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Spring has officially arrived, at least on paper anyway. Despite the wide gyrations in the weather everywhere, new life may be emerging in your neck of the woods. Try to enjoy Spring where you can by visiting a Botanical garden, taking a drive in the country side, or simply enjoying a walk outside. | | |
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AFP March Webinar – Insurance may be boring, but this webinar isn't! On Friday, March 31st at noon, AFP will be hosting our next webinar 'What You Need to Know About Property & Casualty Insurance with Bart Griffin' via Zoom. Would you like to attend? Let Erik know at [email protected]. Webinar links will only be sent next Friday morning to those who confirm their attendance ahead of time. If you know anyone who would like to attend or could benefit from this information, please pass along the webinar email to them.
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F.Y.I. – Given the increase in short-term rates, Certificate of Deposits (CDs) have become attractive options again for cash. AFP has access to FDIC brokered CDs through TD Ameritrade & Charles Schwab at better rates than banks and credit unions. If you would like more information, give us a call.
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Click below to read our March 2023 Blog edition.
What is Umbrella Insurance?
We would enjoy receiving your feedback on our Blog. Please share any comments or suggestions for future topics with us via email.
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March has been full of adventures and recovering from a cold. I attended our bi-annual NAPFA small group financial planning meeting at the beginning of the month, and in the evening we went to see Penn & Teller perform. My son and I continued our weekend Metro Park hikes and checked out Pickerington Ponds. We saw an eagle and a lot of other amazing birds. Last weekend Gene and I ventured to Newark to see Toto perform at the Midland Theatre. They were amazing! This weekend Gene’s daughter, Sarah, is getting married in Hocking Hills. Sarah was also an intern a few years back as well. We are looking forward to being a part of Sarah and Nate’s new beginning. | | | |
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This month we enjoyed a trip down to Great Wolf Lodge, which is an indoor waterpark. Ellie can be a bit of a daredevil when it comes to waterslides and roller coasters, so she had a blast going down all the biggest waterslides. Ainsley is much more cautious when it comes to waterslides, so she enjoyed the splash pads and swimming in a couple different pools. While it’s fun to take a day off, especially during the winter, and enjoy some summer fun, we’ve also enjoyed planning a couple of trips for this summer. Spring is nice, but summer vacations are always exciting to look forward to. | | | |
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We took a trip to South Carolina during spring break. We had hoped for warmer weather, but since we were near the mountains, instead of the coast, it was below freezing most nights. The afternoon sun felt nice until it was obscured by clouds. We were able to hike one day and played golf twice. I have family in the Greenville area and I enjoyed visiting with them. Most notable was the time I was able to spend with my mother. | | | |
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Earlier this month, my aunt and uncle stopped by for a visit while on their way back to Minnesota from Florida. They only were here for about a day, but we did have time to visit and went out to dinner with them. This was the first time I had been able to see either of them in person since before the start of the pandemic. It was nice getting a chance to catch up with both of them. Hopefully I will be able to find some time to visit them soon, as it has been several years since I’ve been able to make it up north. | | |
Current Economic and Investment Information | |
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CRACKING THE GLASS CEILING – March is Women's History Month, and while the glass ceiling in the CEO suite of America's largest companies hasn't exactly been shattered, it has been broken. In 2022, 44 CEOs of Fortune 500 companies were women. In 2012, only 20 Fortune 500 companies were headed by women, and in 2002, it was only seven. (source: Catalyst)
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY – March 9th marked the 14th anniversary of the S&P 500's Financial Crisis lows on March 9, 2009. Since that low, the S&P 500's annualized return, including dividends, has been a gain of 15.8%. (source: Bloomberg)
AFTER 3 YEARS, THE TRAIN IS ON TIME – COVID caused massive disruptions to global supply chains, but the NY Fed's Global Supply Chain Pressure Index (GSCPI) suggests that supply chains have eased back to more normal levels. (source: Bloomberg)
LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK – 64.4% of US consumers now report living paycheck to paycheck, up from 52% in April 2021. Even among high income consumers ($100k+), more than half (50.6%) say they live paycheck to paycheck compared to 77.7% for consumers earning under $50k. (source: LendingClub)
SECURE 2.0 – One bit of the SECURE Act 2.0 that has gone under the radar, is the establishment of a national "lost and found" for retirement accounts. This database is intended to help people keep track of money in plans tied to past employers. (source: AARP)
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US Labor Market
The last time the U.S. labor market was this strong was in 1969. Unemployment fell to 3.3%, incomes were soaring to historic levels, and inflation was rising at a fast clip. Like today, the Federal Reserve was tightening monetary policy to stifle inflation. Yet much of the wage increases were washed out by rising consumer prices.
The below graphic looks at the industries driving today’s robust job market using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Click here to view the source. | |
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Does Your Home Insurance Cover
Weather and Water Damage?
By Mila Araujo
Source: The Balance
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Winter storms, spring thaws, cold snaps, and other weather variations can severely damage your home. Luckily, this damage is often covered by your home insurance.
Consider that in 2019, natural disasters caused an estimated $71 billion in insured losses worldwide according to Aon's Impact Forecasting, a group that analyzes catastrophe risks. All but $265 million of that year’s insurance losses were due to weather events.1 As weather patterns change, bringing harsh conditions with them, claims for weather-related damage are likely to increase.
Click here to continue reading this article.
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49 Tax Deductions & Tax Credits
You Can Take in 2023
By Derek Silva
Source: Policygenius
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It’s tax season! While you may not be able to avoid paying all taxes, there are tax breaks that allow you to lower your 2022 tax bill. Tax deductions lower your taxable income — how much of your income you actually pay tax on — while tax credits are a dollar-for-dollar reduction to your tax bill. Knowing which deductions or credits to claim is challenging, so we created this handy list of 49 tax deductions and tax credits to take this year.
Click here to continue reading this article.
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“Spring is when you feel like whistling,
even with a shoe full of slush.”
- Doug Larson
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Alexander Financial Planning |
1621 W. First Avenue
Grandview Heights, OH 43212
614-538-1600
Registered Investment Advisor
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This material is distributed by Alexander Financial Planning, Inc., (AFPI) and is for information purposes only. Although information has been obtained from sources we believe to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy. It is provided with the understanding that no fiduciary relationship exists because of this report. Opinions expressed in this report are not necessarily the opinions of AFPI and are subject to change without notice. AFPI assumes no liability for the interpretation or use of this report. Financial planning, investment conclusions, and strategies suggested in this report may not be suitable for all investors and consultation with a qualified advisor is recommended prior to executing any investment strategy. No portion of this writing should be construed as legal or accounting advice. All rights reserved. | | |
© Alexander Financial Planning, Inc. | |
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