The last of the pollen is washing away soon, the eclipse happened without an alien invasion, and the hype of NC State in the final four has faded. Here are some highlights of the financial markets. 

I want to congratulate Ben Abitz for winning our office NCAA bracket challenge.  A fun fact is that Ben was a coach for the Uconn Huskie Football team in a past life.  Since they don’t pay coaches, much of his compensation was in UConn gear. 

We have been hard at work providing tax information for clients and coordinating with their tax professionals to start the year.  

Business Side:

• Q1 Market Overview: The first quarter saw markets post significant gains. Rising earnings, easing inflation and a revised GDP Outlook fed the growth with the S&P gaining 10.6% in the quarter. The Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index pulled back by .78% for the quarter.
• Financial Planning: Each year as we review, we encourage updating to take full advantage of the new retirement amounts you can defer each year.  If you are investing in a retirement plan through your employer and want to make sure you are investing the full amount, reach out.
• Tax Season Follow Up: We know the importance of early planning when it comes to taxes. With the tax season almost behind us, it is a great time to review.  If you’re looking for ways to optimize your tax strategy for this tax year, lets chat.

Social Media:

• Google Reviews Matter: Have you had a positive experience with us? Do you just like Ben’s shoes? We would love your help in leaving us a Google Review.  Share your story with a Google review. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. 
• Staying Connected: We want to connect with you more via social media. Let’s connect on Instagram, LinkedIn or X at @tmrwwealth, or follow our page on  Facebook. We will be posting regularly on our blog as well so be sure to check it out from time to time.

Quarterly Outlook:

• Quarter 2 Themes to Watch: With eyes on the future, our analysis for Q2 focuses on key trends, including the impact of AI on markets beyond the chip industry, high savings rates relative to disposable income and strong jobs are all positive factors that could play into Q2.
• Election Year Dynamics: As we approach the mid-year mark, the political landscape continues to shape economic policies. Election years can bring a lot of hype and debates over economic and fiscal policy.
• Interest Rates: The median projection by economists is that the Fed will reduce interest rates by .75% this year. This could come in the form of quarter point drops in June, September and December.  We are particularly looking at these rates in conjunction with both commercial and residential real estate.

While we don’t take ourselves really seriously, we do take our work very seriously.  We know you have options and we are humbled and honored to work with the wonderful families we serve.  Thank you for entrusting us with your financial planning.  

With gratitude,

Matt Logan

Sources: 

Disclosures:  Investors cannot invest directly in indexes. The performance of any index is not indicative of the performance of any investment and does not take into account the effects of inflation and the fees and expenses associated with investing.  The views stated in this letter are not necessarily the opinion of Cetera Advisors LLC and should not be construed directly or indirectly as an offer to buy or sell any securities mentioned herein. Due to volatility within the markets mentioned, opinions are subject to change without notice. Information is based on sources believed to be reliable; however, their accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. Past performance does not guarantee future results.  The S&P 500 is a capitalization-weighted index of 500 stocks designed to measure performance of the broad domestic economy through changes in the aggregate market value of 500 stocks representing all major industries. The Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, which used to be called the “Lehman Aggregate Bond Index,” is a broad base index, maintained by Barclays Capital, and is often used to represent investment grade bonds being traded in the U.S. Barclays Capital (BarCap) U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is made up of the Barclays Capital U.S. Government/Corporate Bond Index, Mortgage-Backed Securities Index, and Asset-Based Securities Index, including securities that are of investment grade quality or better, have at least one year to maturity, and have an outstanding par value of at least $100 million.  For a comprehensive review of your personal situation, always consult with a tax or legal advisor. Neither Cetera Advisor Networks LLC nor any of its representatives may give legal or tax advice.