Latest Insights
Brown and Company Keeps You Posted
Should You Hire a Wealth Advisor?
As technology has improved and it has become increasingly easier to open accounts and invest money in a diversified portfolio, people are often asking whether financial advice is worth paying for. Or, more specifically, what is the value of financial advice? The answer ultimately depends on what type of advisor you are considering hiring and ... Should You Hire a Wealth Advisor?
Are We Headed For Another Recession?
There has been much doom and gloom predicted for the stock market looking ahead to 2019, at least in some corners of the investment world. Much of the volatility in the market that we witnessed at the end of 2018, and the ensuing pessimism from investors, is predicated on a potential economic recession for the ... Are We Headed For Another Recession?
Falling Interest Rates
Intermediate and long-term interest rates have fallen significantly in the past few months. For those who have yet to lock in long-term mortgage financing on their home, the recent decline in yields represents a new opportunity to lower their monthly mortgage payment. As financial advisors, we are continually looking for ways to improve the financial ... Falling Interest Rates
Putting an Extremely Volatile Market in Perspective
On Monday, the S&P 500 Index came about as close as possible to the technical definition of a bear market without officially registering one (defined as a 20% or larger decline based on closing prices). Enduring these sharp declines can be unnerving for any investor, making it difficult to avoid the urge to react and ... Putting an Extremely Volatile Market in Perspective
Ben Bernanke Speaks In Denver
Mark Brown and the Brown and Company team attended a luncheon with Former Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke in Denver on November 28th. Dr. Bernanke is now an advisor to PIMCO, one of the largest fixed income managers in the world. The lunch was a forum put on by PIMCO in order to better understand Chairman ... Ben Bernanke Speaks In Denver
Oil Prices Down Significantly in Recent Weeks
Crude oil has officially entered into a bear market, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude prices down over 20% from their highs in early October. The selloff in oil was as drastic as it was sudden. Prices have approached $50 per barrel of WTI, the lowest price since November of 2017. What happened to oil and ... Oil Prices Down Significantly in Recent Weeks
Donating Appreciated Stock to Charity
Smart Year-End Charitable Giving We are a nation of procrastinators, at least with respect to charitable giving. Indeed, a very large percentage of charitable giving occurs According to the National Philanthropic Trust, 30% of all charitable gifts in the United States are given in December. Further, more than 10% of giving is done in the ... Donating Appreciated Stock to Charity
2019 Income Tax Rates
The IRS has announced its updates to income tax brackets for 2019, reflecting slightly higher limits to this year’s tax brackets to account for inflation. The announcement is merely a slight tweak to the current marginal income tax brackets that were established by Congress. As you may know, personal income taxes changed quite markedly in ... 2019 Income Tax Rates
Midterm Elections Update
The midterm elections are now largely behind us, save for a few close races that have yet to be decided. The outcome was what had been predicted by most experts: Democrats took back control of the House of Representatives, while Republicans kept control of the Senate. Democrats added approximately 40 house seats, depending on several ... Midterm Elections Update
International Trade: What’s Going on With NAFTA and China?
Most signals coming from the U.S. economy have been extraordinarily strong over the past year. Unemployment has neared all-time record lows, GPD growth is tracking to be close to 3% in 2018 and inflation has remained subdued. It is no wonder that the past few years have been a good time for stocks and the ... International Trade: What’s Going on With NAFTA and China?
Non-Profit Spotlight: Rotary International
Recently, we have made a point to highlight the non-profits with whom we work most closely in our community. We can think of no organization more important to us than Rotary International. Indeed, Mark Brown is a multi-decade member of the Rotary Club of Denver Southeast. Mark has also been a past President of the ... Non-Profit Spotlight: Rotary International
The Conference Board Leading Economic Index
The Conference Board released its latest monthly update to its “Leading Economic Index” on October 18. The Index is a composite of many different data points in the U.S. economy, providing a window into the pace of growth in the U.S. economy. Happily, the latest report that covers the month of September was positive once ... The Conference Board Leading Economic Index