This year, more than ever, has brought the unrealized tax sheet under the microscope, and at CLS we have been actively harvesting tax losses in our portfolios. If Congress doesn’t pass new legislation, short and long term capital gains taxes are set to increase, therefore we are gleaning any capital losses and gains within our… Continue reading Harvesting Tax Losses
CLS Blog
Government: Do Your Job
“Indeed, a reality has become too obvious for the world’s dazed inhabitants not to notice: The greatest threat to the upward arc of human progress is the collapse of public policy making. That is the biggest cliff of all. Governments are giving government a bad name.” Daniel Henninger, Wall Street Journal, 12/26/2012 Bluff or cliff?… Continue reading Government: Do Your Job
Compared to Last Year…
I am often asked what we are doing to position our portfolios against the uncertainty in the market, as anxiety continues to run high among investors. One point I like to make in answering this question is that when we lay out the uncertainties we were dealing with in 2011, versus the uncertainties we are… Continue reading Compared to Last Year…
Bear Facts
Did you know that a Bear Market actually existed outside the minds of doom and gloom CNBC analysts? The history behind the stock market term Bear Market can be traced back to the underlying animal (not so for Bull Market). Back in the day, London “jobbers” used to trade bear skins. A “jobber” was the… Continue reading Bear Facts
If U.S. Markets Are Struggling, I’ll Take More Of It
The other day I was listening to Bloomberg and I heard discussions about the struggles that the U.S. markets have experienced this year due to fiscal policy and the Eurozone mess, and how it should now be worried about geopolitical concerns. I’m curious just what they mean by “struggle.” In reality, the market is getting… Continue reading If U.S. Markets Are Struggling, I’ll Take More Of It
Hey, Remember Europe?
Lately, attention has obviously been all about the you-know-what, yet somewhat behind the scenes, on the other side of the Atlantic, deals are being dealt. For months upon months now, the Eurozone finance leaders have been battling to put in place strict austerity measures in troubled economies to stop wasteful spending and actually collect some… Continue reading Hey, Remember Europe?
Volcanic Activity in the Fiscal System
A massive flow of funds from the Federal Reserve into the fiscal system has investors concerned about inflation. The more money there is in the system the more dollars there to spend, causing consumers to drive up prices in order to compete for goods. This build-up can be compared to the build-up of heat… Continue reading Volcanic Activity in the Fiscal System
Housing Trends: Smaller is Smarter
All housing starts are equal. But some housing starts are more equal than others. Housing starts have started to rebound in recent months and with that, the average value of a home. Housing’s switch to contributing from constraining economic growth is a welcome change. While starts are increasing, the homes that are being constructed are… Continue reading Housing Trends: Smaller is Smarter
Retirement Planning Action Steps for Advisors
Retirement planning is a major focus for most financial advisors. Every generation needs to give it serious consideration, and develop a concrete plan that they can stay disciplined to. BlackRock offers five points of advice to financial professionals in order to help clients achieve their retirement goals. 1) Offer role models: Instead of just talking… Continue reading Retirement Planning Action Steps for Advisors
Thoughts on the “Fiscal Bluff”
Is the “Fiscal Bluff” the same as Y2K? In 1999, Y2K was a massive concern to investors, but turned out to be over-rated and the markets continued to move higher. The “Fiscal Bluff” could mean a worst-case scenario of $600B in lost spending, which some believe will crush the economy. Sort of like how… Continue reading Thoughts on the “Fiscal Bluff”