Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
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The movement of the financial markets can seem mysterious - and yet, if we look back over long periods, we can see definite patterns that consistently repeat themselves. As an investor, how should you respond to these market cycles? To begin with, it's useful to know something about the nature of a market cycle and its connection to the business or economic cycle, which describes the fluctuations of the economy between periods of growth and contraction. Issues such as employment, consumer...
Mortgage rates have been a central concern for homeowners, prospective buyers and investors alike. Over the past few years, predictions of lower mortgage rates have often missed the markespite various economic forecasts anticipating a decrease, mortgage rates have stubbornly remained high. This article delves into the reasons behind this trend, examining the persistent factors driving mortgage rates and why the anticipated decline hasn't occurred. Persistent Inflation Pressures One of the...
It's election season again. Over the next several months, you're bound to hear an array of promises from the candidates and speculation from the pundits on what those promises, if enacted, could mean for the country. But, how might these possible outcomes affect your financial future? When considering this question, keep these points in mind: • Campaign promises aren't always kept. Presidential candidates often proclaim that they intend to institute major changes in tax or spending policies, o...
Real estate investment trusts (REITs) can offer a consistent income stream that is typically higher than Treasury yields and other stock dividends (see chart). A qualified REIT must pay at least 90% of its taxable income each year as shareholder dividends, and unlike many companies, REITs generally do not retain earnings, which is why they provide higher dividend yields than most other stock investments. You can buy shares in individual REITs, just as you might buy shares in any publicly traded...
The Federal Reserve decided to raise rates again by .25%, which is nudging rates to the highest level in over 20 years. With this increase federal funds will increase to 5.25-5.5%. Unfortunately, the Feds did not give anyone the impression that the spicket would be turned off. Money managers are now starting to take into consideration the possibility of one more rate hike later this year. But at what point will increases become counterproductive. Inflation is starting to come down and perhaps...
As you know, the stock market has attracted a lot of attention – and for good reason, as we've seen considerable volatility almost from the beginning of the year. But if you own bonds, or bond-based mutual funds, you might also have some concerns. However, it's important to understand why bonds should continue to be an important part of your portfolio. To begin with, let's look at what's happened with bond prices recently. Inflation has heated up, leading the Federal Reserve to raise interest ra...
These are unsettling times for investors. Even before the geopolitical crisis involving Russia and Ukraine, the financial markets were facing headwinds due to higher inflation, the anticipation of rising interest rates and the continuing effects of the pandemic. As an individual investor, should you take some type of action? It’s helpful to put today’s headlines in perspective. While the Federal Reserve probably will raise interest rates, they are doing so from a point where these rates wer...
After the wild ride of 2020, the U.S. stock market was relatively calm in 2021, but there was still plenty of volatility. There were 55 days when the S&P 500 index - generally considered representative of U.S. stocks - closed with a rise or fall of 1% or more from the previous day's closing price. And there were seven days with a change of more than 2%.1 The good news for investors is that the trend was generally upward, and the S&P 500 ended the year up almost 27%.2 But no matter which way the...
HENRY is a catchy acronym for "high earner, not rich yet." It describes a demographic made up of young and often highly educated professionals with substantial incomes but little or no savings. HENRYs generally have enviable career prospects, but many of them feel financially stretched or may even live paycheck to paycheck for years, especially if they are working in cities with high living costs and/or facing large student loan payments. If this sounds like you, it may be time to shed your...
During March 2021, the widening availability of COVID-19 vaccinations, signs of improving economic conditions, and a third, $1.9 trillion stimulus package brought about more optimistic growth projections. Even though a healthy economy could be good news for many businesses and the financial markets, rising inflation expectations caused a multi-week sell-off in U.S. government bonds that pushed up longer-term yields and sent the Nasdaq Composite Index into correction territory on March 8, 2021.1...
For more than a decade, inflation has been essentially dormant. In recent months, though, economists have expected an uptick but were still surprised by the sharp jump in the April Consumer Price Index (CPI), which rose 4.2 percent from a year ago. As an investor, what can you expect if we do enter a more inflationary environment? First, it's useful to understand the main causes of the recent spike in prices. Part of the explanation is simply a result of increased economic activity in the spring...
When it's time to prepare the next generation for a financial legacy, you might want to bring your family members together to talk about money. But sitting down together isn't easy, because money is a complicated and emotionally charged topic. Rather than risk conflict, your family may prefer to avoid talking about it altogether. If your family isn't quite ready to have a formal conversation, you can still lay the groundwork for the future by identifying and sharing your money values - the...
Americans use debit cards more often than credit cards, but they tend to use credit cards for higher-dollar transactions. The average value of a debit-card transaction in 2018 was just $36, while credit-card transactions averaged $89.1 This usage reflects fundamental differences between the two types of cards. A debit card acts like a plastic check and draws directly from your checking account, whereas a credit-card transaction is a loan that remains interest-free only if you pay your monthly...
According to a recent survey, 76 percent of Americans reported having at least one financial regret. Over half of this group said it had to do with savings: 27 percent didn't start saving for retirement soon enough, 19 percent didn't contribute enough to an emergency fund, and 10 percent wish they had saved more for college.1 The saving conundrum What's preventing Americans from saving more? It's a confluence of factors: stagnant wages over many years; the high cost of housing and college;...
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. What's going on with the financial markets? Specifically, what's behind the price swings of the past several weeks? And, more important, how should you, as an individual investor, respond? To begin with, the recent volatility was not really all that extraordinary. The daily drops pushed U.S. stocks down about 10% from their recent record highs, although they have regained some of that ground. A 10% dro...
A financial crisis can be scary at any age, but this is especially true when you're in your 40s or 50s. Perhaps you're way behind on saving for retirement or have too much debt from unnecessary spending. Or maybe an unexpected challenge, such as a job loss, illness or break from the workforce for caregiving responsibilities, took a direct hit on your finances. Regardless of how you got to this point, it's important to develop a strategy that will help you re-establish financial stability....
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. By most measures, 2017 was a pretty good year for investors. But what can you expect in 2018? It's difficult to precisely predict the immediate future of the financial markets. However, many signs point to improved global economic growth and rising corporate earnings – both of which are important drivers of stock prices. In the United States, economic growth may be more modest than in other regions, w...
Dear Friends, As your elected representative on the Kern County Board of Supervisors, I work to honestly and efficiently manage your tax dollars to provide the services you expect and deserve, and improve your neighborhood and quality of life. In 2017, I was honored to serve as Chairman for the Kern County Board of Supervisors. This year presented many challenges, but the county has achieved success in many areas and continued our focus on achieving fiscal stability. In managing the county...
On, Saturday, Dec. 17 2016, the Mojave Cemetery Wreaths Across America National Day of Remembrance ceremonies will take place promptly, at 11 a.m. The Edwards AFB Composite Squadron 84, led by Lieutenant Colonel Richard Radvanyi, Squadron Commander, will host the ceremonies. A special presentation to honor our Gold Star mothers and local law enforcement, will take place at the Mojave Cemetery located at, 2040 Belshaw Avenue. Everyone in the local communities are invited to participate and...
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. We all make excuses. Most of the time, they’re pretty harmless. But you could be hurting yourself if you make excuses for not taking action in some areas — and one of those areas is investing. Not investing, or not investing enough, can have serious consequences. In fact, a lot of people are poorly prepared financially for retirement. Consider these figures from the Federal Reserve: The median ret...
Understanding financial matters can be difficult if you don’t understand the jargon. Becoming familiar with these 10 financial terms may help make things clearer. 1. Time value of money The time value of money is the concept that money on hand today is worth more than the same amount of money in the future, because the money you have today could be invested to earn interest and increase in value. Why is it important? Understanding that money today is worth more than the same amount in the f...
A few years back I came upon a book called Leonie, which told of a woman who had studied and received her degree in Dentistry in 1902; she was twenty years old. She first was to practice in San Francisco, then to Arizona with the Hopi Indians, and also to the Klondike where she spent fifteen years. Later, back in California, for four years, she tended the dental needs of the young men in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps from 1932 until 1936. When the Federal Government appointed the...
The Federal Reserve has said it expects to begin raising its target rate sometime in 2014. Since bond prices fall when interest rates rise, it may be a good time to pay increased attention to any fixed-income investments you have Here are some factors to consider when you review your portfolio. Maturity dates and duration One way to address the threat of rising rates is through maturity dates. Long-term bonds may pay a higher coupon rate than short-term bonds, but when rates rise, long-term...
