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The U.S. economy has withstood the effects of higher interest rates better than expected, as what feels like the most anticipated recession of all time has not yet materialized. Leading economic indicators, which predict a change in the business cycle, have been flashing red for nearly a year and a half. These include an inverted […]
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Rising college juniors Cyrus Gaylord and Sophia Wilson participated in the firm’s eighth summer internship program. Over the course of six weeks, they completed several projects and learned about portfolio management, securities analysis and research, trading and execution, client service, compliance, marketing, and operations. Sophia majors in Economics and Dance at Scripps College, where she […]
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Financial markets can catch investors off guard. This year has been a case study of how market rallies can occur in the face of seemingly bad news. Domestic equities roared higher in the first seven months of 2023, with the S&P 500 up more than 19% from the start of the year, while the tech-heavy […]
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Every year income taxpayers need to decide between taking the standard deduction or itemizing. For those that itemize deductions, a strategy to combine two years’ worth of charitable giving into one year has been a financial planning consideration for years. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 made this strategy even more relevant. […]
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The Internal Revenue Service has again postponed releasing final rules on required minimum distributions for inherited individual retirement accounts. Because of the delay, some beneficiaries of IRAs inherited after 2019 won’t be penalized for not taking required minimum distributions in 2023. <br> BACKGROUND There have been many important legislative changes for retirement accounts over the past few […]
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Clifford Swan is honored to be recognized by Financial Advisor Magazine in its annual ranking of independent advisory firms around the country. Financial Advisor Magazine is a publication targeted at financial professionals that aims to deliver essential market information and strategies to help advisors better serve their clients and grow their firms. RIA firms applied for consideration. To be […]
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Financial markets can be full of surprises. Some provide valuable information by which we might adjust our investment strategies. Other times, surprises can be a kind of noise that is best ignored. The U.S. stock market threw a party in the first half of 2023. Surprise! It was, however, a rather exclusive party. The tech-heavy […]
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Around the time of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), a guest comedian on Late Night With Conan O’Brien poked fun at airline passengers who complained about boarding difficulties and tarmac delays. The comedian pointed out that if these passengers would just focus on what happened next – participating in the “miracle of human flight” – they might […]
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The cost of education has never been higher. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the cost of education has increased by two times the inflation rate since 2000. Despite the increase in education costs, tax-advantaged 529 savings plans, which are the primary savings vehicle for education, have been underfunded by most Americans. Concerns […]
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It’s been a little over a year since the Federal Reserve began their aggressive tightening cycle to combat persistent inflation, increasing short-term interest rates from 0% to 5%. The central bank’s actions have resulted in higher long-term interest rates, lower stock prices, and lower real estate values. The sharp increase in interest rates and subsequent […]
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Clifford Swan served as the lead sponsor of the Pasadena Festival of Women Authors held this past Saturday at the Pasadena Hilton. The volunteer-run Pasadena Literary Alliance hosts the annual event. The Festival celebrates the accomplishments of authors while raising funds for literary programs at community nonprofits. Kathleen Gilmore and Lloyd Wong attended from Clifford Swan […]
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We recently thanked Jim Brown and Dianne Barrios for their years of dedicated service and welcomed David Nelson and Diane Riveros. After over two decades at Clifford Swan, Jim Brown retired on December 31, 2022. Jim joined the firm in 1999 and served as Chief Operating Officer. Through his leadership, the firm’s day-to-day operations ran […]
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