2022, in no uncertain terms, was a bad year for global bond markets. After years of high prices and low yields, the rapid rise of interest rates, intended to reduce inflation, impacted the bottom line of bond investors in a historical way. Fortunately, the Fed’s approach seems to have made a sizable impact on inflation ...
When I began my financial planning degree program in 1996, it really didn’t occur to me that I was entering a male-dominated profession. My mother had always been the leader in financial decision-making in our family, which didn’t seem unusual to me at all. Through her, I learned the value of a dollar and the value of giving back. Almost three decades later, it is now the norm for women to direct their own as well as their family’s finances. In fact, two separate studies show that women’s investment returns were .4%1 to 1%2 higher annually than their male counterparts. They suggest the main reasons for women outperforming men with regard to investment returns boil down to “overconfidence” and “overactivity.
Mind over Matter: Perspective for Investors on the US Debt Ceiling -- No doubt there has been plenty of uncertainty in the last few months to keep the 24-hour news channels busy. First, it was banking issues, and now the debt ceiling. It is our innate human nature to want to take action when things happen that feel out of our control. Sometimes a little perspective can help. Below is a good piece from Dimensional Fund Advisors on this topic that we thought you’d find helpful. Enjoy!
Happy New Year from all of us at Woodward Financial Advisors! Three years ago, the original SECURE Act (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement) passed, bringing a host of changes, including an increase to the Required Minimum Distribution age from 70 ½ to 72 and the elimination of the “Stretch-IRA.” On December 29, 2022, the much-anticipated SECURE Act 2.0 was signed into law.
The holiday season is upon us! For me, this brings fond memories of family traditions centered around spending time together, eating good food, and exchanging gifts. This year, consider giving the gift of financial education to your children (or grandchildren) that will pay dividends (pun totally intended) as they grow.
If you are reading this post in the hopes of “knowing your worth” as it relates to your moral character, societal contributions, or, more literally, how much you can get for your plasma, I am sorry to disappoint. But before you click away from this page, this article may give you something more valuable: education on the calculation and application of your net worth. It might not sound exciting, but this could help you focus on goals and live your life to the fullest, and what could be more thrilling than that?