World War II motivational poster, now is the time for
It is hard to image that in just 29 trading days between February 12 and March 23 the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped from a high of 29,551 to a startling 18,591. And yet it has rebounded to over 23,883 as of this writing. In that short time a little known virus, COVID-19 had become a household word, closings of businesses & schools became a new normal, and the wearing of masks as well as social distancing and staying at
Almost 50 people joined the Marathon Financial Advisors Team for the State of the Economy Seminar on Tuesday, November 5th with Dr. Quincy Krosby at Drumlins Country Club. Dr. Krosby, whose impressive resume includes positions as a U.S. Diplomat, Assistant Secretary of Commerce and a representative of the United States to the International Monetary Fund, spoke eloquently about tariffs, negotiations with China, the effect of politics on the market, other global economies and the Santa Claus Rally.Here are some highlights
We are now in the heart of tax season, and many of us have our taxes prepared by a Tax Accountant or CPA. In the same way we hire a plumber if we need a pipe unclogged, an attorney to write our wills and prepare other legal documents, an electrician for electrical work, and a mechanic to work on our cars. However, many balk at the idea of hiring a Financial Advisor to assist with investment planning or future money
The Bipartisan Budget Act passed in early 2018 relaxed some of the rules governing hardship withdrawals from 401(k)s and similar plans. Not all plans offer hardship withdrawals, but the ones that do will be required to comply for plan years beginning in 2019. In order to take a hardship withdrawal from a 401(k) or similar plan, a plan participant must demonstrate an “immediate and heavy financial need,” as defined by the IRS. (For details, visit the IRS website and search for
Marathon Financial Advisors cordially invites our clients to a special presentation demonstrating how to write your personal history and leave a local legacy. This free, 2 hour seminar, presented in collaboration with the Central New York Community Foundation, will take place on Tuesday, September 24 at 10 am at the Community Foundation office, 204 Walton Street, Syracuse. Led by Tom Griffith and Jennifer Owens of the Community Foundation, “Leaving A Legacy That Matters” focuses on the benefits of personal history writing.
The increasing cost of healthcare is a concern for workers of all ages. Each year healthcare becomes more expensive, meaning a larger portion of retirement savings will be spent on health related costs. A health savings account, commonly referred to as an HSA, is a tax-advantaged account that can be used to pay for medical expenses now or in retirement. The account is FDIC-insured, and can be invested for greater returns. Who qualifies? To be eligible to establish a health savings account,
Best practices for stock market declines With recent stock market declines, it’s easy to feel a sense of fear surrounding long-term investment strategies. American Funds has provided this helpful Keys for Market Declines PDF Document with 5 tips to help avoid common missteps and stay on track: Declines have been common and temporary: Declines are going to happen, but they will likely be temporary. Proper perspective can help you remain calm: Look at the larger picture, not the small details.
Protecting Your Identity – FREE SEMINAR While the digital age provides a great deal of convenience for us, problems arise when private data is stolen and used to commit fraudulent crimes. Marathon Financial Advisors seeks to inform and protect its clients from becoming victims of identity theft. As a resource for our community, we are hosting a free event on May 9th to inform and provide resources on the subject of Identity Theft. Led by FBI Special Agent Timothy Dwyer and FBI
Marathon Financial Advisors 2018 Events Tackling Topics to Gain Financial Understanding Like many of you, Marathon Financial Advisors is taking a look back to reflect on some of the ways we served our clients in 2017. One of the more successful endeavors last year was offering the educational seminar “2Young2Retire” with Leslie Rose McDonald, an event designed to shed light on a subject of interest to our clients and others as they make financial plans for their future.