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An investing and financial strategies blog offered by Gary Partoyan, veteran financial advisor and owner of Potomac Wealth Strategies, LLC.

 

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Good morning. Here is the Daily Comment from Confluence Investment Management’s global strategy team. Lots of helpful data and some thoughtful opinion. Virus data is starting to trend better, economic data is mixed. Market...

 

Sunday, April 19, 2020

Please talk to me before you tap your 401(k), IRA, or 403(b) for cash right now. I'll walk you through the many pros and cons. It's easier to do now--fewer restrictions and penalties. But don't make an avoidable mistake. The...

 

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Accessing retirement savings before age 59.5 is easier now, per some of the government's response to the COVID-19 crisis. But do be careful and smart about whether and how you access it. Talk to me first, please. I can help you avoid...

 

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Here is the performance data for my firm's portfolio models, as well as some others and also several key benchmarks. Despite the sudden and massive market decline in the past 1.5 months, our models held up pretty well compared to their...

 

Monday, April 6, 2020

Here is a helpful article on life insurance. Contact me for a review of your insurance coverage/needs. I don't sell insurance and don't share commissions--I just help clients decide what type and how much to get. --Gary Partoyan...

 

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Thursday, April 2, 2020

Here are links to some articles with helpful insight: 10 Source of Emergency Cash, by Christine Benz of Morningstar Time to Take A Deep Breath and Reevaluate, by Dave Sekera of Morningstar Please contact me with any questions about...

 

Thursday, March 26, 2020

The stock market upswing this week (March 23-27, 2020) is not likely the beginning of a real recovery. See below for opinion piece by fellow investment advisor Michael Farr. Bear markets end and recoveries begin usually after several...

 

Monday, March 23, 2020

Good evening. Charles Schwab & Co. has issued a 3-pager describing how their money market funds are built to handle potentialities during unusual market conditions. In short, the Schwab Value Advantage Money Fund (SWVXX) should be free...

 

Monday, March 23, 2020

Good afternoon. I recommend clients sell their positions in several bond funds (see list below). The main reason is the kind of bonds these funds invest in have not been as helpful as expected during current market conditions. If you...

 

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Good afternoon. Please let me know if you want to talk about your accounts. I’m available and will set 30 mins for phone call time blocks with any clients interested. There is a lot of volatility and we’re in a steep...

 

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

The stock markets have experienced significant declines in recent weeks. It's a rapid market "correction" (down -10% or more off of recent highs), it could become a "bear market" (-20% or more), and it is happening fast. It's also a...

 

Friday, March 6, 2020

Here is link to Bill O'Grady's comments today, a week+ into the market corrections spurred by the COVID-19 coronavirus: Please contact Gary Partoyan of Potomac Wealth Strategies with questions about your investments and risk tolerance.

 

Monday, March 2, 2020

(This was posted on 4/29/2015. I've taken it from my old blog site.) Lots of talk these days about making sure you have low-cost mutual funds. All things being equal, yes, the lower the internal costs of a fund, the better. Assuming,...

 

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

I recommend investors stick with their long-term strategic asset allocations. Those portfolios are designed to help us ride the ups and downs of the markets over time. Meanwhile here are links to a few columns offering perspective on...

 

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

US and Foreign Indexes 3 mo 1 yr 2 yr 3 yr 5 yr 10 yr 2018 Stock Markets (72-21-7 US-Foreign-EM) 5.0% 15.7% 3.5% 10.2% 7.9% 9.1% -9.1% S&P 500 PR 6.2% 19.3% 6.9% 12.3% 10.1% 11.6% -6.2% Dow Jones Industrial Avg PR 4.5% 13.0% 4.0% 12...

 

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Good morning. The second batch of tax forms for Schwab accounts has been delivered. That should be all of them from Schwab for this tax season (outside chance of amended/updated forms, but usually not). Please check your e-mail,...

 

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Here are the returns* for Potomac Wealth Strategies' portfolio models and other investments, blended benchmarks, and indexes. For 3-mo, 1-yr, and year 2018, the returns are total. For 2-, 3-, 5-, and 10-yr, the returns are average...

 

Friday, January 31, 2020

Here is what the Wall Street Journal's "10 Point" summary offered about this new Coronavirus in China: https://10point.cmail19.com/t/ViewEmail/d/909A2F289CDC8F1B2540EF23F30FEDED/B58256DF1F0E4EB5942A2DF08F503B7C

 

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Good morning. Schwab’s recent article reports on six things we should know about the SECURE Act: RMDs start at age 72 now, not 70.5, but only for those who turn 72 on 1/1/2020 or later Traditional IRA contribution can be made...

 

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Here are the returns* for Potomac Wealth Strategies' portfolio models and other investments, blended benchmarks, and indexes. For 3-mo, 1-yr, and year 2018, the returns are total. For 2-, 3-, 5-, and 10-yr, the returns are average...

 

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Clients and Friends of PWS, Happy New Year! Linked here are regulatory items I am required to give you from time to time. Also, the IRS changed retirement plan contribution limits for Year 2020, so please update your IRA and...