Investors' Insights and Market Updates

As a business owner, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of your exit options and to have a dedicated team to support you in making those critical decisions. In this insightful episode, Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® and Robert L. Moody III, CFP®, CEPA®, emphasize the significance of creating an exit plan well in advance. By proactively preparing for the transition out of your business, you can ensure a smooth and successful handover when the time comes. Don’t miss out on this informative episode.   Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Robert Moody, CFP®, CEPA® Senior Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Robert Moody here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Forming an Exit Strategy first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Stay ahead by tuning in to the latest episode where the Portfolio Team delves into crucial data points that will shape the upcoming months. Gain valuable insights on rates, inflation, job trends, and more. Click the link below to watch the full episode.   Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post It Matters first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

In this week’s episode, Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® and Robert L. Moody III, CFP®, CEPA®, shed light on the importance of partnering with a Certified Exit Planning Advisor. As a business owner, planning for the future of your business is crucial, and a CEPA® can help you navigate the complex process of exiting your business. With their knowledge of financial planning and business strategies, a CEPA® can help you maximize the value of your business and ensure a smooth transition. Don’t miss out on this informative episode that could potentially save you thousands of dollars in the long run. Tune in now!   Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Robert Moody, CFP®, CEPA® Senior Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Robert Moody here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post How Can a CEPA Help You? first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Watch this episode where the Portfolio Team delves into the lasting effects of the pandemic on the economy and market. Hear about the latest economic data reports and gain insights on the Federal Reserve’s actions to mitigate the impact. Watch the full episode to learn more.   Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Fed Dilemma first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Join Greg Powell and the Financial Planning team at Fi Plan Partners in this week’s episode as they delve into essential topics often overlooked by Business Owners. Gain valuable insights on selling your business, buy-sell agreements, tax implications, and more. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn more about how you can work to secure a financial future for yourself and your business.   Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Jason Hatley, CFP®, CPA, PFS Senior Vice President Financial Planning Manager Email Jason Hatley here Mark Hume, CFP® Senior Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Mark Hume here Robert Moody, CFP®, CEPA® Senior Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Robert Moody here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Topics That Business Owners Overlook first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Dive into this week’s episode as the Portfolio Team tackles recent client inquiries on market trends, investment returns, interest rates, and more. Gain valuable insights on how the team strategizes to navigate these crucial topics moving forward.     Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Market Returns and Fed Policy first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

In this week’s episode, Jason Hatley provides a comprehensive overview of Qualified Charitable Distributions. QCDs are a tax-efficient way for individuals who are 70 ½ years or older to donate to charity directly from their IRA. By making a QCD, individuals can satisfy their Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) while also reducing their taxable income. Watch the full episode to hear Jason explain the benefits of QCDs and more.     Jason Hatley, CFP®, CPA, PFS Senior Vice President Financial Planning Manager Email Jason Hatley here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Qualified Charitable Distributions first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

In this episode, the Portfolio Team talks about the importance of dividends and how they have historically helped offset inflation. Watch to learn more about investment strategies, consumer income, and more.     Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Dividends and Liquidity Matter first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

The Portfolio Team at Fi Plan Partners constantly analyzes market trends, both positive and negative. Watch this week’s episode to hear them discuss market drawdowns, concentration risks, and more. Click the link below to hear what they have to say.   Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Taking the Good With the Bad first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Tune in for a detailed discussion with Trey Booth as he delves into the details behind the rise in US debt, as well as the strength of Corporate America’s Balance Sheet and the US Treasury.   Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Corporate America’s Balance Sheet Versus The US Treasury first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Join the Portfolio Team in this week’s vlog as they delve into a discussion on inflation and April seasonality, shedding light on how these factors could potentially influence the markets as we head into the summer months. Watch the full episode to learn more.   Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Masters and the Markets first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Dive into the topic of market volatility with our Portfolio Team in this week’s episode. Gain insights into what the Portfolio Team looks at during market reactions and how they identify signs of a peaking bull market. Watch to learn about this topic and more.     Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Bull Market Top? first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Stay ahead of the game this tax season with our latest educational episode featuring Adam Vansant, SVP of Operations and Advisory Services, and Sonja McGittigan, Operations Specialist. Gain valuable insights on retirement plan contribution updates, 1099s, and tips on simplifying data gathering for your CPA or Accountant. Watch this episode to learn more.   Adam Vansant, AIF®, BFA™ Senior Vice President of Operations & Advisory Services Wealth Consultant Email Adam Vansant here Sonja McGittigan Operations Specialist Email Sonja McGittigan here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Important Tax Reminders first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Join us in this episode as the Portfolio Team delves into the intricacies of debt, GDP, earnings, and other crucial economic indicators. Gain valuable insights into how this data shapes the future of the US economy.   Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Debt and Earnings on the Rise first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Join Trey Booth and Greg Powell in this engaging episode where they delve into the future of interest rates and other market-moving topics such as the US Treasury, debt, and more. Gain valuable insights and stay informed on the latest trends by watching the full episode above.   Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post End of a Negative Era first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Dive into the latest insights on the US commercial real estate market as Ashley Page sheds light on the significant 20% vacancy rate. Discover the underlying reasons for these vacancies and gain a deeper understanding of the market dynamics in this week’s episode.   Ashley Page, JD, MBA Senior Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ashley Page here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Sourced data: NAIOP’s Economic Impacts of Commercial Real Estate, 2023 U.S. Edition. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Commercial Real Estate Vacancies first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

The Portfolio Team invites you to join them for an insightful discussion on the inverted yield curve, which has historically led to recessions, as well as other important topics such as record productivity, the Fed, and inflation. Watch to learn about these important economic topics and more.   Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Higher Inflation vs. Higher Productivity first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

In this episode, Ty Miller provides a comprehensive overview of stock splits and reverse stock splits. He delves into the reasons why companies choose to do these splits and how they can impact investors. Tune in now to learn more.   Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing includes risks, including fluctuating prices and loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post What is a Stock Split? first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Join the Portfolio Team as they discuss inflation, the consumer, and other factors impacting markets currently and what to expect moving forward. Watch the video to hear what they have to say.     Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Valuations and Expectations first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Consumer Strength We’ve been enjoying a strong equity market overall, but as always, we are looking at our leading economic indicators. The strength of the consumer and robust consumer spending have been a key driver of the economy and equity markets in the last 12 months. As investment managers, we always look for cracks that are starting to show in the economy. One of those potential cracks is around consumer spending, specifically the durable goods order report that came out last week. Durable goods orders fell by 6.1%, the biggest drop in nearly four years. When discussing durable goods, we are talking about items that last more than three years and cost more than daily items, such as dishwashers, refrigerators, washers, and dryers. We follow durable goods orders because it has historically been a good barometer for how consumers are feeling and can serve as a proxy for the overall economy. We’ll continue to watch this carefully as the lower durable goods order report came out last week at the same time as when the consumer confidence index fell. We’ll be analyzing other consumer reports to see if this is a short-term blip or what looks to be a longer-term trend.   The Cost of Automobiles The cost of automobiles is something we watch closely because, for most people, it’s the second largest purchase in their lifetime behind their home. It’s very impactful on an individual’s balance sheet. Since COVID, the cost of the average car has skyrocketed. The average cost of a new car is $47,000. That’s up about 33% from 2019. The good news is that we’ve started to see that come down. Baron’s created a Vehicle Affordability Index. In 2019, the index was at 56. This combines wage growth, interest rates, and new car prices. It started at 56, went up to 66 in December 2022, and has now dropped back to 61. What does that mean? It means the average new car price is down around $3,000. We’ve seen interest rates come down a bit, so the car-buying public should start to see some relief as supply chains come through and the new car market rolls over. The downside is that this may not shift down to the used car market. Barron estimates that due to the reduction in car sales from 2020 to 2022, there are about ten million missing cars on the market. These are cars that would have been purchased and available on the resell market that were never purchased or built. That’s probably added upward pressure from the used car market. With how large of a purchase an automobile is, this is a massive driver in the economy. However, it’s great to see some relief with prices coming down. On the downside, we are expecting to see oil prices go up. Opec announced over the weekend that they’re extending their two-plus million-dollar barrel-per-day production cut through June. We saw the oil market react higher to that. Your car may be cheaper, but it will cost you more to get there to buy it. There’s no absolute, but there’s always a little bit of good and bad. However, it all impacts markets and consumers at the end of the day.     Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Consumers, Cars, and Gasoline first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Inflation has been a hot topic in recent years, and for good reason. It can have a significant impact on the stock and bond markets. In this week’s episode, Trey Booth breaks down the metrics of the price-to-earnings ratio and explains how it relates to inflation and markets.   Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Inflation and P/E Ratio first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

In this week’s episode, the Portfolio Team delves into the potential government shutdown and its impact on the economy. They also provide updates on inflation and discuss how election year worries could affect markets. Watch to hear what they have to say about these topics and more. #     Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Government Shenanigans first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Here we are nearly two decades after the doors of Fi Plan Partners opened for the first time on February 18, 2005. Little did we know what the market would do over the next 19 years. In this week’s episode, the Portfolio Team takes a walk down memory lane, discussing historical markets and what their experience has been like over the years, as well as what they expect out of markets in the future. In honor of our 19th anniversary, we are hosting our annual Investor’s Insights Markets and Your Money in 2024 event this week. Watch the full episode to learn more about this event and how to register.     Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Nineteen Years of Celebration first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

As an employee, you may be eligible for a range of benefits offered by your company. These benefits may include health insurance, 401(k) matching, HSAs, and more. However, it can be confusing to know whether you are making the most of these benefits or simply wasting your money. In this episode, Mark Hume shares valuable tips and cautions to help you navigate your company benefits. He explains how to take advantage of the opportunities available to you, such as maximizing your 401(k) matching, and highlights some things to be cautious of, such as avoiding unnecessary insurance coverage. By following these tips and being aware of the potential pitfalls, you can ensure that you are making the most of your company benefits.   Mark Hume, CFP® Senior Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Mark Hume here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Maximizing Employee Benefits first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Geopolitical Events In a meeting last week, a client mentioned how they are worried about the conflict in the Middle East and with Russia and Ukraine and asked if they should reduce risk to stocks until the situation calms down. In this episode, we want to share our thoughts on that topic. There is a humanitarian crisis that obviously cannot be ignored. However, how do these conflicts impact the markets and economy? The first area we are watching is the impact on natural resources, such as the price of oil, because that will have the most significant impact on inflation, profits, and consumer spending. We’re also watching the shipping and logistics issues in the Middle East, which will continue to have an impact on inflation. When it comes to the impact on the stock market, historically, the market shrugs off these types of geopolitical events. When you look at how the S&P 500 has performed around invasions and conflicts since 1950, including Russia invading Ukraine, the market has historically recovered in the months following these events. While each conflict is different, it has historically been a prudent investment strategy to stay invested in a diversified allocation based on each client’s long-term plan. We will continue to observe the current conflicts, but it’s important to know this isn’t the first time and will not be the last time geopolitical conflicts cause market volatility. Inflation and Interest Rates Out of all of the economic indicators that we track, the inflation report is the one that our clients feel most directly and is the one we look at for markets and planning, along with the cost of goods. The headline CPI is going to hit the print tomorrow. There are a lot of different inflation indicators, such as Core PCE, PPI, Core CPI, Super Core CPI, and more. A lot of those are essential, but a lot of them are also noise. We keep an eye on the headline Consumer Price Index because that’s what most people feel and is the one that’s been tracked the longest. Many economists are trying to cut out parts of the inflation that they don’t like. Here at Fi Plan Partners, we look at the overall picture. Data shows that there has been a clear downward trend of inflation since 2022, going from 9% down to 3.35%. However, when you drill down and analyze the data, it shows that inflation has been in an upward trend over the last few months, which is concerning. It may be a down from 2022, but the Fed is watching this concerning up trend, where inflation doesn’t seem to be going down to the 2% rate target that we’ve been used to over the last few decades. It’s stubbornly staying above 3%. Tomorrow’s report is expected to show that inflation has dropped below the 3% range. If it does, it will break the recent uptrend in place since June of 2023, which is a multi-month trend, not a short one. This is something we are watching very closely and are not very optimistic about because we have seen inflation surprise us to the upside over the last few months. This might be something that the Fed is seeing that the market isn’t anticipating. We’d like to see inflation come down and continue on a downward trend. The Fed was late to the game, so to speak, and the fear was that the Fed would drop rates too fast and that inflation would come back bigger than ever. The biggest risk now is that they step away too soon. Traditionally, inflation comes in multiple waves due to the Fed backing away too soon. When the Fed steps away too soon, and money starts to be printed again, inflation comes rolling back. It’s really important that the Fed does not count this as a win. At the end of last year, there was a lot of talk about the Federal Reserve taking a victory lap and claiming success over inflation, which is a little concerning, considering we still see inflation well above the target. This is something we plan to keep an eye on moving forward. The Magnificent Seven Over the last year, there’s been a lot of talk about the Magnificent Seven and how concentrated the market has been. The Magnificent Seven are the seven largest companies in the world and makeup about 30% of the S&P 500. This number is outsized compared to historical comparisons but can be justified. According to the S&P 500 2023 earnings performance data, the Magnificent Seven grew earnings by 31% while the other 493 stocks grew at 1.9%, putting the overall S&P 500 growth at 6.2%. In the fourth quarter alone, the Magnificent Seven grew earnings by 60%, contributing to the S&P 500 overall being up a total of 7% in earnings. The remaining 493 of the stocks were down about 3% on earnings. Moving forward, we would like more broad-based participation, especially on the earning side. In 2024, the Magnificent Seven is estimated to contribute about 21% to earnings growth, with the rest of the 493 stocks estimated to contribute around 6%. It’ll be impo

We are thrilled to welcome Robert L. Moody III, CFP®, CEPA®, to our Financial Planning team at Fi Plan Partners. In this episode, he sits down with our President and CEO, Greg Powell, to discuss his passion for working with clients as they pursue a life that is Better, Richer, and Fuller. Robert brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, and we are confident that his skills will be a valuable asset to our clients. Watch to learn more about Robert and his role at Fi Plan Partners.   Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Robert Moody, CFP®, CEPA® Senior Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Robert Moody here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Exciting News and Introductions first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Get ready for an insightful episode as the Portfolio Team discusses market performance, interest rates, and dividends. Watch the full episode and see what they have to say.   Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor. Dividend payments are not guaranteed and may be reduced or eliminated at any time by the company. The First Trust S&P 500 Index Dividend Payout Profile dated 2/1/2024 is the source of data for this episode regarding dividends.The post Payouts and Rate Cuts first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Gas Prices and Interest Rates After the last Federal Reserve meeting in November, the market started pricing in six rate cuts based on the Fed’s optimistic outlook on inflation. Since then, we’ve talked on these vlogs about how we don’t believe that will likely occur. This will be the first time the Fed comes together and pushes out what they think are the expectations for this year. The Fed will likely have to look at two recent instances to see what type of impact it has on inflation and interest rates. One of those items is the weather. We’ve all noticed it’s a little colder here in Alabama in the last few weeks. However, that doesn’t impact oil production. Where it does impact oil production is in North Dakota, where we produce a lot of oil. It was so cold that they had to stop producing oil. Typically, weather-related oil production cuts involve hurricanes going through the Gulf. This time, it was the cold weather that caused the halt. This is the first time in a long time that this has happened, resulting in oil production in North Dakota dropping by a million barrels a day. That is a lot of oil coming off the market that has yet to bleed into the gas market, as it will take some time. We expect that it may have an inflationary impact on oil down the road. Shipping Containers and The Fed The impact of the Red Sea and the Middle East conflict on shipping has worsened. The recently released data shows that parts of the shipping lanes are now 225% higher in cost than they were just four weeks ago. We all remember shipping in 2021, and it seemed like something the Fed called transitory. However, it turned out to be much worse than transitory. Because of this, we would be surprised if the Fed used that word this time. We expect them to be more cautious and blow off what appears to be these one-off situations, which we expect will cause prices to go higher in the near term. It would be hard for the Fed to project strong rate cuts and inflation being beaten when we see these cost inputs coming in quickly, right into their meetings. We’re watching it closely as we feel like this is something the Fed has on its radar. Global Markets Something we like to do in our vlogs is cover topics that clients and business partners ask us about throughout the previous week. One topic that came up last week was why, in most of our strategies, we heavily overweight the US stock market compared to international markets. In this episode, we show a chart that looks at annual global equity returns from 2011. On that chart, you will see that US markets have enjoyed fairly consistent outperformance over other markets. We have been overweight in US markets throughout this period of outperformance. Looking forward, we are focused on where economic growth is expected to be favorable. The current consensus global GDP expectations favor the US as growth expectations increase. The US is the only economy globally trending higher on recent reports. Fundamentals for 2024 favor the US. We are not saying some international exposure doesn’t make sense because it offers some diversification, but the US economy and markets look to continue its outperformance in the near term. Markets and The US Dollar The Fed is meeting this week to see what to do with interest rates. However, there’s another meeting this week that isn’t getting the notoriety it should, which is the Treasury quarterly refunding meeting. This meeting has a significant impact on markets. In August, the Treasury decided to issue more long-term debt for the first time in three years, which had a big negative impact on the market. At the same time, yields rose, and the dollar spiked. In November, they reversed course and started to issue more short-term debt, which had the opposite effect on the market then. The stock market soared, and the dollar and yields went down. They have another meeting this week, so it will be essential to see if they go the short-term or long-term route. Yields are in a different spot than last year’s end, so it will be interesting to see how the markets digest what is decided.   Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance

As the world’s most widely used currency for international transactions, the US dollar has been the dominant reserve currency for decades. However, recent discussions have raised the possibility of the dollar losing its status as the world’s reserve currency. In this episode, Trey Booth delves into the implications of such a shift and what it could mean for the global economy.   Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Will The US Dollar Remain The Reserve Currency? first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Join us for a discussion with the Portfolio Team at Fi Plan Partners as they delve into the latest developments in the Middle East, the upcoming election, and more. They provide valuable insights into these critical areas, giving you a well-rounded view of the current economic landscape and how it impacts markets. Don’t miss this opportunity to stay informed. Tune in to watch the full episode.     Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Conflicts Near and Far first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

The year has started off with choppy markets as the uncertainty of the Fed cutting interest rates continues to cause volatility. Tune in to watch this full episode to hear what the Portfolio Team at Fi Plan Partners has to say about this topic and more.   Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Reserved Optimism first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

While the media may only be reporting on surface-level headlines, we like to provide our viewers with a behind-the-scenes look at what’s really going on in the market. Tune in to watch this full episode and learn more about the topics you need to know about as we kick off the new year.   Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor. There is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a non-diversified portfolio. Diversification does not protect against market risk.The post Beyond the Market Headlines first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Join us for this week’s episode where Ty Miller shares his insights on the different economic indicators that we monitor to gauge the health of the economy. Ty breaks down each indicator and explains how it affects businesses and consumers alike. Tune in to learn more.     Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Economic Indicators first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

In this episode, Mark Hume provides valuable insights on the significance of umbrella policies and how they can be essential in protecting your assets. He gives real-life examples of situations where an umbrella policy could have made all the difference in protecting individuals and families from financial ruin. Whether it’s a car accident or a slip-and-fall incident, an umbrella policy provides an additional layer of liability coverage that goes beyond the limits of your standard insurance policies. Tune in to this episode to learn more about the importance of umbrella policies and how they can give you peace of mind.   Mark Hume, CFP® Senior Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Mark Hume here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post The Importance of an Umbrella Policy first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Home insurance costs have been on the rise in recent years. This trend of charging more for less coverage has become increasingly common with insurance companies. In this week’s educational episode, Ashley Page delves into the reasons behind this phenomenon. Among the factors contributing to this trend are increased risks associated with weather-related events, a rise in fraudulent claims, and increased costs of rebuilding and repair. As homeowners, it’s important to understand these factors and make informed decisions when choosing insurance policies. Tune in to learn more about this trend and how you can protect your home and finances.   Ashley Page, JD, MBA Senior Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ashley Page here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Home Insurance first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Join us for this week’s episode where the Portfolio Team goes over the investors’ wish list, providing insights and analysis on specific items, and explores the latest forecasts for interest rates in 2024.     Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Rate Cut Grinch first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Jobs As we look forward to 2024, we also want to reflect on 2023. We came into this year with many economists calling for a recession and a significant slowdown in jobs. Those economists have been wrong, as the job market has stayed strong throughout the year. Last week, the jobs report showed that the US economy added another solid month of job growth, adding 199,000 jobs in November, and the unemployment rate fell to 3.7%, which is much better than what economists expected. Job gains occurred in health care and government, with a meaningful increase in manufacturing, which got a boost from workers returning from a labor strike. We are watching the loss of retail jobs because it’s no secret that technology and e-commerce play a role in those job losses. One theme we will observe in 2024 is the impact technology and artificial intelligence will have on the economy and markets next year. So, it’s great to see a strong jobs report, but as we’ve seen throughout the year, strong economic reports have kept the Fed in the spotlight to see what they will say about keeping rates higher for longer. We celebrated the strong jobs report last week, but there is a concern that it will keep the Federal Reserve in the picture and give them options to continue their fight to slow down the economy. We will be keeping an eye on this as we head into 2024. The Fed Good economic data puts the Federal Reserve in a box, and this week, we will get reports on CPI, inflation, and the Fed’s decision on Wednesday. It’s widely expected that the Fed will hold rates where they are. What is interesting to see is what the market has been doing while the Fed has been meeting. From the Fed’s September meeting to the meeting in November, the 10-year treasury moved from 4.35% to 4.77%. The Fed talked in their meeting about how the market had tightened economic conditions without them having to raise rates. Interest rates went up and tightened economic conditions, which is what the Fed wants to do to bring inflation down. Since the November meeting, the 10-year treasury has gone from 4.7% to 4.14%. The market has loosened economic conditions and set the stage for what could be higher inflation, which is against what the Fed would like. Reports say that the market anticipates the Fed cutting rates sometime next year. However, that will be hard for them to do if inflation remains above the 2% target. We’re currently at a high end of 5.5%. Inflation is expected to be somewhere between 3%-3.9% this week, which is lower and on the correct trend, but in reality, it’s not at the preferred 2%. We’re big fans of the free market and expect the market to be right most times, but the market is extremely wrong when predicting what Jerome Powell will do. After the Fed’s December meeting last year, the market expected the Fed funds rate to be 4.3% in December 2023. Today, the Fed funds rate is at 5.5%. The market has consistently expected the Fed to stop hiking rates and start cutting rates. The market has consistently been wrong since the Federal Reserve finally realized that inflation was no longer transitory. They had to do something and stop it. This is the market using optimism over experience to project where the Fed will be. No history shows us that Jerome Powell will cut rates in the face of higher inflation and strong jobs. It’s hard to see a world where rates are coming down without the economy weakening at some point. The trends are conflicting right now, so that’s what we’re watching closely. The Fed will speak this week and maybe push the market back on the right side.     Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Trends vs. Reality first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

With the end of the year fast approaching, it’s vital to stay on top of important financial tasks like taking your RMD, charitable donations, IRA contributions, and more. In this week’s episode, the Operations Team at Fi Plan Partners shares valuable insights and tips to help you ensure these time-sensitive items are taken care of before the year ends. Watch the full episode to learn more.     Adam Vansant, AIF®, BFA™ Senior Vice President of Operations & Advisory Services Wealth Consultant Email Adam Vansant here Sonja McGittigan Operations Specialist Email Sonja McGittigan here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Year-End Deadlines first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Waves of Inflation It was a great November for the stock and bond markets, as the threat and uncertainty of future rate hikes from the Fed have now turned into thoughts of rate cuts next year. While seeing market strength and breadth widen was great, we believe the market’s timeline for rate cuts next year is premature. We, along with the Fed, know that history suggests a second wave of inflation could delay any rate cuts that are currently being discussed. Looking back at different times throughout history when inflation spiked, such as 1910, 1939, 1972, and 2019, there was a second wave of inflation. The Fed has made it clear that they are committed to finishing the job, so rate cuts might be further out than investors are expecting. We would like to see the market up for more substantial reasons, such as corporate earnings and a strong consumer, and not just up on the thought that the Fed will be cutting rates early next year, which, again, we feel is premature based on previous waves of inflation. Rate Cuts vs. Holds The prediction for the Fed funds future rate is going from where we are currently to four rate cuts of 25 basis points going through next year. In a chart shown in this episode, you will see that it appears that there will be more than four cuts and that they are not really in 25-basis point increments. That’s because the Fed funds rate futures market is just predicting the likelihood of a cut. It’s not necessarily saying this is what the rate will be on this specific day. It’s saying the odds are that a cut will take place at this time and possibly be higher or lower than the predicted number. A hold on interest rates is a perfect time period for the market. We prefer that the Fed hold rates instead of cutting them because the S&P 500’s performance has historically been better. It’s a Goldilocks environment as opposed to hiking or cutting rates. At this time, we think that the Fed is done hiking interest rates. Still, if we can prolong cuts, that would be better for the market in the short term since, historically, market performance is significantly better during rate holds rather than rate cuts.   Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Finish The Job first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Join the Portfolio Team as they dive into the recent housing data, interest rates, and historical data surrounding market performance in election years.   Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Deposits vs. Loans first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

The Impact of Inflation on Thanksgiving Every year, we review this data, and it has been rough for the last few years. It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to talk about consumer prices coming down. From 2020, the average consumer prices are up over 20%. However, what we’re going to focus on is just the Thanksgiving dinner part. From 2022 to 2023, the average price of a Thanksgiving dinner has come down from $64 to just over $61, a nice drop in prices. Hopefully, as everyone’s been preparing to sit down with the family, they notice some nice savings. A large percentage of that drop came from the price of turkey. Across the country, a 16-pound turkey will now cost you about $1.61 less. That should be a welcome reprieve right before the Christmas buying season. While we are down from last year, we’re still well above the 2019 level, so more work still needs to be done. However, it has to start somewhere, and we will take the drops where we can get them. Pumpkin pie, a veggie tray, rolls, and sweet potatoes are all higher this year, with everything else being lower.   Market Performance After a year of a very bifurcated market where only a handful of stocks were constantly going up, we are finally starting to see breadth in the market, which we have seen for three weeks. The market has broken through resistance, a welcomed event after failed rally attempts throughout the year. More importantly, we have finally seen a few very strong days with breadth. On November 2nd, we had an eight-to-one day; last Tuesday, we saw a fourteen-to-one day. These are days where there have been a lot more stocks up than down. We look for these types of days to see if the market can sustain strength and rallies. We are hoping we can continue this rally through Thanksgiving week.   Government Shutdown We have already averted a government shutdown once, and from what we can tell, it seems like we’re going to avert it again, at least through the rest of this year. The House and the Senate passed a continuing budget resolution. Portions of that will extend through January 19th, 2024, with the remaining parts extending through February 2nd, 2024. Instead of having everything lumped together, they split into pieces, which might make it easier to get something more permanent passed in the upcoming year.     Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Thankful Markets first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Are higher interest rates helping or hurting Corporate America? Watch this week’s educational episode to hear Trey Booth go over the details related to this topic.     Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post The Impact of Interest Rates on Corporate America first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

In this episode, the Portfolio Team goes over the data they look at on an ongoing basis to keep a pulse on the economy and the markets. Watch the full episode and hear what they have to say about interest rates, inflation, and other market-moving topics.   Greg Powell, CIMA® President and CEO Wealth Consultant Email Greg Powell here Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Inflation High, Water Levels Low first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

We are coming off a great week for markets, and in this episode, the Portfolio Team goes over the details behind the positivity and tells what this could mean going forward.   Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor. Government bonds and Treasury bills are guaranteed by the US government as to the timely payment of principal and interest and, if held to maturity, offer a fixed rate of return and fixed principal value.The post Market Momentum? first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

We have an important week ahead as the Fed will be in the spotlight. In this week’s episode, the Portfolio Team gives an update on our recession watch checklist that clients have been asking about.     Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post On Fed and Recession Watch first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

At Fi Plan Partners, we take great pride in working with business owners to help them build, grow, and sell their businesses. Our goal is to help business owners build valuable companies, have stronger personal financial plans, and align their personal goals. In this episode, you will hear from Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA®, Managing Director of Fi Plan Partners. He goes over his Certified Exit Planning Advisor designation and how it has helped him offer specialized services to our business owner clients, as well as a comprehensive strategy around their business and personal financial planning.   Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor. Fi Plan Partners and LPL Financial do not offer business valuation services.The post Exit Strategies for Your Business first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

In this week’s episode, the Portfolio Team delves into the impact of spiking interest rates, the historical relevance of pre-election years, and the potential effects of the upcoming GDP report on economic forecasts.   Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Watching Spikes Carefully first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Headwinds The market has a lot of headwinds and uncertainty right now with a conflict in Israel, questions about what the Federal Reserve will do, and a potential government shutdown next month. Still, one bright spot that is a key driver of equity markets is corporate earnings. Third quarter earnings season started strong last week, with some big banks reporting better-than-expected earnings results. Analysts expect S&P 500 companies to report back-to-back quarters of earnings growth, which is following an earnings recession seen earlier in the year. Analysts are also calling for earnings to continue to grow next year. We are looking to see if profit margins improve for the second quarter. As profit margins fell earlier in the year, we’ve seen many corporations improve efficiency ratios and pass higher costs on to a strong consumer in recent months, leading to higher profits, which has been a pleasant surprise for corporations. While stocks move on earnings reports, the profit margin surprises make company stocks move. As earnings season kicks into gear this week, strong corporate earnings and profits can help the market surpass all the current headwinds.   International Issues Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the current situation with Israel. We wanted to cover what that situation means for the US regarding markets and financials. In this episode, you can see a chart that shows how stocks usually react to geopolitical events. Often, these events happen, and people think they need to sell. One of the interesting things is that this was only the fifth time that the market was up when a major event happened. This time, the market was up 0.3%. It wasn’t up a tremendous amount, but those previous four times where the market was up the day of the event, the max drawdown was 1.5%. On a market scope, it seems to have very little impact. The average drawdown for all these market shock events is 4.7%, which is nothing crazy. Another chart in this episode shows how markets react during recessionary and non-recessionary times. This is something that is hard to translate today. Are we going into a recession? Have we already had a recession?   Oil Prices How will the Israel-Hamas war affect oil prices? The Middle East is a huge oil supplier, and it’s very interesting to see how crude oil could react. On a chart shown in this episode, you will see there have been some ups and downs. However, there have been more ups, especially if you look at the specific Middle East events like the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the 1973 Oil Embargo. All these events, for the most part, resulted in higher oil prices. We will see how this affects the consumer if oil prices start to be elevated again. We saw a huge pop on day one of the war. The next 2-3 weeks will be very important as we see if the market can focus on what’s hopefully good corporate earnings and overpower all of what’s going on geopolitically overseas.     Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA® Managing Director Wealth Consultant Email Bobby Norman here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Earnings vs. Geopolitical Events first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

Join Jason Hatley for this week’s educational episode, where he reviews the latest updates from Secure Act 2.0 that will go into effect starting in 2025. He goes over the details of the new rules including the creation of a retirement savings lost and found database, new increased catch-up limits, and more. Watch this episode and get up to speed on how these changes could affect you.     Jason Hatley, CFP®, CPA, PFS Senior Vice President Financial Planning Manager Email Jason Hatley here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Secure Act 2.0: Provisions Effective in 2025 and Beyond first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.

In the latest episode, the Portfolio Team dives into the ongoing issues in Israel and the potential impacts on the US markets. With tensions rising and uncertainty looming, our team provides valuable insights and analysis to keep our listeners informed. Additionally, they provide an update on the current state of the job market. Watch this episode to learn more.   Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF® Chief Investment Officer Wealth Consultant Email Trey Booth here Ty Miller Associate Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ty Miller here Ashley Page, JD, MBA Senior Vice President Wealth Consultant Email Ashley Page here Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates strategies in the best interest of their clients using fee based investing. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Economic forecasts set forth in this presentation may not develop as predicted. No strategy can ensure success or protect against a loss. Stock investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor.The post Global Tensions first appeared on Fi Plan Partners.