Quiver Financial News

Financial checkups are crucial for setting and meeting our financial goals. Unfortunately, it’s one task forgotten by many year after year. While reaching your goals without a checkup is possible, the chances go way up when completing annual financial checkups. Think of it this way: we all understand that remaining healthy is crucial for a long, healthy life. While diet and exercise help, regular doctor visits keep us updated on how our bodies are doing and what we should do to maintain or improve our health. Financial checkups work much the same way. By consulting with a professional, we can maintain a stable financial status and provide for our future financial needs. We can also learn how close we are to reaching our goals and what actions we should take to ensure we do. If you’ve never performed a financial checkup or don’t know how, that’s okay! To help, we’ll outline what a financial checkup is, how to perform one, and how they can help. What is a Financial Health Check-up? A financial health checkup is an assessment of your various financial assets and holdings. It reviews your income, expenses, debts, budgets, credit score, and assets to determine where you stand financially and whether you’re on track to meet your financial goals. By performing an annual financial checkup, you can determine which of your financial habits work best, where you can improve, and whether to reevaluate your long-term goals. How to Perform a Financial Health Check-up A financial checkup consists of reviewing all financial holdings and assets. There’s no one way to perform the checkup, but having a plan or checklist can help ensure you’ve covered all your bases. While you can perform a checkup independently, hiring a financial advisor can help ensure a thorough assessment, explain the findings to you, and suggest a course of action for future financial well-being. When performing a financial health checkup, consider these steps: Consider major life changes Financial health can fluctuate with events in your personal life. These can be events that incur a significant financial burden or offer you an unexpected windfall. Alternatively, the changes can offer more subtle changes to your daily budget, income, or expenses. These should be changes that have occurred since your most recent financial checkup. Consider changes such as: Review income and expenses Create a detailed list of income and expenses. This can help you understand whether you’re living within your budget. If you have more money coming in than going out, that’s great! Earning more than you spend is essential for saving money and ensuring financial health. If you earn less than you spend, you can determine which expenses are essential, which you can do without, or whether to take action to increase your income. Affordable budgeting software exists to help you maintain and reassess your budget regularly. Alternatively, you can create a budget with free spreadsheet options like Google Sheets. Assess your debt Assessing your total debt is essential for understanding your current financial situation. Listing all debts can help you determine how much you owe and create an approximate payback timeline. It would also help to consider the interest rates tied to each debt. This way, you can prioritize which to pay down first or which should be refinanced. This can also help you craft a more accurate budget that prioritizes those debts against the rest of your spending. Consider debts such as: Review retirement savings Retirement is probably the most long-term savings goal you have. And, because it affects your income once you’ve stopped receiving a regular paycheck, it’s crucial that you meet your goals. Remember that Social Security benefits only cover a fraction of retirement expenses, so you’ll likely need other sources of income. Consider how much you’ll need to sustain your lifestyle during retirement. It’s important to review all financial accounts designed to...

Recap from our Next investment wave. Short Term vs. Long Term Oil prices have plunged by approximately 40% from their 2022 highs, causing doubt among many investors in the oil market bull thesis. The recent crude price decline reflects a tug-of-war underway between bullish structural factors and bearish temporary factors, causing us to ask, is this a buying opportunity within a longer-term structural bull market or the beginning of significantly lower oil prices led by reduction of demand as a result of a looming recession? In the short term (1 week to 2 months), the tea leaves that many oil traders watch, like oil inventories, refining margins, and whether oil prices are in contango or backwardation do appear to give the impression that oil prices in Q1 of 2023 will be flat or possibly down slightly. Strong sentiment, increasing demand, geopolitics, and most importantly, supply-side issues that will take many years to fix. Sentiment – Wall Street is Bullish Many Oil market analysts believe oil prices are going higher. For example, Jeff Currie, the global head of commodities for Goldman Sachs, has a $110 forecast for Brent Crude in 2023, while rival investment bank Morgan Stanley agrees, expecting Brent to top the $110 level by the middle of 2023. These analysts note several catalysts as dynamics in demand, supply, and geopolitical circumstances arise. Demand Dynamics Morgan Stanley probably summed up the demand dynamics best by stating, “We remain constructive on Oil prices driven by recovering demand from China reopening and aviation recovering amidst constrained supply due to low levels of investment, a risk to Russian supply, the end of SPR releases and slow down of U.S. Shale.” Being one that has traveled quite a bit the past few months, I can personally attest to the recovery in aviation as each and every airport I have been through has been very busy. While the airports and roads seem just as busy as they were prior to the Pandemic, it also seems China could be the biggest catalyst in 2023, as highlighted by the Wall Street Journal “The pent-up demand from China is going to be enormous,” according to comments by Energy Aspects director of research Amrita Sen. Continuing with “China could swing demand by at least a million barrels a day, and that could easily make the difference between an Oil forecast of $95 to $105 versus $120 to $130.” “Prior to the pandemic, China was the world’s third-largest consumer of liquified natural gas, second-largest oil consumer, and largest electricity consumer. Resumed manufacturing activity and overall energy use in China could help offset fears of recession-driven demand destruction” While demand seems poised to increase through 2023 (assuming there are no or low recession effects), it is the supply dynamics that seem to be part of the thesis that may cause a longer secular bull market in fossil fuel prices. Supply Dynamics Due to poor energy policies of the past, there have been supply-side issues building for many years, and those issues don’t look to be changing anytime soon. We see a future in which oil supply is constrained for years, necessitating higher prices and lower demand than would be possible during the oil market of the past decade, when supply was abundant. The bull case for oil rests on the constrained supply outlook, which will be evident in a supply deficit that surfaces whenever prices are low and the quantity of oil demanded by consumers ticks above the level of available supply. Most oil companies plan to keep a relatively firm lid on output and investment spending for new production. For example, Chevron plans to boost its capital budget by 25% next year to $17 billion; most of that increase is due to inflation and a ramp in lower-carbon investment spending. Likewise, ExxonMobil plans to boost capital spending to $23 billion from $22 billion. However, it expects its production will remain flat on a per-day basis. Without a major demand...

Are you concerned about what to do with your money or investments with bank failures, fear of recession, and the anticipated dethroning of The U.S. Dollar appearing to be in our future? Get prepared and find potential investment opportunities by watching this short excerpt discussing the trends in Gold from Quiver Financials March 2023 Livestream, where we discuss: - If Gold will be an investor safe haven amid bank failures and corporate bankruptcies. - See how Gold has performed since 2016 to gain insight into where prices may be headed in 2023 - Hear how to manage the risk of investing in Gold and avoid buying too late Not intended to be investment advice. Quiver Financial is an investment advisory registered with the State of CA and is CA Insurance Licensed. Advisory services offered through Quiver Financial Holdings, LLC. www.quiverfinancial.com 949-492-6900

Auto-enrollment offers a simple and streamlined method to start saving for retirement. It’s typically tied to an employer-sponsored retirement plan to increase the number of participants. Those who offer auto-enrollment typically want to help ensure that as many people save for retirement as possible. Programs like this are primarily aimed at those who don’t normally think about saving for retirement: younger workers and those who believe they can’t afford to do so. Recently, SECURE Act 2.0 has created legal provisions to help more Americans prepare for a secure retirement. For instance, it helps incentivize small businesses into offering a sponsored retirement plan by providing tax credits for adopting a 401(k) program. Why? Because 74% of small businesses still don’t offer their employees retirement plans! But the law also includes an auto-enrollment mandate slated to take effect in the next few years. So, what is auto-enrollment? And, more importantly, how does it impact your retirement? What is auto-enrollment? Auto-enrollment is a process where employees are automatically enrolled into a company’s benefit plan, like a 401k or other retirement plan. Typically, these plans are “opt-in,” meaning that new hires decide for themselves whether they’d like to enroll. But with auto-enrollment, all new hires would instead have to “opt out” if they’d prefer not to participate in the benefit plan. Otherwise, they’re automatically enrolled in the program. This enrollment can happen immediately or after completing a probationary period, lasting anywhere from 30 to 90 days. Who does auto-enrollment affect? Currently, auto-enrollment only affects employees at companies that have an auto-enrollment program. However, the SECURE Act 2.0 will increase the number of affected workers. The law is designed to help workers save for retirement and includes many helpful provisions. One of those provisions mandates auto-enrollment in retirement plans. Starting in 2025, companies starting a new 401(k) or 403(b) plan will be required to automatically enroll their employees into retirement plans with a minimum contribution rate of 3% to 10%. This affects businesses that start new 401(k) and 403(b) plans after December 29, 2022. What are the advantages of auto-enrollment? 401(k) accounts already have many benefits for employees. Initiating an auto-enrollment program can provide additional benefits by simplifying the process right from the start. Some of the most important benefits of auto-enrollment include the following: Are there any disadvantages to auto-enrollment? Of course, automatically enrolling in a program can also have disadvantages. Although you can choose to opt out, you could feel that it removes a little bit of your autonomy. It’s a personal choice whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Some common disadvantages to auto-enrollment include: Why choose a 401(k)? Understanding how a 401(k) can help you is an important first step for retirement saving. For one, it helps you understand what options are available and why you might want to look them over when encountering automatic enrollment. It also helps you understand why SECURE Act 2.0 focuses so much on trying to help as many people enroll in such programs as possible. Some of the common benefits of a 401(k) include the following: Traditional 401(k)s are tax-deferred Contributions to traditional 401(k) plans are made with pre-tax dollars. This means you don’t need to pay taxes on the money you contribute to your account. This is also true of traditional IRA accounts. However, once you withdraw money from your account, it becomes taxable income. Please note that Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k)s are the opposite. Employee contributions are made with after-tax income. Whenever money is withdrawn, it will be tax-free. However, employees who make hardship withdrawals from either type of account before age 59 will be charged a 10% penalty fee. Employer match programs...

With Inflation sticking around higher for longer and the recent news of bank failures, 2023 is starting off with a bang for investors. We discuss this and more in this edition of Quiver Financial's Market Minutes From The Boardroom where we cover some of the most popular questions we are hearing from our clients and family office investors like: - How will the recent banking crisis impact me? - How much higher can interest rates go, and what should I do with my bond investments? - How are geopolitical conditions going to impact the markets in the near future? - What is a bear market rally and what should I be doing NOW to protect my investments? - Should I be concerned about the geopolitical environment and how may it effect Oil and Gold prices or The U.S. Dollar? Like to save time? Chose the subject you want to hear about and scroll to the time stamp below. 00:00 Introduction 01:29 A Lot Has Happened Since December Why isn't The Stock Market Lower? 07:45 Markets Performance So Far This Year 11:08 There is a Good Lesson For Investors Here 13:03 Gold - The Charts and Fundamentals 17:10 Gold, Oil, Saudis and Digital Dollar 19:07 The U.S.Dollar - The Charts and Fundamentals 22:30 The Stock Market - Bear Market Rally or New Highs? 28:00 Oil and Energy - New Bull Market? 33:40 What Can Investors Possibly Do Now 37:36 What Are Toxic Treasuries 40:04 Bank Failures - What You Should Look For in Your Bank 42:27 Get A Free Portfolio Analysis Securities and Advisory Services offered through Quiver Financial Holdings, LLC. www.quiverfinancial.com 949-492-6900

I’m sure it must seem odd that a wealth management company would be talking about the weather. Believe it or not, the weather can significantly impact the stock market and your investments. Weather affects many aspects of your life—from travel plans to whether you’ll run errands, the types of insurance you purchase for your home and vehicle, and where you move once you reach your retirement age. If you live in California, you might have heard of the IRS pushing the due date for tax returns a whole six months because of the weather! In short, weather affects the way we invest our time and money. And investors are no different. How weather affects investments The impact of weather on investments will depend on various factors, including the type of investment, the severity and duration of the weather event, and the ability of companies to adapt to changing conditions. Investors should consider the risks and opportunities associated with weather-related events when making investment decisions. Overall, the weather has two primary types of effects on investments: direct and indirect. Direct effects of weather on investments Direct effects of weather on investments can be seen in industries such as agriculture and energy, which are particularly sensitive to weather conditions. For example, a drought or a flood can affect crop yields, leading to lower revenues for agricultural companies and potentially causing commodity prices to rise. Similarly, extreme weather events like hurricanes or winter storms can disrupt energy production, transportation, and distribution, leading to higher prices for energy commodities. This could cause a drop in the stock prices of energy companies, and their investors could lose money. Indirect effects of weather on investments Indirect effects of weather on investments can also occur, as weather can influence consumer behavior and overall economic activity. For example, severe weather events can disrupt travel and tourism, leading to lower revenues for companies in the hospitality and entertainment sectors. Extreme heat or cold can also affect consumer spending patterns, as people may be less likely to go out and shop or dine in certain weather conditions. In addition, weather-related news coverage can impact investor sentiment and market volatility. For example, suppose a severe weather event is expected to impact a major economic region. In that case, it can lead to increased uncertainty and volatility in the stock market, as investors may be unsure about the potential impact on earnings and overall economic growth. Some banks also increase their interest rate spread following disasters related to climate change. How do I make investment choices based on the weather? Investing based on weather requires careful analysis and research. Here are some strategies that investors may consider when looking to invest based on weather: Invest in weather-sensitive industries As mentioned earlier, agriculture, energy, and insurance industries are susceptible to weather conditions. Investing in companies that operate in these industries may provide exposure to the potential opportunities and risks associated with weather-related events. Follow weather patterns Tracking weather patterns can provide insight into related risks and opportunities. For example, if a drought is expected, investing in companies specializing in drought-resistant crops or irrigation systems may be a way to profit from the situation. Analyze historical weather data Examining historical weather data can also provide insights into related risks and opportunities for certain industries or companies. For example, if a company has experienced significant losses due to weather-related events in the past, it may be vulnerable to similar events in the future. Consider climate change Climate change is expected to impact weather patterns and potentially create new investment opportunities and risks. Investors may want to consider investing...

Layoffs rocked workers across all sectors in 2022. The tech world was hit especially hit hard, with companies like Amazon, Twitter, Meta/Facebook, and DoorDash reporting mass layoffs. Business and professional jobs saw significant layoffs, as well—2.12 million throughout the year. Some companies, such as AMC Networks, have announced plans to lay off employees soon. This follows 2021, which saw 17 million layoffs across all industries. Many of those who experienced a layoff or separation from their job quickly scrambled to ensure they could afford food, bills, and other necessities. 46% of those polled reported feeling unprepared for layoffs or separations. Today, we’re talking about the financial steps you should take when impacted by a layoff, and how to keep your retirement savings intact even during the worst circumstances. Create a budget When facing any financial hardship, it’s important to take a full inventory of your current monetary situation. Create a detailed budget that includes such items as: When creating a budget, try to gain an understanding of how far you can stretch the money you currently have. If you can, cut any unnecessary spending. The problem with early retirement withdrawals Part of the goal is of creating a budget is to avoid dipping into your retirement savings. While making withdrawals from your 401(k) or other retirement plans might eventually become necessary, it should be a last resort. This is because making early withdrawals from your 401(k) can come with a few big disadvantages. First, withdrawing money from your 401(k) before you turn age 59 1/2 can come with heavy penalties—up to 10% of your withdrawal! Second, there’s opportunity cost. Because retirement plans are investment accounts, they’re designed to grow over time. Once you take money out, you lose the opportunity for that amount to grow and build more wealth. It’s difficult to recoup this kind of loss and it can greatly affect your retirement. Avoid abandoning your 401(k) Whenever you change employment—regardless of the reason—you risk abandoning your employer-sponsored 401(k). Abandoned 401(k) plans are a common problem that leads to a lot of lost money: according to Capitalize, there was over $1 Trillion lost to abandoned 401(k)s as of 2021 (one of many shocking 401(k) stats)! The best way to avoid abandoning your retirement plan is taking control over it as soon as you can. Odds are, one of two things will happen to your retirement funds after your employment ends. Either: Under the best circumstances, your former employer’s retirement plan offers varied and unique investment options that grow in ways that suit your needs. If that’s true, you might choose to keep your 401(k) with them. However, you risk forgetting your plan exists or worse—your former employer going out of business. Additionally, the company could change the rules associated with your plan, making it more difficult to maximize your contributions or access your account. Usually, you’ll want to take your retirement savings with you. Luckily, there’s a simple process to roll over your 401 k from your previous employer to a new plan. Subscribe now! Full Name* Email* Please verify your request* Subscribe Performing a 401 k rollover There are two methods for performing a 401k rollover: direct and indirect. The primary difference between the two is whether you take control of the money before rolling it over into your new account. Whichever method you choose, you must perform the rollover within 60 days of closing your account. If you don’t rollover your funds before the grace period ends, it becomes income and you’ll be required to pay taxes on it at the end of the year. Before performing a rollover, it’s important to make sure you have a new 401(k) account. If you’ve found new employment, you can likely enroll in a new plan when you begin work. Otherwise, you can search online for a new plan that fits your needs and retirement goals. Method 1: Direct...

To many investors, December 2007 felt like a nightmare scenario: the United States was officially in a recession. What would tomorrow bring? How much would we lose? As it continued, we worried: would we see another Great Depression before we ever saw more economic growth? People panicked and made bad decisions that permanently affected their net worth. Very few things drive emotions greater than love and money—especially if you’re approaching retirement when there is heightened fear of a recession, your 401(k) has a few bruises from a volatile market, and the interest rate continues to rise. If there is one thing the Great Recession exposed, it is how vulnerable our long-term plans for retirement or college savings become when markets and economies start to recede. But how did our plans become so vulnerable in the first place? 2 common fatal mistakes to avoid After managing money after the Dot-Com Bust and The Great Recession, I can tell you that recessions and bear markets can cause even the most sensible of individuals to fall victim to their emotions and make some fatal investing and savings mistakes. It’s understandable, considering a significant decline in economic activity can lead to a financial crisis. Unemployment rates can go way up. The news runs constant stories about housing markets and oil prices. It’s only natural that people panic. But with that panic comes fatal investing mistakes. Most fatal mistakes I’ve observed fall into two categories: These two habits usually intertwine, since one tends to lead to the other. The simplified version of this process looks like this: Step one: The stock markets perform well just before a recession, so investors buy at prices too high (taking on too much risk). Step two: During the recession, the value of those investments drops further than expected, so investors sell at prices too low (losing sight of goals/panic selling) When you do your homework, you will find that almost every recession has been preceded by a time of out-of-ordinary expansion, growth, and investor euphoria, just like we saw in 2021. During these times, many investors chase the dream and invest too aggressively. Even worse, they can become complacent and stop monitoring their investments. It is usually these investors that then make the fatal mistake of selling those investments when the recession is near its end and the financial markets may be at their lowest prices and ready for recovery. Eventually, everyone has a point of capitulation when they see their money evaporating. Many times, this causes an investor to sell when they should be buying. Time buckets: a recession investment strategy What are the best ways to avoid this fatal error? In my experience, I’ve found that the best way to invest during economic downturns is to: When used correctly, I’ve seen this strategy turn the economic death knell of a recession into an investment opportunity. Time buckets might differ depending on your individual goals, but I like to divide them into three time horizons: Short-term buckets I like to create a one-time bucket for short-term surprises or opportunities. These are funds that remain mostly liquid and accessible. This way, you have funds available to you should you find a quick or short-lived investment opportunity. These opportunities aren’t usually for long-term investments. These are usually quick trades intended to pay off in a short amount of time. Having short-term pay buckets also helps you have accessible funds should you suddenly need to make a more personal purchase. Intermediate buckets It’s also a good idea to have an investment bucket that exists in a more intermediate time frame. These are investment funds you might not access for 2-5 years. This gives you a little extra luxury time for investments that might have more day-to-day volatility but could trend upward over time. The recession might push down the price of some of these investments—but that could create more...

With the current downward economic trend, investors seek new ways to grow their money for minimal risk. We suspect salespeople might try to fill that void with annuities. Though they grow slowly, annuities offer steady earnings with low risk. Fixed index (aka fixed indexed or equity indexed) annuities are a low-risk option that offer higher potential returns than other types of annuity products. While fixed index annuities have many benefits, they come with some rules, restrictions, and add-ons that can affect the way they work and the potential returns they offer. They’re also complex and nuanced with many options and strategies available. As always, we suggest consulting with a financial professional to help make a decision that suits your needs and goals. However, we still want to provide a broad overview of what fixed index annuities are, how they work, and the benefits they offer so you know what to look out for and how they might fit into your portfolio. What is a fixed index annuity? A fixed index annuity is a long-term investment sold by life insurance companies. However, they’re not considered insurance products. The annuity works as a contract between you and the insurance company, with potential earnings tied to the performance of a market index, such as the S&P 500. Unlike a variable annuity (which invests in mutual funds), a fixed index annuity allows you to earn money based on the stock market without exposing it to the volatility of any actual stocks. How do fixed index annuities work? A fixed index annuity works like a call option. You buy the annuity from an insurance company. The insurance company uses that money to buy an option against a chosen market index. That option tracks the way the index changes between two points (a “term period”) and determines interest based on those changes. If the index’s value is higher at the end of the term than it was at the beginning, you can earn interest. Simply put: You buy the annuity in hopes the index makes money. If the chosen index performs well, you earn interest. For example, if the index has increased in value by 8%, you can (potentially) earn an 8% return. Stress on “potentially.” How long are term periods? Generally, a point-to-point term period lasts a year. However, your contract can last between 1-10 years or more. At the contract anniversary date, earnings are calculated and any interest credits back to your account. If your contract continues beyond that date, your annuity rolls on and a new term period begins. Are there limits to my earnings? The simple answer is, “it’s a low-risk investment, of course it comes with limits.” The more complicated answer: there are specific types of limits and levers that apply to fixed index annuities. They each work differently. Your annuity might come with one of these limits or (more likely) a combination of some or all of them. Keep in mind, the rates of these limits aren’t locked in. The insurance company can change these rates when your annuity renews on the contract anniversary date. They can do this without telling you or your financial advisor. Caps Caps put a hard ceiling on your earnings. They are the upper limit of what you can earn with that annuity, no matter how well the index performs. For instance, suppose your annuity has an 8% cap. Even if the index grows by 12%, your returns are limited to 8%. However, caps shouldn’t be confused with a guaranteed return. If your cap is 8% and the index grows by 6%, your potential returns are still only 6%. Participation rates Your participation rate is the percentage of total returns that could become yours. For instance, if you have a 100% participation rate, and your annuity earns 5% interest, you can earn the full 5%. If you have an 80% participation rate and it earns 5%, you earn 4%. Spreads Spreads (or margins) are often referred to as fees. However, you don’t technically pay this fee. Instead, it comes out of your account automatically. Spreads...

If there’s one thing we’ve learned during the past few years, it’s that healthcare is more than just important. It’s a top priority. The technology healthcare providers rely on is the most advanced it’s ever been. It’s hard to imagine how much more advanced it might become. And yet, healthcare improves almost daily. For investors, that makes healthcare and healthcare technology a perfect opportunity. The 4P model and shifting healthcare trends There is a tectonic and timely shift happening in healthcare service. A new need to cut costs and create efficiencies fuels this shift. The old paradigm of sick care is being replaced by a new focus on preventative care. To combat this, healthcare companies and providers are shifting to a 4P medicine model. The “4P” model is: Increasing advances in technology make the 4P model possible. But how does that create opportunities for investors? What creates healthcare investing opportunities? The healthcare industry within the United States is massive. In 2020, spending related to healthcare reached almost 20% of the U.S. GDP. For those of you keeping score, that means we spent over $4 trillion on the healthcare industry. With an aging population and rising inflation, studies expect that number to rise at the same rate as the GDP through the year 2030. That’s an increase of over $200 billion this year alone—and it will increase every year. As the need for healthcare grows, the industry must work to become increasingly efficient. This requires continuous investment in new and improved health technology. Over the past twenty years, certain segments of healthcare have struggled to keep pace with the rapid technological advances seen in other industries. Recently, the need for the global healthcare market to digitize and innovate has become increasingly clear. Meanwhile, healthcare costs continue to rise at unsustainable levels. Some of the many reasons for this, including: We also can’t understate the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Practices previously viewed as typical shifted to create a new normal. Both health services themselves and the healthcare sector as a whole must change to meet the current state of the world. Innovation in healthcare creates new avenues to improve patient care, treat patients remotely, improve patient flow through digital appointments, and reduce emergency care services. These improvements are possible through predictive modeling, artificial intelligence, and technology. As these healthcare systems and technologies grow over the next decade, so do our investment opportunities. Revolutionizing the world with healthcare tech With new technology comes a new patient experience: virtual care. Artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR), along with Machine Learning, are transforming almost every aspect of medicine that you can imagine. You can now find these technologies in nearly every facet of healthcare, such as: For healthcare organizations and patients alike, the uses seem endless. AI can learn to detect diseases and analyze information from a patient’s health record in order to more accurately diagnose a health problem. Machine Learning can process large pieces of data from clinic trials and other sources. It can use this data to identify patterns and make medical decisions with minimal direction. This allows doctors to better assess risk and offer more effective treatments. AR, combined with AI, can help healthcare apps be extremely beneficial to both doctors and patients. VR can also help with training clinicians through simulation, educating patients, and aiding with treatment. Where do we go from here? As investors, it seems like a golden opportunity: we invest, health systems improve, and people get the care they need. While other parts of the system can benefit from similar tectonic shifts (health insurance, for example), the future is very bright for healthcare investors. The medical...

We discuss 401(k) plans a lot. That’s because retirement planning is important to us. Retirement can represent a quarter of a person’s life. Social security helps, but 401(k)s offer so much more for retirement savers. And 401(k) calculators can help make sure you get the retirement you deserve. Using a 401(k) calculator forces you to think about your retirement in new ways. They offer great opportunities for making important decisions and maximizing your retirement contributions. It’s a great tool for retirement planning. And we want to help you learn how to get the most out of using a 401k calculator. Benefits of 401(k) 401(k) plans offer many benefits to those saving for retirement. Combined, these benefits help make 401(k)s some of the most reliable, trusted, and popular retirement savings plans available. Best of all, most workers qualify for a plan! Some of the most popular benefits of a 401(k) include: Consistent growth One thing you can expect from your 401(k) account: it will grow. How much it grows depends on your contributions and understanding your risk tolerance level (one of our retirement mastery principles). But, even when choosing low-risk investments (such as mutual funds), it will grow. Growth is usually slow—but consistent. And slow, consistent growth is important. 401(k)s are designed to grow over a long period. It might not seem like a large amount by the end of your first year of contributing. But, after several decades, this growth can build an account big enough to help provide for you in your retirement. It’s like the tortoise and the hare: slow and steady wins the race. Employer match programs Employer match programs are nothing short of free money in your account. Through one of these programs, whenever you contribute to your 401 k, your employer would make their own matching contribution—up to a point, at least. Usually, employers will only match a certain percentage of your contributions. For instance, suppose you contribute 7% of your income to your 401k. Your employer might match contributions up to the first 5%. Each employer is different, so consider asking what kind of contribution matching your company offers. Pre-tax contributions 401(k) plans can actually lower your income taxes. That’s because 401(k) contributions are tax-deferred. This means each contribution you make is its own tax deduction, lowering your taxable income and your yearly tax bill. Even as your 401(k) grows each year, you won’t pay income or capital gains taxes on that growth. Once you retire and start taking distributions, you’ll have to pay taxes on that income. However, most people have a lower income in retirement than they did while working. So, even in retirement, your 401(k) distributions offer a lower tax bill. This can provide you long-term tax advantages simply by having (and contributing to) your 401(k)! Automatic contributions Once you sign up for a 401(k), you don’t usually have to make active contributions to your account. Most employers automatically deduct contributions directly from your paycheck. It’s simple. It’s easy. And, best of all, it helps make sure that you make 401(k) contributions regularly. Whenever you get paid, so does your account. How a 401k calculator can be helpful 401(k) calculators (such as this one) are an important tool for retirement planning. All it needs is some basic information about you and your 401k, such as your: Some 401 k calculators may ask for additional information; others might ask for less. Once you’ve input your information, the calculator gets to work. 401k calculators can be extraordinarily helpful when planning for retirement because they: Determine retirement income Using your information, the calculator figures out how much money you might have in your account when you retire. Many calculators also estimate the average lifespan to help you determine what your yearly and monthly income might be. Though it’s only an estimate, this can give you a...

The goal of The Next Investment Wave is to help you identify potential investing trends early. If we were to use a baseball analogy, the meat of most investment moves is found near the bottom of the second inning or the top of the third inning. Our research over the past 6 months has caused us to believe that the next investment wave that investors may be able to lean into to create their next round of wealth may be found in the realm of commodities and basic materials. With any long-term thesis, there needs to be both fundamental and technical factors present in order to fuel potential growth. In this issue of The Next Investment Wave, we will explore why investors looking for a secular growth trend may want to keep fossil fuels and other commodities on their radar. Short Term vs. Long Term Oil prices have plunged by approximately 40% from their 2022 highs, causing doubt among many investors in the oil market bull thesis. The recent crude price decline reflects a tug-of-war underway between bullish structural factors and bearish temporary factors, causing us to ask, is this a buying opportunity within a longer-term structural bull market or the beginning of significantly lower oil prices led by reduction of demand as a result of a looming recession? In the short term (1 week to 2 months), the tea leaves that many oil traders watch, like oil inventories, refining margins, and whether oil prices are in contango or backwardation do appear to give the impression that oil prices in Q1 of 2023 will be flat or possibly down slightly. Strong sentiment, increasing demand, geopolitics, and most importantly, supply-side issues that will take many years to fix. Sentiment – Wall Street is Bullish Many Oil market analysts believe oil prices are going higher. For example, Jeff Currie, the global head of commodities for Goldman Sachs, has a $110 forecast for Brent Crude in 2023, while rival investment bank Morgan Stanley agrees, expecting Brent to top the $110 level by the middle of 2023. These analysts note several catalysts as dynamics in demand, supply, and geopolitical circumstances arise. Demand Dynamics Morgan Stanley probably summed up the demand dynamics best by stating, “We remain constructive on Oil prices driven by recovering demand from China reopening and aviation recovering amidst constrained supply due to low levels of investment, a risk to Russian supply, the end of SPR releases and slow down of U.S. Shale.” Being one that has traveled quite a bit the past few months, I can personally attest to the recovery in aviation as each and every airport I have been through has been very busy. While the airports and roads seem just as busy as they were prior to the Pandemic, it also seems China could be the biggest catalyst in 2023, as highlighted by the Wall Street Journal “The pent-up demand from China is going to be enormous,” according to comments by Energy Aspects director of research Amrita Sen. Continuing with “China could swing demand by at least a million barrels a day, and that could easily make the difference between an Oil forecast of $95 to $105 versus $120 to $130.” “Prior to the pandemic, China was the world’s third-largest consumer of liquified natural gas, second-largest oil consumer, and largest electricity consumer. Resumed manufacturing activity and overall energy use in China could help offset fears of recession-driven demand destruction” While demand seems poised to increase through 2023 (assuming there are no or low recession effects), it is the supply dynamics that seem to be part of the thesis that may cause a longer secular bull market in fossil fuel prices. Supply Dynamics Due to poor energy policies of the past, there have been supply-side issues building for many years, and those issues don’t look to be changing anytime soon. We see a future in which oil supply is constrained for years, necessitating higher prices and lower demand than would be possible during the oil market of the past...

Many retirees live on a more or less fixed income. Because of this, learning how to save money while retired can help you manage your personal finances. There are many actions you can take to minimize your financial output and help extend the life of your retirement savings. Today, we’ll discuss some of the most helpful tips that can help retirees start saving and stop worrying. Create a Budget Creating a budget helps you understand how much money you spend. Knowing this can help you determine how much money you need. This is something you can actually accomplish before you ever retire. Creating a retirement budget early on can help you determine your savings goals for the retirement you want. When creating a budget, it’s helpful to factor in things such as: Some expenses, such as your electric bill, might require some estimating. For example, some companies might bill customers for electricity used while others bill at a fixed rate. Even at a fixed rate, you could still receive an end-of-year bill for overuse. It’s helpful to determine your average usage of bills like this based on prior years to help you create a more accurate budget. If you choose to get more detailed with your budget, calculating potential inflation and other price increases over the years can help you figure out how much money you might need to be comfortable in the future. Maximize catchup IRA and 401(k) contributions When you get close to retirement (usually around age 50), you can make catchup contributions to your retirement plans. Catchup contributions raise the annual contribution limits for your IRA and 401(k) accounts to help you save more to prepare for your retirement. In 2022, those catchup contribution limits allow you to save an extra: These catchup contribution limits go up often, usually annually. Maximizing your contributions (contributing the maximum allowable amount) every year can help you save more money and be more prepared for retirement. Review your insurance policy Retiring is a major life change. When life changes, your needs often change with it. Reviewing your insurance policy can help you in multiple ways. It can help you make sure that you: Reviewing your insurance policy can help you find a policy that lowers costs for you across the board—and this is true whether you’re retired or not. Purchase a Medicare supplement Medicare is an extremely useful tool that helps pay for many costs associated with healthcare. It’s also an imperfect tool—it covers a lot, but not everything. Fortunately, many Medicare supplement plans exist to help fill in those gaps. Each of these plans covers different costs—copays, foreign travel costs, extended hospital stays, etc. So, it’s best to research the available supplement plans to help you find what works best for your needs and budget. Downsize Downsizing, in this instance, means reducing your assets and belongings to the essentials. To downsize, it’s helpful to take an extensive inventory of everything you have (from big items like your home and cars to everyday items like books). Then, you can make a separate list of everything you need. What you get rid of is entirely up to you—if you want to keep that full bookshelf, do so! But finding things you can live without—especially ones that come with big expenses or bills—can help you save money in the long term. If it helps, you can sell items you don’t need to help you earn and save even more money. And, once you have fewer things, you might find that you don’t require as much space as you thought you did. This can help you find a smaller, more affordable living space, should you choose to do so. Downsizing also gives you an opportunity to find other ways for saving money around your home. For instance, you might find more energy-efficient lightbulbs that can reduce your electricity bill. Or you could realize there are several streaming services you pay for and rarely (if ever) use. Consult your tax preparer If there’s anyone who...

SUMMARY KEYWORDS airbnb, people, real estate prices, rent, data, real estate, house, prices, short term rental, market, buy, home, starting, year, rentals, properties, justin, interest rates, patrick, investor 00:00 Hey, welcome to quiver financial news and our second edition of our real estate prices going to crash in 2023. It's January of 2023. And it's hard to believe, but it's been a whole six months since our first edition discussing whether real estate prices are going to crash within the next year. And since that video in the summer, we certainly have witnessed some of the some structural changes that have slowed the upward progress that we've been seeing in real estate prices of the last few years. rising interest rates have apparently pushed affordability to record extremes. At the same time, large industries, like the tech sector had been announcing layoffs accumulating to hundreds of 1000s of lost jobs. I'm Colby McFadden and I'm joined by Justin Singletary and Patrick Moorhead Gentlemen, welcome, mayor, he January and let's jump right in and start talking about residential real estate prices. And let's do it with the intention of helping the listeners know what really matters whether they're looking to be an investor, a buyer or seller, in this year of 2023 of residential real estate prices. So let's, let's get started by recapping what we had discussed back in June and July because Justin and Patrick, our timing was pretty damn good back then. If you look at the data, and we're gonna get into some of the data, folks, if you look at the data, really peak real estate prices were at that summer time and you know that between the third and fourth quarter of 2022. And since then we've definitely seen some softness. So before we jump into what we discussed six months ago, as a recap, and frame what we're going to talk about next. Justin Patrick, anything you guys want to touch upon? Or should I just share my screen and jump right in their 02:01 video cover that. So jump in. 02:04 All right, well, let's get in 02:06 very February, not January. Ah, 02:09 yeah, call him out on that. 02:12 I lost I lost that my January to you know, travel of funerals and COVID is, you know, he 02:18 turned 50. So the dementia is kicking in. It will 02:21 definitely, you know, like I they said a risk factor of COVID now was being over 50. And I'm starting to after having it for 10 days, I am starting to feel like I might have a little dementia. So bear with me because I've my face is pale and I had a piss poor attitude, that's 02:36 for sure. Well, your hair is turning gray or two. Oh, 02:39 geez. I was looking at I was looking at our video from two years ago. And I realized, oh, boy, my aging fast. I need to you know, get some vitamins in me or something. She's the gray hairs enough. Maybe I should get some of that. Gray for men. What is that that the stuff you can put in there and it just suddenly, just for man. Thank you, Justin. I see you've been using. 03:03 It's pretty sad that you know the name. 03:08 All right. So I'd love to make fun of Colby in his hair. Alright, so last last June, July, we we really had this conversation because we were getting a lot of questions from people about what do you think's going to happen in real estate and most of the year, we shied away from the conversation of real estate because the fundamentals behind real estate are essentially employment and interest rates. And when you have low unemployment, I mean, when everybody's fully employed and interest rates are low, there's really no reason to expect real estate prices to go down. However, since that timeframe, a lot has changed in both of those arenas. So we asked back in June and July have the fundamentals around real estate pricing change because we know that real estate pricing is focused around real interest rates and employment. But we did raise the question Is there another factor called Wall...

401(k) plans remain one of the most popular retirement plans available. They offer a variety of investment options, the potential for steady growth, and even some tax benefits. While the government limits the amount of money you can contribute to your 401(k) account in a year, they regularly increase this limit to meet the cost of living. And this year, we’re seeing the biggest 401(k) contribution limit increase ever. 401k increase 2023 The 401(k) contribution limit for 2023 is $22,500. This is up nearly 10% from 2022’s limit of $20,500. The $22,500 limit also goes into effect for other defined contribution retirement plans, such as 403(b) plans and most 457 plans. Those 50 and older will receive increases to their catch-up contribution limit, too. The new limit for these contributions increases to $7,500, up from last year’s $6,500. These two increases together mean retirement savers over 50 can contribute up to $30,000 to their 401(k) this year! The large increase is actually thanks in part to inflation. 401(k) contribution limits have been indexed to inflation since 2007. So, while inflation can impact retirement in ways we don’t want, the sharp rise in inflation over the past year has given us the biggest 401(k) contribution limit increase ever. Does employer match affect my contribution limit? Many employers offer 401(k) match programs. When you enroll in one of these programs, your employer contributes their own money to your 401(k). How much they contribute depends on how much they offer to match and how much you contribute. Most employers match anywhere between 2-5% of your 401(k) contributions. This is free money that goes directly into your account each time you contribute. As an added bonus, your employer’s contributions don’t count toward your annual contribution limit. So, even if you contribute your full $22,500, you still receive your employer’s matching contributions. What about IRAs? The contribution limits for individual retirement accounts (IRAs) will increase as well. In 2023, the IRA contribution limit is $6,500 (up from the previous year’s $6,000). The catch-up contribution limit for IRAs remains unchanged, holding steady at $1,000. If you have a SIMPLE IRA, your contribution limit increases to $15,500, up from 2022’s $14,000. SIMPLE account catch-up contribution limits increase to $3,500, over last year’s $3,000. Are there new phase-out ranges? Phase-out ranges for IRAs are going up in 2023, too. These are income limits that affect the way you can contribute to your IRA plans. Phase-out ranges offer tax benefits to lower- and middle-income earners while preventing high-income earners from taking advantage of tax breaks. Phase-out ranges affect Traditional and Roth IRAs differently. Traditional IRA phase-outs 2023 Phase-outs for Traditional IRAs affect your tax deductions. Because Traditional IRA contributions are tax deferred, you can actually deduct your contributions from your taxable income. This could lower your income taxes for the year. Traditional IRA phase-outs reduce your ability to deduct your contributions based on your annual income. The new phase-out income limits for Traditional IRAs in 2023 are: Each of these income ranges affects your deductions differently. Some may make full deductions, some partial deductions, with others making no deduction at all. A tax advisor can help you more accurately determine how much your contributions impact your yearly tax bill. Roth IRAs Phase-out ranges for Roth IRAs impact your contribution limits. This is because Roth IRA contributions are post-tax. Because you pay taxes on your income before you contribute to a Roth IRA, your investment and earnings can both experience tax-free growth. Income limits help prevent the highest earners from using Roth IRAs to avoid a tax burden for their investment gains. The 2023 phase-out ranges for Roth IRAs are: Each phase-out range limits how much money you can contribute to your Roth IRA. The...

Later-in-life investing: What you should know. So, you’ve left planning for your golden years to the mid-century mark — don’t worry. You’re not the only one. Almost 1 in 4 boomers said they didn’t start saving for retirement until they turned 50 — and over a third of them still say they have no retirement savings at all, according to a 2022 survey from mortgage information website Anytime Estimate. You still have options, so get yourself moving toward your retirement goals now. When you save for retirement, the hope is to build enough wealth that you can live comfortably after you retire. As you grow older, you might find that your expected social security income might not be enough for you to retire. So, what happens if you don’t start investing until you’re close to retirement age? If you find you’ve started your investment journey around the time your age is reaching the speed limit, it’s important to keep in mind two fundamental factors that help investors manage risk and find opportunities: Time horizon and risk tolerance. Understanding these two concepts can help you beef up your personal finances so you don’t have to work longer before you retire. What is a time horizon? A time horizon, or investment time horizon, is the time you expect to hold an investment before selling it. Longer time horizons can offer a great value for investments. Because of this, Wall Street touts the virtues of being a long-term investor—and for good reason. The masters of the financial universe have long known that the best way to mitigate risk is to have a long enough investment time horizon to allow an investment that may have declined in value to recover in price before having to sell. Let’s consider an asset that has the attributes of a quality company or investment. It’s possible that the value of that investment might dip. But, with a longer the time horizon, the more likely an asset will recover from a decline in price. If you choose to wait to invest until later in your life (closer to retirement), this reduces the duration of your time horizon. Because of this, it’s helpful assess your risk tolerance before investing. What is risk tolerance? Risk tolerance is exactly what it sounds like: it’s the amount of risk an investor can comfortably endure. Understanding your risk tolerance can help when deciding which investments you choose to make. A professional financial advisor or certified financial planner can help you establish your risk tolerance and find investments that work within your boundaries. Risk tolerance and time horizon can work well together when choosing your investment portfolio. For each investment, it’s helpful to figure out which investments fit within your risk tolerance level for the expected duration of your time horizon. What’s the easiest way to start investing later in life? The most important thing is getting started. For most people, opening a standard brokerage account is one of the easiest ways to get started. Finding a budget and consistently investing within that budget on a monthly basis can help build your portfolio more quickly. Also keep in mind that if you have saved little for retirement and you have the extra savings or cash flow, you have options. You can always choose to max out your 401(k) plan contributions. And, whichever type of IRAs you use (Roth IRAs, Simple IRAs, etc.), you can use catch-up contributions to help build up your retirement accounts. And, if you are self-employed you may find some defined benefit plans can also be a useful tool for making up for lost time. Remember that taking retirement savings distributions before age 59 1/2 can come with a heavy tax burden. So, leaving your money in your accounts can do more than just earn you more money—it can save you money, as well. What are the benefits of investing later in life? There’s one big, shiny benefit to investing later in life: knowledge. Typically, we humans mature and gain experience over the years. The more...

In the social media age, we’ve become increasingly connected to those around us. Because most people share only the positive details of their lives, it sometimes gives the appearance that everyone else is having fun or experiencing success while we’re at home, looking at our phones. Because of this, the fear of missing out (FOMO) has become a common experience. The more common it becomes, the more it can find its way into other aspects of our lives. For investing, FOMO can have disastrous effects. The good news is, we can conquer FOMO and remain in control over our investment decisions. But, in order to do that, we’ve got to understand what it is. What is Investing FOMO? FOMO is the anxiety that others might have rewarding experiences and you won’t. Because these experiences could happen anytime or anywhere, FOMO can often transform into the desire to stay connected to everything all the time. It sometimes manifests itself as a need to know everything that’s going on so you can always make the most rewarding decision. So, it should come as no surprise that experiencing FOMO eventually found its way into the minds of investors. With so much at stake (life savings, future riches, infamy, etc.), it’s hard to watch others succeed while we struggle. They make it look easy, and we sometimes become jealous and resentful. And once that happens, it can begin negatively affecting our investment decisions. What are the effects of FOMO on investing? FOMO is, primarily, an emotional response. Because of that, it can infect and seize control over our decision-making process. This can cause a string of negative effects on our investments, our personal finances, and our careers. Some of the most common effects FOMO has on investing include: Reduced reason FOMO often interrupts our ability to think reasonably. When we see others make successful decisions, we can feel the need to copy them to find our own success. When that urge to buy strikes us, it can present itself as a decision that (a.) will only have positive results, and (b.) must be made immediately. Our emotions can surge dramatically and make us feel like we don’t have time to think about our decisions; all we can see are the results we so strongly desire. We hear about a stock, bond, or real estate investment that could help us succeed, and we immediately want in. Rather than taking a moment to think about the consequences, we make what often turns out to be a rash decision. Increased risk Understanding how much risk you’re willing to take is one of our retirement mastery principles for a reason: understanding risk is important for successful investing. The decisions we make when experiencing FOMO are naturally riskier than decisions we make while thinking clearly. Part of the reason risk increases in these moments is that they occur at the wrong time. In fact, FOMO can force us to work against our own instincts and break one of the first rules of investing: buy low, sell high. Buying low helps us reduce the risk of bigger losses. But consider when we might feel like we’re “missing out” the most. Usually, it’s when others are already experiencing success. We could invest in the same stocks they have. But, by then, it’s likely too late. The stocks that have helped them succeed are already at a higher price. In order to find the same success as them, we would have had to buy when it was low. FOMO can cloud our judgment. And the more we chase the success of others, the more likely we are to make increasingly risky or desperate decisions. Increased market volatility To the market, one person experiencing FOMO is a drop in the bucket. When it happens on a bigger scale, it can have a much bigger effect. If a large portion of investors chase the same stocks to find success, it can affect prices. This can lead to volatility as stocks without a proven track record get repeatedly bought and sold. Across the market, prices can quickly rise and fall, causing more uncertainty among...

As we help people prepare for retirement, one big question comes up all the time: “How much will I need to retire?” Unfortunately, the exact amount needed is different for everyone. However, there are steps you can take to determine on your own how much you need to retire comfortably. Why it’s important to understand how much you will need Understanding how much you’ll need to retire comes with many benefits. Primarily, when you know how much you need, you can take steps to reach your retirement goals. By taking these steps, you can improve your ability to: Retire on time Having enough money to provide for your retirement can help you retire once you hit retirement age. This way, you get to decide for yourself how you spend your later years. Generate enough retirement income One of the most important aspects of preparing for retirement is ensuring you can generate enough income to sustain yourself. If you’ve figured out how much you’ll need, you can make sure you can afford your bills, your healthcare, and other important life expenses. How to determine how much you need Choose your desired retirement age Once you figure out how much you need, you can compare that to how much you have. This can help you determine how much more you need to save. Using your own timeline for when you plan to retire, you can then plan out your best course for hitting your retirement goals. Account for your needs Again, every person—and their needs—are different. There are still some steps you can take to figure out how much you’ll need to retire on your own terms. The process requires deciding how you want to retire and calculating how much that might cost. These steps include: Some retirement strategies suggest a specific amount you might need for retirement. The fault in this method is that it’s simply a guess. There’s no one magic amount that works for everyone. By calculating how much you’ll need for retirement, you take your own personal needs into account. Depending on your birth year, your retirement age is somewhere between 66 and 67 years old. While that could change in the future, it sets a good benchmark. Some people retire early; some continue working for several years before they retire. The age you retire is an entirely personal decision. It’s important to keep in mind that your desired retirement age can affect how much you have to save and how long you have to do it—which is why it’s an important first step. Determine your desired lifestyle Once you retire, what do you want to do? You might want to travel. You could start a small business or invest your time in a favorite hobby. Maybe you’d like to stay at home, move to a new city, or enter a retirement community. What you do when you retire is up to you—and there are no wrong answers. No matter your planned retirement lifestyle, it comes with its own specific costs. Once you’ve decided your potential life after retirement, you can begin to calculate how much you’ll need to achieve it. Create a retirement budget Your living expenses, healthcare needs, and lifestyle costs all require income. With some research, you can determine what your chosen lifestyle might cost you. Using this, you can determine how much money you’ll need each month to sustain you. It’s helpful to create detailed, organized lists of expected expenses and their costs. The more specific your budget, the more accurately you can calculate your retirement savings needs. Factor in inflation, debts, life expectancy, etc. The unfortunate part of saving for retirement is that it asks you to become something of a fortune teller. Things like inflation, life expectancy, and your personal debt can seem impossible to predict. The good news is, there’s extensive research available to help you estimate these numbers. Internet searches can help you find the current life expectancy for your gender and location. Economists often release data on expected future inflation. Calculating your personal debts might take more...

When they were first introduced in 1935, Social Security retirement benefits were a game changer. It ensured that retirees aged 65 and older could receive an income even after leaving the workforce. Over the years, retirement options have expanded. New account options, new retirement protection laws, and new investment opportunities help workers supplement their Social Security benefits and create their dream retirement. Regardless of these expanded options, Social Security remains the cornerstone of retirement for many Americans. Over the last few years, a lot of them have "unretired"—that is, they've returned to work after already receiving their benefits. This begs the question: Does returning to work impact their Social Security? The "Unretiring" trend When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it brought with it an uptick in retirement. In 2020 alone, 3.2 million more boomers retired than in 2019. It was the most boomers ever to retire in one year. There were several reasons for this. Many boomers were laid off or forced into retirement. Others left the workforce because of safety concerns when facing an unknown virus. Those without a degree found it difficult to gain safer employment, such as positions that let them work from home. In the years since our economy inched closer to a recession. Whether we're in one now (or soon will be) remains up for debate. Either way, inflation is on the rise and prices are going up. The stock market's current rollercoaster trend has affected many 401(k)s and other retirement accounts. The current worker shortage means there are many open jobs that need filling. These conditions have helped many retirees decide to rejoin the workforce. In the last year and a half, 1.5 million retirees have gone back to work—many of whom had already begun receiving Social Security benefits. How Social Security works In some ways, Social Security works like a savings account: you put money in and, eventually, you take money back out. But it's actually a little more complicated than that. When you pay your income taxes, a percentage of your earnings goes into Social Security. But it doesn't go into a personal "account" or another fund that continues to build until you retire. Instead, the money you pay in gets used almost immediately—as income for current retirees and other social security recipients. Then, when you retire, those working during your retirement pay for your Social Security payments. Ideally, Social Security earns more tax money over time, as average incomes go up. This helps immensely, as they adjust retirement payments to reflect the cost of living. It works like this: the Social Security Administration (SSA) considers up to 35 years of your highest annual earnings—that is, those years you paid the most into Social Security. They then index those earnings to reflect modern wage amounts. These calculations help them determine your monthly benefit. Depending on your full retirement age (FRA), Social Security payments could replace around 35% of your pre-retirement income. Does retiring early affect social security benefits? You can start collecting Social Security payments five years before you reach your full retirement age. For those born after 1960, the FRA is 67 years old. This means you can apply for Social Security once you turn 62. The idea of early retirement appeals to many of us. However, it comes with a downside. When you receive Social Security before you reach 67, you actually receive lower payments. The payments become lower for each month you receive benefits before reaching your FRA. The SSA offers this handy chart to help you figure out how much retiring early could affect your benefit checks. If you wait until 67 (or whatever your FRA is), you're entitled to your full retirement benefit payments. Another reason to delay retirement If you wait to receive benefits until after your FRA, your payments can actually go up. For every year beyond FRA that you delay...

Find out what happened and what we predicted in 2022 for stocks, bonds and commodities in this highlight reel of all the Quiver Financial quarterly events where we provided outlooks for The Dollar, Metals, Oil, Interest Rates and Stock Markets throughout 2022. So much happened in 2022 it was hard for us to trim our videos down to this 20 min. reel. We didn't even get a chance to cover some of the asset classes we focus on like real estate. Make sure you subscribe so you can stay up to date on what we see for 2023. You'll get to see first hand how Quiver Financial called out the bear market in stocks before anyone else in the business. This is a must see if you are looking for actionable forward looking viewpoints on the five (5) investment categories that have the greatest amount of influence on your investments and retirement savings. Advisory services offered through Quiver Financial Holdings, LLC a CA state registered advisory firm. Not intended to be investment advice. www.quiverfinancial.com 949-492-6900.