Blog Investment & Financial News
Employee Spotlight: Michelle Zurcher
Michelle Zurcher has been with Leonard Rickey Investment Advisors since July 2017 as our Client Service Manager out of our Yakima office. You can learn some more about Michelle below: What do you love most about your job? What I love most about my job is the opportunity to impact our client’s financial well-being. I…
Presidential Elections and the Market
From 1961 to 2023, a $10,000 initial investment in the S&P 500 would have grown to over $102,000 if invested only when a Republican was in the White House. Conversely, the same investment would have grown to more than $500,000 if invested only during Democratic presidencies. While this might suggest a strategy of investing under…
Congratulations, Chelsie!
Congratulations to Chelsie Smith and her husband, Kelly, on the birth of their son, Wyatt Jaxon Smith! Wyatt was born on April 23, 2024, and is a happy baby boy!
2024 2nd Quarter Investment Commentary
Stocks headed into the second half with impressive momentum. Historically, a strong first half tended toward above-average second-half returns. Market gains were heavily skewed towards the large-cap growth and technology companies. The S&P 500 became increasingly concentrated in, with just five companies accounting for 29% of the index. Economic growth moderated but remained resilient with…
2024 1st Quarter Investment Commentary
The S&P 500 TR Index continued its strong momentum and reached new all-time highs. Momentum often creates momentum, which leaves us optimistic about stocks currently. However, a near-term pullback wouldn’t surprise us. The U.S. economy continued to grow due to a strong labor market, healthy consumer balance sheets, and robust services activity. Due to an…
Spring Clean Your Documents
With Shred Day approaching and in the spirit of spring cleaning, we wanted to share some tips on organizing your files. Remember to dispose of your documents securely. Below is a summary of the key documents to keep and for how long: Income Tax Returns: Keep at least three years of state and federal tax…
2024 Key Financial Changes
Social Security recipients are getting a 3.2% increase in their 2024 benefits. The Medicare Part B premium is increasing from $164.90 to $174.70 per month. The annual exclusion for gifts increases to $18,000 from $17,000 per year per individual. The limitation on deferrals for 401(k), 403(b), and most 457 plans is increased to $23,000 for…
Stock Market Concentration
Investors in the S&P 500 Index who think they are getting exposure to a diversified basket of 500 companies are not. Money deployed into the S&P 500 is increasingly a wager on the health of just a few companies – with the fundamental of the other 490 carrying less weight. The outperformance of the largest…