~ Douglas R. Mewhirter, CFA, Senior Vice President – Portfolio Manager One of the most common questions an investor will ask an advisor is “how much of my money should I have in stocks vs. bonds?” From an investing point of view, that is one of the most important questions you need to ask. Stocks have earned the…

Markets continued rising in the first quarter as stocks (as measured by the S&P 500 SPDR ETF – SPY) gained 10.4%. The U.S. bond market (as measured by the US Aggregate Bond ETF – AGG) declined 0.7%, and a 60% stock/40% bond portfolio recorded a 5.9% total return. Not too shabby considering that the 10%…

Here is your quick reference guide to 2024 tax rates, college savings incentives, IRA and 401(k) contributions and more. Click on a link in the table below to jump to that section. Click here to download .pdf print-friendly version. Marrieds Filing Jointly or a Qualifying Widow(er) Alternative Minimum Tax Investments Heads of Households AMT Tax…

By Thomas N. Jamerson Vice President – Client Administration Inflation in the United States of America can be measured in a number of ways. Day to day, a consumer might measure it with his eyes and memory – grabbing a box of cereal at the grocery store and thinking to himself that “it cost half…

Markets finished the year with a powerful surge as stocks (as measured by the S&P 500 SPDR ETF – SPY) gained 11.6% during the fourth quarter. The U.S. bond market (as measured by the US Aggregate Bond ETF – AGG) increased 6.8%, and a 60% stock/40% bond portfolio booked a 9.7% total return. For the…

We’re pleased to announce that Julianne Naff, Senior Vice President, Client Administration and Regional Manager West, has been recognized among the Top 40 Under 40 from The Roanoker magazine. Selected from a record number of submissions, Julianne stood out for her outstanding professional achievements, leadership skills and a high level of community involvement. We are…

Markets took a step back in the third quarter as stocks (as measured by the S&P 500 SPDR ETF – SPY) lost 3.2%. The U.S. bond market (as measured by the US Aggregate Bond ETF – AGG) also lost 3.2%, and a 60% stock/40% bond portfolio lost 3.2%. (Yes, you read that correctly – stocks…

The positive momentum continued in the second quarter as stocks (as measured by the S&P 500 SPDR ETF – SPY) gained 8.7%. The U.S. bond market (as measured by the US Aggregate Bond ETF – AGG) lost 0.9%, and a 60% stock/40% bond portfolio returned 4.8%.  Year-to-date (YTD), stocks returned 16.8%, bonds 2.3% and a…

Financial markets had a positive but choppy start to 2023 as stocks (as measured by the S&P 500 SPDR ETF – SPY) gained 7.5% in the first quarter. The U.S. bond market (as measured by the US Aggregate Bond ETF – AGG) returned 3.2%, and a 60% stock/40% bond portfolio returned 5.8%.  Over the past 12…

Financial markets finished a rough year on a strong note as stocks (as measured by the S&P 500 SPDR ETF – SPY) gained 7.6% in the fourth quarter. The U.S. bond market (as measured by the US Aggregate Bond ETF – AGG) returned 1.6%, and a 60% stock/40% bond portfolio returned 5.2%. For the year, stocks declined…