Fall 2014 Newsletter

2014 Fall Newsletter (pdf)

Thanks to our great clients, we’re now in our 7th year of serving individuals and retirement plans. Our clients and partners could not have been more supportive of making this dream a reality!  Time flies when you’re having fun!

The Markets

Volatility returned to equities markets in Q3. A strong August was followed by losses in September, when any rallies began to focus around selected winners rather than benefiting stocks across the board. Bond investors continued to demonstrate surprising resilience… (READ MORE)

Quarterly Economic Perspective

• After contracting 2.1% in Q1, the U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 4.6% during the second quarter. The Bureau of Economic Analysis said increases in consumer expenditures, exports, business spending on equipment, and spending by both state and local governments were major contributors to the growth.
• The Federal Reserve’s monetary policy committee continued to unwind its economic support. Its September bond purchases were only $15 billion, and they are scheduled to end in October.
• Despite a slight improvement in August’s unemployment rate (6.1%), the number of new jobs added in August was a disappointing 142,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The continued slack in the labor market is one reason cited by the Federal Reserve for its caution about raising interest rates.
• The housing recovery showed signs of tapering off.
• After a strong July, manufacturing gains began to taper off. T
• By quarter’s end, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said falling energy costs had helped cut consumer inflation by 0.2%.
• Conflicts over Ukraine continued to raise concerns about how Russian retaliation for Western sanctions might affect the fragile European economy.
• The Chinese economy continued to show signs of slowing in some key areas. (READ MORE)

Leaving Assets To Your Heirs

When it comes to leaving a legacy, not all property is created equal–at least as far as federal income tax is concerned… (READ MORE)

DOL Offers Some ‘Friendly’ Advice to Supremes on 401(k) Fee Case

The Department of Labor has offered some “friendly” advice to the U.S. Supreme Court as it considers a review of a high-profile 401(k) fee case. In a “friend of the Court” amicus brief filing, the DOL said it thinks that the high court should weigh in on the statute of limitations issue presented in Tibble v. Edison — but not on the issue of reviewing an alleged breach of duty in administering the plan in accordance with its terms. (READ MORE)