The bull market continues, with the S&P 500 Index now up seven months in a row. Stocks have impressively gained 20% year-to-date, with the S&P 500 making 53 new all-time highs before the end of August—another new record. All of this has happened with very little volatility, as the S&P 500 hasn’t had so much as a 5% pullback since last October.
We came into this year expecting a stronger economy and robust stock market, but even we are surprised at just how resilient things have been. Earnings help drive long-term stock gains, and what we’ve seen from earnings so far in 2021 is a big reason stock returns have been so impressive. A record-breaking second quarter earnings season saw more than 86% of S&P 500 companies beat their consensus earnings estimates, the highest ever recorded and well above the 75% five-year average. S&P 500 earnings are now 26% above pre-COVID-19 levels based on the 2021 consensus estimate, helping to justify stocks at current levels.
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Upgrade to Account View 2.0
Account View 2.0 allows you to access your portfolio on your mobile device and go paperless for even more documents. Letters are received faster, and you will have easy access to online copies.
Your security on Account View 2.0 is better ensured with two-step authentication and the ability to use biometrics, such as Face ID, to confirm your identity. Also, unlike the legacy version, Account View 2.0 will have ongoing updates with more and better features going forward. If you're still using the legacy version, please contact support@wendellcharles.com to migrate to AV 2.0 today!
Selecting a Corporate Trustee for the Estate Settling Process
Through the Private Trust Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of LPL Financial, we can assist you with utilizing PTC as a corporate trustee as a primary or successor trustee should your primary be unable to serve at the time of settling. With the Private Trust Company, our firm remains your investment manager and assists with coordinating the set up process as well.
Contact us for more information and view the Private Trust Company Overview brochure.
Quarterly Board Meetings for Your Household Finances
In our experience, monthly meetings can be too frequent, while annually isn't often enough. We suggest that each household discuss finances on a quarterly basis, similar to how a business runs. If you would like help or guidance with managing your family's finances, contact us to learn more about our Quarterly Financial Planning Subscriptions.