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Traders wore grins and commemorative hats Wednesday as the Dow Jones industrial average broke the 20,000 mark for the first time. The milestone reflects a growing economy. The private sector added 15.6 million jobs over the last 81 months; the Fed has begun increasing interest rates; and average wages grew 2.9 percent in December.

The Markets

The Markets

Even as you look at a fresh 2017 calendar, you may still be able to make one or two strategic tax moves for 2016. But they must be made by the national filing deadline, which falls on Tuesday, April 17, this year.

The Markets

The Markets

Happy New Year!  

We hope that 2017 is a positive one for you and your family.  

The IRS requires you to take money out of your tax-deferred retirement accounts once you reach the age of 70½. Taxed at your ordinary income tax rate, these annual required minimum distributions (RMDs) are calculated by dividing a retirement account’s balance at the end of the previous year by your IRS-provided life expectancy factor.

Wall Street rose Friday as the post-election rally continued. The Dow Jones Industrial Average recorded its seventh straight weekly gain. For the week, the Dow rose 0.46 percent to close at 19,933.81. The S&P gained 0.30 percent to finish at 2,263.79, and the NASDAQ climbed 0.47 percent to end the week at 5,462.69.

The season of giving is upon us. Since the election the markets have provided a nice bump.  Not all investments are up, but the general consensus seems to be fairly positive for the economy and the markets going forward. However, I want to take a few moments to focus on giving.