Chart of the Day: Tax More/Less Get Less/More

Today’s Chart of the Day highlights The Laffer Curve, an economic theory created by Arthur Laffer in 1974. It proposes that there is a maximum amount that tax rates can reach before tax revenues start to decline.

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Why You Need an Estate Planning Document Review

Creating an estate plan can bring a sense of relief, knowing that assets and wishes are carefully documented. After completing the process, the documents are often stored away, assuming everything's set for the future. However, as the years pass—children grow up, financial situations shift, and family dynamics evolve—what was once a solid plan becomes outdated. What was meant to be a safeguard becomes a source of confusion and conflict when left unchecked.

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Chart of the Day - Lower Rates Don't Always Means Lower Mortgage Rates

Today’s Chart of the Day was shared by my colleague, and fellow Portfolio Manger, Angie Parsons. It's a from Bloomberg article showing the changes in the short-term Fed funds rate, 30-year mortgage rates and 10-year Treasury rates since August 2024.

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Chart of the Day: Positive Returns During Recessions

Today’s Chart of the Day and commentary is from Angie Parsons, my colleague and fellow Portfolio Manager. 

The chart from BlackRock shows stock returns during recessions dating back to 1929. Surprisingly, the average return is positive and increases to 25% the next year afterwards. This highlights that although market downturns sometimes coincide with recessions, the stock market is not a good indicator of the current state of the economy. The reason is the stock market often looks past the short-term and instead looks well into the future. Therefore, more often than not, the stock market recovers faster than the economy.

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Ten Ways to Keep Your Money Safe Online

Life is busy. We spend our waking hours working, learning, parenting, caretaking, exercising, cooking, shopping and feeling guilty about all the things we didn’t do. The list is endless, and it all takes time, so something has to give.

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Chart of the Day: More Investments = Less Risk (To a Point)

Today’s Chart of the Day spotlights an important investment concept which was pioneered by Harry Markowitz, a Nobel Prize winner and pioneer of the Modern Portfolio Theory in 1952. 

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Chart of the Day: Work from Home Figures Sticky at 30%

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Protect Yourself from Tax Scams This Season

It’s that time of year again - tax season. Let’s not let the fraudsters cash in on our hard-earned money or steal our identity.

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Chart of Day - Median Age of Homebuyers

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Chart of the Day: Higher Homeowner Insurance

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How Florida's Hurricane Season Impacts Home Mortgages

As we enter another year in the Sunshine State, one thing remains consistent—hurricane season. For many Floridians, this season means more than just stocking up on emergency supplies. It's about stabilizing finances and ensuring their most significant investment—their home—is protected. Understanding the relationship between hurricane season, homeownership, and mortgage stability is crucial for anyone navigating Florida's housing market.

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Chart of the Day: Cash Can Cost

Today's Chart of the Day, from BlackRock, illustrates the potential downside of staying in cash for too long. It highlights the excess returns of a 60% stock/40% bond portfolio compared to cash since 1926. The top bars (red) show these returns; for instance, a 10-year holding period yields returns 100% higher than cash.

The black boxes below show the percentage of time cash underperforms; for 10 years, that is 91% of the time.

This highlights the old adage, "It’s not about timing the market, but time in the market." If you have funds that you will not need for more than 10+ years, historically, stocks have been your best bet.

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Chart of the Day: 75% Use Prime

Today’s Chart of the Day from Chartr shows that over 75% of American’s are using Amazon Prime as of 2024. Amazon is now the 4th largest company in the United States and has an annual return of 27% a year vs. 15% for the S&P 500 over the same time frame.

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Your Guide to Residential Mortgages in Florida: What Homebuyers Need to Know

Buying a home is one of the most significant financial decisions you'll make, and navigating the mortgage process can be daunting—especially in Florida’s unique housing market.

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Chart of the Day: Bronze Happier Than Silver

Today’s Chart of the Day has data from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology used by our partners at BlackRock (the company that owns iShares) for a presentation they recently provided to our clients.

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