What’s on my mind? Find out here in my blog. Whether it is ideas from the industry or emerging trends, you can read about it here. And, once in a while, I may throw in a book review or some other surprise. So, keep checking in. I'm glad to have you reading along.
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Congress and the federal government have signed the CARES Act. In today's blog Jim breaks down this Act to discuss the tax relief it brings to both individuals and businesses during this difficult time.
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Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Be sure to read today's blog to find out Jim's view on the latest serious issue of global importance.
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Monday, February 3, 2020
There is an old market adage, "as January goes, so goes the year." In today's blog post, Jim provides some data to get a better picture of how that has, or has not, played out historically.
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Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Last week week in Part I, we began a discussion of why we use a tactical sleeve in our management of client portfolios. We discussed bull and bear markets and the supply/demand factors that affect asset prices. Today we will wrap up...
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Tuesday, January 14, 2020
A long-term perspective of the Dow Jones Industrial Average since 1896 reveals that there are extended periods of time in which the U.S. equity market will trend generally upwards (secular bulls), and also...
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Tuesday, January 7, 2020
In December, Congress passed a new bill called the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act. In today's blog post Jim explains key pieces of the SECURE Act and how it may affect your finances.
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Monday, December 16, 2019
Today's blog post tells a story to remind us that we all have a chance to join in the work traditionally associated with Santa and his sleigh.
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Tuesday, December 3, 2019
We frequently get questions about Required Minimum Distributions, especially as people approach retirement. So, Jim thought it would be helpful to spend a few minutes breaking down this somewhat complicated topic in today's blog post.
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Tuesday, November 5, 2019
With the volatility in the markets recently causing some consternation, Jim thought it would be wise to revisit the related topic of seasonality in today's blog post.
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Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Find out the difference between being rich and being wealthy in today's blog post. Then contact us to help formulate a plan to accumulate wealth for yourself and your family.
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Tuesday, October 8, 2019
Don't miss Jim's newest blog post with a fresh perspective on Bull and Bear markets.
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Monday, September 30, 2019
The economy has a direct impact on the capital markets and the markets have a big impact on your investments. Therefore, in today's blog, Jim spends some time shedding light on economic theory.
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Tuesday, September 17, 2019
One of my favorite economists, Mark Perry, recently updated his charts and commentary regarding income inequality in the United States based on recent Census Bureau data for 2018. The following is a summary of some of his important points..
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Tuesday, September 10, 2019
We are always striving to improve our clients’ knowledge of financial topics and the markets. In today's blog post, Jim points to some valuable resources that we hope you will find helpful in this regard. As always, feel free to share!
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Wednesday, September 4, 2019
The active vs. passive question has special implications for you as an investor. Today's blog post looks at which is the correct strategy based on their efficiency on a market-by-market basis.
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Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Don't miss Jim's latest blog post that sheds light on the importance of asking the right questions, particularly in our discussions surrounding poverty.
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Monday, August 19, 2019
Ten years ago, the average person probably didn’t know what the yield curve was, and even fewer knew what “yield curve inversion” meant. Those days, it seems, are in the past. The very brief inversion of two- and...
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Wednesday, August 14, 2019
One of my favorite economics blogs, Mark Perry's Carpe Diem, had a couple posts recently providing further analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Census Bureau data regarding household income. The analysis tends to refute...
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Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Jim breaks down the news regarding tariffs and how they affect the markets. In addition, he leaves us with what we can do about it.
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Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Today's blog dives into the uncertainty regarding the future of Social Security and how that makes having a plan to save for retirement even more important.
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Wednesday, July 24, 2019
In today's blog, see a snapshot of the market landscape so far this summer and what it means for your portfolio.
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Monday, July 15, 2019
Check out today's blog to find out what the Tour de France relates to your investment portfolio.
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Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Jim discusses a somewhat sensitive topic in today's blog post - your money.
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Tuesday, June 11, 2019
In today's blog Jim shares an economists interesting thoughts discussing tariffs and trade.
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Tuesday, June 4, 2019
With summer right around the corner, it's time for "Summertime Blues." Today we take a look at how the summer months perform relative to other seasons historically...
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Tuesday, May 14, 2019
After months of relative quiet, the trade war between the U.S. and China erupted again in a big way. Jim explores whether it should be cause for concern regarding its affect on the market.
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Tuesday, May 7, 2019
Take a moment to view our current economy through Jim's eyes in today's blog post.
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Tuesday, April 9, 2019
I recently read an article about a little-known issue that can have serious consequences for those traveling outside the United States - travel medical insurance. This is not to be confused with trip cancellation insurance, although...
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Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Recently, Petra Financial Solutions hosted a One-Hour to Savvy Cybersecurity workshop for our clients. The response has been so positive that Jim wanted to take the time to share some key takeaways in today's blog post.
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Tuesday, March 12, 2019
As you no doubt know by now, on a somewhat regular basis, Jim like to share reports about our economy that he gleans from the various sources. In today's blog post, he does just that.
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Tuesday, March 5, 2019
With tax season upon us, be sure to read today's blog post which delves into how the 2018 tax changes might affect you.
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Tuesday, February 26, 2019
With all the recent socialist policies advanced by some politicians and the human tragedy happening almost on our doorstep in Venezuela, in today's blog post Jim shares some commentary about socialism courtesy of George Will and Mark Perry.
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Wednesday, January 30, 2019
A couple of weeks ago, an icon in our business passed away. In today's blog post Jim pays tribute to that pioneer and visionary, John Bogle.
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Tuesday, January 22, 2019
In today's blog, Jim gives a description of the market overall in 2018. In order to look to where we go from here, we must look at where we have been.
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Monday, December 17, 2018
Your estate is all the wealth you have accumulated over your lifetime. And in today's blog post Jim explains the sixth key area in any sound financial plan: Estate Conservation.
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Monday, December 10, 2018
Jim tackles the topic of recent market volatility in today's blog post. You don't want to miss it.
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Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Considering the current volatility in the stock markets we thought it would be a propitious time to take a 50,000’ view of the market landscape in today's blog post.
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Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Being still suffused with gratitude for all the bounty that is available to us, not just last week, but every day, I want to share a post by Mark Perry from his Carpe Diem blog.
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Monday, November 19, 2018
We’ve discussed seasonality and it's affect on the market many times over the years and as we switch between seasonally biased periods, we wanted to revisit the subject in today's blog post.
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Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Do you know the actions and decisions you need to undertake to realize your retirement goals? Although retirement planning can be complex, today's blog post breaks it down.
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Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Today's blog post wraps up our “Twelve Days of Christmas” series explaining the tools that tell us when to focus on wealth accumulation versus wealth preservation.
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Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Today's blog gives an overview of the most common investment tax issues as the fourth key area in any sound financial plan. You don't want to miss it!
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Tuesday, October 23, 2018
There is a lot of discussion surrounding the rise in interest rates. Read today's blog to find out the effect this rise has on equities which lead the economy.
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Monday, October 15, 2018
Follow along in today's blog to continue the discussion from last week's post regarding income inequality as told by the 2017 Census Bureau Report.
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Monday, October 8, 2018
Today Jim highlights several important revelations from the updated Census Bureau Report with the help of commentary posted on the blog of Mark Perry. Read along to find out the story the numbers tell.
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Monday, October 1, 2018
Today's blog presents number 11 in the series we began back in December that provides an in-depth discussion of the tools and techniques we are utilizing every day to manage our client advisory accounts.
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Monday, September 24, 2018
You have probably heard on the news that the U.S. stock market set a new bull market record. Is it really the longest bull market ever? If it is, does it even matter? Find out Jim's take on these questions in today's blog post.
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Tuesday, September 18, 2018
In my blog post dated July 24, 2018, we addressed the second of six keys to creating a financial plan: Cash Management. I wrote about how paying down debt to fund college or retirement rests on a single discipline - Cash Flow...
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Monday, September 10, 2018
Today's blog presents number 10 in the series we began back in December that provides an in-depth discussion of the tools and techniques we are utilizing every day to manage our client advisory accounts.
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Tuesday, September 4, 2018
In today's blog post Jim gives his 20,000 foot view on taxes, tariffs, and trade by drawing from a recent article about how the U.S. has been directly and indirectly subsidizing global growth by Brian Wesbury.
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Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Find out how Petra uses Technical Attributes to differentiate ourselves by offering a logical and organized sell discipline in today's blog post.
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Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Find out why Petra Financial is committed to financial literacy and what tools we have to help you in your financial planning.
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Monday, August 13, 2018
Read today's blog to find out how Jim's role as a financial advisor goes beyond managing money as we continue to learn more about the reasons clients make some of the financial choices they do.
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Monday, August 6, 2018
Today's blog dives into our primary asset allocation tool; Dynamic Asset Level Investing.
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Tuesday, July 31, 2018
On the blog today, Jim highlights the influential economist, Milton Friedman, and reminds us that returning to a high level view helps us to maintain perspective despite the consistent talk about tariffs and trade.
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Tuesday, July 24, 2018
On the blog today, Jim tackles the second key area in any sound financial plan. Paying down debt to funding college or retirement rests on a single discipline: Cash Flow Management.
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Monday, July 16, 2018
Check out today's blog where Jim discusses two recent market trends, courtesy of one of our primary resources that helps us stay abreast of market changes.
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Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Today's blog presents number 8 in the series we began back in December that provides an in-depth discussion of the tools and techniques we are utilizing every day to manage our client advisory accounts.
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Tuesday, July 3, 2018
Jim returns to the blog after our move with some nuggets of wisdom from a few great thinkers.
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Tuesday, June 5, 2018
We began a blog series late in December called The 12 Days of Christmas. Today, we will continue the series with a look at how we identify relative strength in stocks, funds, sectors, or even asset classes.
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Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Be sure to read today's blog post to find out how a well designed risk management plan may help protect loved ones from unnecessary hardship in the event of a tragedy.
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Thursday, May 24, 2018
The next Big Scary Thing is always around the corner and the financial news industry will always highlight any potential bump in the road. In today's blog Jim reminds us why professionally built portfolios are not affected by headlines.
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Tuesday, May 22, 2018
Today Jim's blog post drills deeper into the GDP of various countries.
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Thursday, May 17, 2018
On the blog today Jim digs deeper into investments with the help of several of our website resources. Be sure to check it out for a closer look into money at work!
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Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Today's blog discusses the eighth section of our estate organizer called My Contacts. Read about the importance of creating a list that is specific to people or places that should be contacted upon your passing.
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Thursday, May 10, 2018
Will the U.S. continue to outpace global equity markets in the years ahead? Consider the stats in today's blog post to see why International equities may shine in the years ahead.
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Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Today's blog introduces a rule and debunks several myths when it comes to your finances.
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Tuesday, May 1, 2018
We began a blog series late in December called The 12 Days of Christmas. Today, we will continue the series with a look at Bullish Percents.
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Thursday, April 26, 2018
The first quarter of 2018 is now in the rear view mirror. Check out today's tactical update to see how the market has performed.
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Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Today's blog post poses some questions to help you overcome procrastination regarding financial planning.
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Thursday, April 19, 2018
Today's blog explores the potential danger in listening to "expert" market predictions and looks at some observations about the current market.
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Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Today's blog discusses the seventh section of our estate organizer: My Investments. Read how to keep track of the various types of investments and assets you can accumulate over your lifetime.
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Tuesday, April 10, 2018
Today's blog highlights several posts from Jim's favorite economy blog – Carpe Diem by Mark Perry.
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Thursday, April 5, 2018
Today's blog post brings us back to the basics of supply and demand when unemotionally analyzing market trends.
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Thursday, March 29, 2018
Today's blog discusses the sixth section of our estate organizer called My Policies. Read how to keep track of the information about the various types of policies you can accumulate over your lifetime.
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Tuesday, March 27, 2018
I have been absent from my blogging while we took some time away for a conference and some R&R. Today I will play catch-up with links to a couple articles I ran across recently. Apparently while many of us were watching basketball...
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Monday, March 19, 2018
We began a series late in December called The 12 Days of Christmas. So today, we will continue the series with a deep dive into Point and Figure charting.
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Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Be sure to read today's blog post to stay up to date on the latest market correction.
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Thursday, March 8, 2018
Today's blog delves into the variables associated with deciding to buy a home or to rent.
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Tuesday, March 6, 2018
The subject of tariffs is all over the news lately due largely to the President’s action to impose them on imports of steel and aluminum. In today's blog post Jim shares some links that shed light on the topic.
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Thursday, March 1, 2018
Today's blog returns to our “12 Days” series to discuss supply and demand as well as sector leadership.
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Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Tax planning is a critical factor in financial planning. Learn how to keep taxes from being a roadblock to financial success in today's blog post.
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Thursday, February 22, 2018
Today we will turn our attention to aspects of H.R.1 as it impacts retirement plans, businesses, investments, and estates.
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Tuesday, February 20, 2018
In light of recent volatility, we want to provide you with a general market overview in today's blog post.
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Wednesday, February 14, 2018
For commentary on the macro level regarding interest rates, inflation and volatility, be sure to read today's blog post.
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Monday, February 12, 2018
Today's blog post discusses where the shrinking middle class might actually be going along with an update on how socialism is doing in Venezuela.
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Thursday, February 8, 2018
To continue in our series about Estate Planning, today I want to talk about your digital legacy. This topic is part of the reason we created our estate organizer in the first place. Ten to twenty years ago when someone passed, all...
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Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Today's blog discusses some of the tax law changes for individual income tax returns contained in the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R.1) that was signed into law on December 22, 2017.
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Thursday, February 1, 2018
Today Jim passes along a potpourri of news, quotes, and commentary that have been posted recently on Mark Perry’s economics blog that he hopes you will find enlightening.
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Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Today's blog post is the second in the 12 Days of Christmas monthly series that will provide a more in-depth discussion of tactical analysis and our investment process.
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Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Today's blog covers how an investor's biases can greatly affect their investment decisions. Read on to find out several behavioral mistakes that you could be making.
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Thursday, January 18, 2018
Today's blog post looks back to examine the markets and how different sectors performed in the year 2017.
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Tuesday, January 16, 2018
The new tax law has been generating considerable buzz! And filing season is just around the corner. In today's blog Jim highlights some informational articles about taxes from our website that are geared towards you - the individual.
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Thursday, January 11, 2018
Today's estate planning blog post discusses the importance of getting your monthly expenses organized to start the new year off on the right foot!
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Tuesday, January 9, 2018
In this week's economic blog post, Jim reminds us that we are able and do "vote with our feet."
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Thursday, December 28, 2017
Today begins a series on our blog that will highlight concepts from Dorsey Wright, one of the primary services we subscribe to for information. Read along to find out about market structures and the importance of tactical allocation!
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Wednesday, December 27, 2017
To capitalize on the opportunities in the financial markets, an investor should have a systematic investment strategy. Read today's blog post about how our Relative Strength philosophy offers just such a systematic approach to investing.
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Wednesday, December 20, 2017
For Jim's economics commentary this month, he highlights some recent posts on Carpe Diem. You are in for some interesting information and a good laugh!
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Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Today's blog post is a part of our financial planning series. Read how self-discipline and a solid financial plan paves the road to successfully start paying off debt!
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Thursday, December 14, 2017
Jim tackles a hot topic in today's blog post! Have a read for a fresh take on the status of Social Security.
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Monday, December 11, 2017
Check out the latest post in our blog series about estate planning!
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Thursday, December 7, 2017
For some insight into two indicators we look at to examine the market landscape, check out today's blog post!
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Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Read today's blog post, where a picture is worth a thousand words!
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Friday, December 1, 2017
While past performance is no guarantee of future performance, by analyzing historical data we can observe the trends of domestic vs. international investments. For a more in depth look at the two, check out today's blog post.
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Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Does our free enterprise system still allow for opportunity and income mobility? The evidence is in today's blog post!
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Thursday, November 16, 2017
Today's blog post is a part of our series where we have been discussing six roadblocks to building a financial plan. Find out how a lack of financial knowledge may be hindering you from making good financial decisions.
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Tuesday, November 14, 2017
We believe estate planning is so important that we have been blogging about how to get your affairs in order. This blog post is all about how to wade through the information associated with one’s physical assets.
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Friday, November 10, 2017
Today's blog post is a battle of the IRAs. Read on to see Traditional and Roth IRAs duke it out in eligibility/deductibility, contributions, and distributions!
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Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Goals are critical to financial success and are a fundamental part of the financial planning process. Today's blog post is all about how to go about setting your unique financial goals!
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Friday, October 27, 2017
What is a bubble and where is the next one? Jim expounds on this in today's blog post!
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Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Today's blog post explains one of the relevant charts we follow each trading day!
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Friday, October 20, 2017
In today's blog, Jim examines a subject that causes considerable angst for many - international trade.
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Wednesday, October 18, 2017
In today's blog post Jim delves into some of the important issues involved in tax reform with the help of a short video from our website!
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Monday, October 16, 2017
Today's blog post delves into risk management and how there are options beyond simply weathering the storm!
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Wednesday, October 11, 2017
With fall comes a fresh start! With that in mind, today's blog is a quick evaluation of where we stand from a technical perspective using a relative strength chart.
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Monday, October 9, 2017
We have written about the importance of estate planning and that we have created a digital guide to aide in that process. Today's blog is all about the first section of our organizer which is all about your personal information!
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Friday, October 6, 2017
Looking for your next good read? Jim highly recommends, "The Accidental Superpower" in today's blog post!
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Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Ever wonder how large the U.S. economy really is? Jim puts it into perspective in today's blog post!
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Monday, October 2, 2017
Read Jim's latest blog to learn about price gouging after natural disasters!
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Friday, September 29, 2017
Read Jim's latest blog post about the Fed and tell us what you think!
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Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Be sure to read Jim's latest blog post and tell us what you think!
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Monday, September 25, 2017
Retirement is too late to plan your financial future. Do you have a plan?
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Thursday, September 21, 2017
In my first blog post, I committed to refrain from controversial subjects. So what is with the income inequality title? you say – sounds fairly controversial, right? Read on...
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Friday, September 15, 2017
Since identity theft is a “top of mind” concern for virtually everyone, we wanted to pass along some information we have gleaned from the Equifax Cybersecurity Incident.
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Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Read our latest blog post to learn how procrastination can be costly. When you get a late start, it may be difficult to make up for lost time.
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Monday, September 11, 2017
“Economics is the only field in which two people can share a Nobel Prize for saying opposite things.” - Roberto Alazar. Specifically, Hayek and Myrdal shared one in 1974. Occasionally I will post some economic information,...
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Thursday, September 7, 2017
Over the years, I have often discussed our investment philosophy and the tools that we use here at Petra to implement our philosophy. One of the primary sources we use is Dorsey Wright, a firm that specializes in point and figure...
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Tuesday, September 5, 2017
We here at Petra do a lot of things. That may sound trite, but with a few clicks around our new website you can see the many services we provide. And, if you sit down with Jim or Jason here at the office, you likely won’t see the...
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Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Today I will put on my teaching cap and do a lesson in Math, one that you may not have seen before.
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Thursday, August 24, 2017
Today I want to highlight our new, improved website. It was overdue for a makeover and, as of last Friday afternoon, the upgrade went live. We here at Petra Financial all participated in the process, but Kristen did most of the heavy...
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Monday, August 21, 2017
Why am I doing this, you ask? I have never been accused of being an accomplished writer like my good friend, Hal McCoy. However, I do have an interest in and flair for teaching, having taught at the junior high, high school and...
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