No more landlines for us! We have eliminated our landline phones at the Future Bright office. They were used too sparingly to justify paying for them anymore. As such, the (218) 359-2305 number no longer exists. Most of you have my cell number, but in case you do not, please write this number down or add it into your contacts: Ross Almlie Cell 701-306-7631
Contrary to what logic might suggest, the most difficult time to be an investor is when the financial markets are in the late stages of a multi-year upward trend. As we witness market levels hit record highs, the appetite for adding new money to investments can start to wane for fear that the most opportune time to buy has already passed us by. It’s an innate thought process. Since we were little, we’ve all been taught that too much of a good thing is not always a good thing, and it’s a legitimate lesson that I’m sure we’ve all learned multiple times in our lives.
Wow, what a difference a year makes. Last year at this time, there was a fear that the economy was overheating and in need of continued interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve. The 10-year U.S. Treasury note had just hit 3.25% and the service sector strength as measured by the ISM (Institute for Supply Management) measured its highest read in history.
The “Race to Zero” is over. Commissions at TD Ameritrade have always been very low relative to its competitors in the industry. I’m happy to report they have now been reduced to $0.00 on all TD Ameritrade stock and ETF trades effective immediately! This is beneficial to everyone, but it is particularly beneficial to those adding regular contributions incrementally to fund Roth IRAs, Traditional IRA’s, SIMPLE IRA’s and SEP IRA’s. The race to zero is over, and investors win!
It’s no secret that the sustained generational low levels in interest rates have helped the stock market climb to near record highs over the past decade. Many would assert that the record rise in stock prices is artificially propped up under monetary policy decisions that have forced savers to take on more risk in order to find more acceptable returns. Nevertheless, for those of you who have not let volatility of stocks shake you into making bad decisions, you have been rewarded for sticking with stocks despite the general public’s irreverence towards them. Low interest rates have certainly played a part in your success, but not all of it.
