1976 was the first Presidential Election I was eligible to vote in. To be honest, in the midst of my college years, I don’t remember a lot of President Carter’s achievements, other than what the news is showing now. Was Billy Beer a real thing?
What I do recall is his efforts in ’retirement’. Seeing pictures of him building homes made me think a bit higher of the peanut farmer from Georgia. He didn’t seem to seek the lime light, he sought to do good. A grand model for those considering what to do in retirement. There’s still plenty left to give. You might move a bit slower, perhaps tire out sooner, but the wisdom and leadership you can provide is priceless. The New York Stock exchange has announced it will close on January 9 in honor of our 39th President. (MARK YOUR CALENDAR)
As of this writing on 12/31/2024, the S&P 500 lost about 150 points in December and the Santa Claus rally was sparse to say the least. Year to date the S&P 500 is up 24%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, a much narrower gauge, is up just of 13 % year to date. Enough of looking back, what does the future hold? A new year, a new President and differently controls in Congress. Does this mean smooth sailing for President Trump’s agenda? I don’t think so but there will be changes to taxes and tariffs to spur the economy on. I am anxious to see what Elon Musk does to make the government more efficient and effective. Lay-offs in the public sector will have to mean new opportunities in the private sector to keep employment under control. I think 2025 will be a tough year with plenty of ups and downs. For all of us a good time to have your budget under control and make sure you have some money put away for rainy days.
A few more things to check in the New Year.
- Are you putting enough away for retirement? Check contributions to your 401k and if 2024 was good to you and you can contribute a bit more, do so.
- While you are checking on your retirement savings, review your beneficiaries. Have your directions kept up with life events?
- Speaking of beneficiaries, check out your life insurance?
- Are the beneficiaries correct?
- Does the policy you have meet your needs
- Are you enrolled in AdviceWorks in order to get reports on-line and save fees from Pershing?
Well, I am sure you weren’t looking for a list of to dos but hey that’s what we do.
Here’s to a Happy New Year full of prosperity and wishes fulfilled!