- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 1354
January 2020
Congressional Sleight of Hand
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 passed by a GOP Congress gave generous, extended benefits to corporations and a bone or two for a limited time to individuals. Yes, take-home pay for workers increased. But the payroll rate cut will be taken back after 2025 and many tax benefits previously enjoyed by individuals have been eliminated or reduced at least until 2025.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 1406
January 2020
Portfolio Performance
The cumulative 2019 Performance of various accounts managed by Cereli Inc ranged from 19.6% to 45.3% compared to the S&P500 with 27.5% on a price appreciation basis.
One might say that the accounts that returned less than the market metric were short-changed. If we look at the performances in terms of risk attached to the individual portfolios, we come to an entirely different conclusion.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 1298
August 2019
At the Cross Road
Some prior articles on this site have looked back to see through the fog of the future. At this time as markets begin to swoon and talk of recession is increasing, there are conflicting reasons being offered for the current malaise: The Trump Administration blames the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy, while others point to the tariff war with China and a generally unsettled political background.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 1333
January 2019
Deduction Limits
New tax laws passed in 2017 gave the middle class US consumer a temporary reduction in payroll taxes, the benefit of which phases out in four years. The trade off is in lowered ceilings for popular deductions that taxpayers have come to rely on.
Unfortunately these diminished deductions will remain lower for many years after the lower payroll tax rates have reverted to their original higher levels. Two of these are mentioned here.
- Details
- Category: News
- Hits: 1195
January 2019
Keep Calm and Carry On
A year of negative surprises, 2018 has turned out to be a year of losses for many investors. Unless one made money along the way doing short-term trades, options, etc. It was a year that held much promise for those who held the belief that a regulatory yolk was lifted from their shoulders with the November 2016 Election. And the metaphorical sugar high provided the economy by the tax cuts helped to boost investor euphoria.