NorthStar Capital AdvisorsNorthStar Capital AdvisorsNorthStar Capital AdvisorsNorthStar Capital Advisors
Start Here
  • How We Help
  • Who We Serve
  • Who We Are
  • Fiduciary
  • Learning
  • Start Here
  • How We Help
  • Who We Serve
  • Who We Are
  • Fiduciary
  • Learning
  • Start Here

Weekly Market Review ~ Friday, 09/28/12

  • September 28, 2012/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Weekly Market Review

The major indexes experienced modest losses on Monday despite a positive manufacturing index report, as investors focused more on uncertainty over European banking policy. On Tuesday the S&P 500 suffered its worst daily loss in three months after a Fed official stated that the recent QE3 bond-buying program would be ineffective at stimulating the economy. Sour sentiment also resulted from Caterpillar lowering its long-term profit growth outlook. On Wednesday stocks fell once again following a report that August new home sales fell against expectation. Thursday brought a break from the recent downturn, as the market rebounded markedly as positive economic news out of Spain and China lessened this week’s negative attitude among investors. The week, month, and quarter ended on Friday unceremoniously with another loss as investors fear that Spain’s credit rating might be downgraded to junk status.
[table id=82 /]


NBC’s Chris Hansen Investigates Annuity Sales to Seniors

  • September 27, 2012/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Annuities, Retirement, Scams & Schemes, Seeking Prudent Advice

NBC’s Chris Hansen conducted an undercover investigation focused on the predatory sales tactics used in the sale of equity-indexed annuities to senior citizens.

Watch the video below or read the transcript to,

  • go behind the scenes to uncover the sales tactics insurance agents use
  • inside free-dinner seminars to catch the questionable pitches
  • inside training sessions to reveal insurance agents being taught to scare seniors and puff their credential with deceptive books, magazines and radio shows

Prominent in the program is Annuity University which trains insurance agents. Annuity University has been sued for running a dishonest scheme to deceive, coerce, and frighten the elderly. Read more about Annuity University in this Wall Street Journal article.

Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson, who reviewed NBC’s footage, and who has filed several suits alleging fraud in the sale of annuities to seniors, tells Hansen: “…what is tragic about it is when those agents go into the seniors’ homes, it is literally the wolf among the lambs.”

“Treat’em like blind 12-year olds”
Commentary: Annuities are a suckers bet


Weekly Market Review ~ Friday, 09/21/12

  • September 21, 2012/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Weekly Market Review

Stocks took a break from the recent run up on Monday, as investors used a decline in steel demand as an excuse to sell. A decline in crude oil prices also weighed down the energy component of the major indexes. On Tuesday the markets were largely unchanged as an increase in home builder’s confidence was offset by Fed Ex’s announcement to cut its full-year earnings outlook. Despite some good news on Wednesday – existing house sales rose in August, and Japan will implement a bond-buying program to stimulate its economy – stocks were once again largely unchanged. On Thursday the major indexes finished mixed, barely reacting to a US jobless claims report that showed a larger than expected increase in new jobless claims. The market finished the week on Friday with a small loss on very high volume.
[table id=81 /]


Quick Check: Are Your Retirement Savings On Track?

  • September 20, 2012/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : 401(k), Retirement, Seeking Prudent Advice

The two greatest impacts on your retirement savings over time are starting early and saving consistently.  Beyond that, how do you know if you’re on track to have enough set aside to retire comfortably? Fidelity Investments recently published convenient “rule of thumb” that provides convenient, age-based targets to help you gauge your progress.

What’s the end game look like?
If you’ve saved eight times your annual salary by your last year of work before retiring, you should have enough money to replace 85% of your annual income for a 25-year period, including social security.

Age-based targets for retirement savings. For example, at age 35 you should have saved one times your annual salary. By age 55 you should have 5 times your salary. Ultimately retire at age 67 with eight times your annual salary set aside in retirement savings.

Here are the key milestones for getting to 8x and beyond:

  • age 25: start saving for retirement beginning at 6% of annual salary and increasing this by 1% per year until it reaches 12%; employer provides a 3% matching contribution
  • ages 31-67: setting aside 12% of annual income for retirement savings with an additional 3% matching contribution from the employer
  • age 35: you should have saved one times your annual salary
  • age 45: you should have saved three times your annual salary
  • age 55: you should have saved five times your annual salary
  • age 67: retire with eight times your annual salary in retirement saves
  • age 67-92: live off your retirement savings

Recognize that this is a broad guide and each person’s requirements will vary by the specifics of their situation.  Nonetheless, this provides a quick and easy reality check.

What if you check your actual retirement savings and you’re coming up short against these targets?  Try to increase your retirement contributions to close the gap.  Sit down with an investment advisor to review your investment portfolios and make sure they are optimized for success.

Age-based retirement savings targets for an individual making $100,000 per year.

Source:
Fidelity Outlines Age-Based Savings Guidelines to Help Workers Stay on Track for Retirement


Weekly Market Review ~ Friday, 09/14/12

  • September 14, 2012/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Weekly Market Review

Stocks backed off their multi-year highs on Monday, with no substantial economic news either positive or negative. On Tuesday the Dow earned back its Monday’s loss as some investors began banking on the idea that the Fed would introduce additional quantitative easing in the near future. The markets inched up a bit on Wednesday, once again setting a five year high for the Dow. On Thursday, the long-awaited quantitative easing was announced, with the Fed pledging to buy $40 billion in mortgage-backed securities per month. Such an action is expected to drive investors out of bonds and back into stocks. Stocks responded to the move by moving up well over a percent. The major indexes finished the week on Friday by tacking on additional gains as euphoria from the quantitative easing was still present. Once again, the Dow set a multi-year high.
[table id=80 /]


Are You Better Off? Take a Look at the Stock Market

  • September 14, 2012/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Behavior, Economy, Market Outlook, Performance

Are you better off now?  This is not meant as a political question.  We’re actually trying to make an important point regarding investor behavior.

As of September 14, the S&P 500 index with dividends is 87% higher than it was on inauguration day, January 19, 2009.

This fact shocks many people because it’s just hard to believe given the financial fallout of the Great Recession and the ensuing slow recovery.  As humans we tend to be backward looking.  The pain we experienced collectively and personally persists.  However, the stock market is focused on the future and investors judge the long-run prospects of the entire U.S. economy to be strong.

Bottom line:  Your personal experience, economic opinions, and intuition are often a poor guide to managing your investments. 

For example, is your stock portfolio up 87% as well or did you invest emotionally and cash out at the depths of the Great Recession?

 

 


Weekly Market Review ~ Friday, 09/07/12

  • September 7, 2012/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Weekly Market Review

Following the Labor Day holiday on Monday, a poor manufacturing report sent stocks to a modest loss on Tuesday. The major indexes changed very little on Wednesday, a bit surprising considering that bellwether FedEx lowered its earnings forecast and more dire news came out of the Eurozone. On Thursday the Dow soared by 244 points when the European Central Bank announced it will buy government bonds to allow struggling countries to issue new debt. The S&P 500 and NASDAQ set 4-year and 11-year highs, respectively. Stocks finished the week on Friday slightly higher despite a rather bleak August jobs report.
[table id=79 /]


Best Stock Market Rally Since WWII

  • September 7, 2012/
  • Posted By : admin/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Behavior, Market Outlook, Performance

The current stock market recovery came out of the Great Recession of 2008 and is now more than 3 years old.  Despite the persistent worry and extreme caution of investors, this is one of the strongest stock market recoveries since World War II.  The charts below demonstrate not only is the current stock market recovery the best ever this far into the economic recovery, but nearly the best through out the entire recovery cycle.

Post-War Stock Market Rallies — Cumulative Return from Recession Low
(red highlight denotes current recovery stock market rally)

Post-War Stock Market Rallies — Cum Return from Recession Low to 870 Days
(red highlight denotes current recovery stock market rally)
Source:
Wells Capital Management
BEST EVER Post-War Stock Market Rally!
August 20, 2012

Recent Posts
  • SVB and bank collapses March 14,2023
  • 529 Rollovers (coming soon) February 6,2023
  • SECURE Act 2.0 (2023 changes inside) January 5,2023
  • Time-sensitive planning (action needed) November 2,2022
  • Market lessons you should know (inside) October 18,2022
Archives
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • December 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
Categories
  • 401(k)
  • Annuities
  • Behavior
  • Best Practices
  • Bonds
  • Charitable Donations
  • Economy
  • Fees
  • Fiduciary
  • Financial Planning
  • Investing 101
  • Live Well
  • Market Outlook
  • Mutual Funds
  • NorthStar
  • Performance
  • Personal Finance
  • Planning
  • Retirement
  • Saving Money
  • Scams & Schemes
  • Seeking Prudent Advice
  • Tax Planning
  • Uncategorised
  • Uncategorized
  • Weekly Market Review
ABOUT US

We are a fee-only, independent fiduciary advisor. Our allegiance rests solely with our clients and their best interests. We are headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina and serve client families across the nation.



CLIENT TOOLS
CONTACT
  • (704) 350-5028
  • info@nstarcapital.com
  • 521 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203
    (by appointment only)
  • fax: (704) 626-3462
FROM OUR BLOG
  • SVB and bank collapses March 14,2023
  • 529 Rollovers (coming soon) February 6,2023
  • SECURE Act 2.0 (2023 changes inside) January 5,2023
Nothing on this website constitutes either the provision of investment advice or solicitation to provide investment advice. Investment advice can only be provided through a formal investment advisory relationship. Copyright © 2023 NorthStar Capital Advisors - Charlotte, NC. All Rights Reserved.