My latest post: Tax Planning Tips
By now, you’ve hopefully filed your 2024 return (or extension) and are thinking about how to reduce your future taxes. Here are some tax planning tips and reminders on things that don’t get enough attention for you to consider implementing.
Existing Home Sales Drop in March by Wells Fargo
Existing home sales dropped 5.9% in March. The monthly decline pushed the pace of resales to 4.02 million, the slowest since January 2024. March’s pullback largely reflects ongoing affordability challenges for buyers, in particular the relatively high mortgage rates which prevailed in January and February, when buyers first went under contract. Although buyer financing costs temporarily dipped lower in March, mortgage rates have jumped back to near 7% in April alongside recent financial market volatility. In addition to the elevated stance of mortgage rates, affordability continues to be pressured by rising home prices.
See also: This interactive housing market map shows where sellers—and buyers—have the most power right now by ResiClub
Why Is the U.S. Dollar Declining? by Charles Schwab Asset Management
Historically, the dollar strengthens when yields rise, but that didn’t happen in April. This is most likely because investors sold dollars because of U.S. growth concerns. The dollar looks likely to weaken during the year, but not lose its reserve currency status. Look for yields to go down later this year when the Fed cuts rates, but be wary of owning long-term bonds.
4 Key Decisions for Early Retirement by Morningstar
Will you keep working or will it be a hard stop, how much do you want to leave behind, will you be flexible with your spending strategy, and what lifestyle changes do you plan to make are four questions early retirees should ask.
Our team’s quarterly Real Deal Economy looks beyond the headlines to help investors. This time we dug into headwinds for U.S. stocks and the Magnificent 7, Tailwinds for International Markets, Benefits of Fixed Income and Diversification for your portfolio.
Book Recommendation
The Templars: The Rise and Spectacular Fall of God’s Holy Warriors by Dan Jones
Covers the Templars from their rise as crusaders to wealthy bankers and their eventual demise.
Boston Corner
New England Economic Conditions Through April 22, 2025
