Q2 2019 Newsletter Amid tariff wars and temporary truces, Brexit bewilderment and historic Hong Kong rallies, the global thermometer isn’t the only gauge that may leave you and your investment temperament reeling between cooling chills and hot thrills this summer. Let’s take a refreshing journey back to May 2018, when the CFA Institute hosted its 71st Annual Conference in (of all places) Hong Kong. It’s also where Nobel Laureate and behavioral economist Daniel Kahneman presented how to improve on decisions by tuning out the “noise.”

Our retirement plan services team helps plan sponsors provide the right retirement plan for their employees and meet the fiduciary and ERISA responsibilities they take on. 

One of the most important letters you may receive is a letter titled “Your Retirement Choices.”   This cheery title sits atop a letter that companies send when it’s time for you to make a decision regarding your accrued pension benefits and is usually sent close to your expected retirement date – although sometimes there is an opportunity to claim benefits early.

If you’ve worked with us for any length of time, you’ve certainly heard the term diversification once or twice as it relates to investments.  You may not be as familiar with the term “tax diversification” but know that it is a relevant concern that we consider when recommending your savings options.

Everything Old is New Again There is always a newer, cooler investment to catch your interest.  The large majority of those may seem to be too good to be true, and usually are.  This phenomenon didn’t just start in the last few months, years, or decades.  See below for charts of a really old one and a fairly recent one.

What we do is important but Why we do it matters even more. Learn what drives DHG Wealth Advisors to create an exceptional Client Experience, including our primary objective: to serve our clients with passion and care.

Tax season is officially in full swing. The DHGWA Insights Podcast welcomes DHG Federal Tax Partner, Nathan Clark, to discuss tax reform and five of the most important changes impacting individuals. Join us as we explore why many (but not everyone) will get a tax reduction. Why more taxpayers will be taking the standard deduction. And why you may need to review your tax withholding for next year. 

It's not too late!  On this month's show, we are joined by Will Boyd, CPA with DHG, to discuss the key considerations for making 2018 IRA contributions before the April 15th deadline. We play the first edition of the "Ask a DHG CPA" game. And we highlight the IRS's latest increase in retirement plan contribution limits for 2019.  

As you prepare for the new calendar year, one resolution that we often make it to is to take steps towards enhancing our financial future.  As we work with clients towards putting plans in place, we are often asked what are the biggest influencers on reaching retirement goals.  The number one influencer on achieving long term goals  is making regular savings a priority.  Achieving market-like returns along with regular savings is what helps achieve long term financial goals.  Regular savings, versus ad-hoc lump sum contributions to savings also helps smooth out the influence that timing has on the achievement of goals.Additionally, tax-deferred savings (IRA, 401k, 403b etc.) and tax free savings (Roth IRA, Roth 401k) also have significant benefits and are often the first priority for dollars allocated towards savings.The IRS reviews qualified plan limits each year and increases them periodically to keep up inflation.  Generally, the IRS will increase ...

Current Market Volatility In Perspective After reaching an all-time market high on September 21st, the S&P 500 entered a bear market (20% decline) in late December, falling to levels last reached in early 2017.  Having experienced positive returns through September, the S&P was down just over 4% for the year.  All other domestic and international equity asset classes had greater full year losses.  Declines of this magnitude naturally cause one to wonder what the future holds and if they should make changes to their portfolios. While it may be difficult to remain calm during a substantial market decline, it is important to remember that volatility is a regular part of investing in stocks.  As a client of DHG Wealth Advisors, you’ve likely been invested through one of the five declines over 10% for the S&P 500 that we’ve experienced since 2008. The biggest, which was a 19% drop at the end of 2011, saw a recovery in just 5 months - although many take longer than that to recover.