Posts made in January 2025

Weekly Market Insights | Shifted Policy Gears Rev Markets

Stocks rallied last week as investors reacted positively to a handful of better-than-expected corporate earnings reports and developments out of Washington, D.C.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index gained 1.74 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index added 1.65 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.15 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, added 3.03 percent.^1,2

Flurry of News

Markets surged over the first three trading days as investors cheered a flurry of new policy announcements and executive orders following Monday’s inauguration. For example, investors responded to news that the White House trade team is considering taking a softer stance on tariffs.³

It was also a good week for Q4 company reports and other upbeat corporate news.⁴

Markets leveled off Friday as investors were disappointed that existing home sales fell to a 30-year low. But for the week, the Nasdaq had closed above 20,000 on two of the four trading days, and the S&P 500 closed above 6,000 at every session.⁵

A Look Forward

The stock market is a discounting mechanism, meaning today’s stock prices reflect all available information, including present and potential future events. And for the most part, the markets reacted positively to the news coming out of Washington last week. Some news spurred broad-based market moves, while other news had more sector-specific impacts.⁶

For example, on Thursday, markets reacted positively to news that the White House believes interest rates were too high and want to see rates trend lower. The Fed’s first scheduled two-day policy meeting ends on Wednesday, so investors may be looking to see if Fed Chair Jerome Powell addresses the new administration’s concerns.

Footnotes and Sources

^{The Wall Street Journal, January 24, 2025}
^{Investing.com, January 24, 2025}
^{MarketWatch.com, January 21, 2025}
^{CNBC.com, January 22, 2025}
^{CNBC.com, January 24, 2025}
^{The Wall Street Journal, January 21, 2025}

Electronic Filing Options for Military Families

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers several online resources for military members and their families. Some of these resources include:

IRS Free File. This program offers online tax preparation, electronic filing, and direct deposit of refunds. There is no charge.
Members of the military and their families with incomes below $72,000 can choose from any of the Free File tax software companies the IRS has compiled.
Free File Fillable Forms are available for those with income above $72,000.
Free File can help taxpayers determine their earned income tax credit, child and dependent care credit, and Recovery Rebate Credit.
Miltax is another free tax resource available for the military community offered through the Department of Defense.

This information is not a substitute for individualized tax advice. Please discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional.

Tip adapted from IRS⁷

Footnotes and Sources

^{IRS.gov, June 10, 2024}

Beware of Phishing Scams

A phishing scam occurs when someone pretends to be a trusted source, such as a bank, tax preparer, or credit card company, to access your personal information.

If you believe you may be part of a phishing scam, here are some recommendations from the IRS:

Never open an email from a sender that you don’t recognize.
Never disclose personal information to anyone online, including your passwords, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, or Social Security number. The IRS will never ask for this information via email.
When possible, use two-factor authentication to protect your accounts. Two-factor authentication requires a secondary form of identification (such as a phone number) to access your account.

This information is not a substitute for individualized tax advice. Please discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional.

Tip adapted from IRS⁹

Footnotes and Sources

^{IRS.gov, July 29, 2024}

Weekly Market Insights | Goldilocks Returns; Market Ends Week “Just Right.”

Stocks roared back last week, fueled by upbeat Q4 corporate reports and economic news that stalled inflationary fears.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 2.91 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 2.45 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average led, picking up 3.69 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, added 2.00 percent.^1,2

Goldilocks is Back

The “Goldilocks” narrative—an economy that’s neither too hot nor too cold—made a comeback last week.

Tuesday’s Producer Price Index report showed that wholesale prices rose less than expected in December—one piece of evidence suggesting a cooling economy.³

Stocks jumped out of the gate Wednesday after the December Consumer Price Index (CPI) report showed core inflation (minus volatile energy and food prices) rose less than expected. Investors also cheered Q4 reports from a handful of money center banks and positive news out of the Middle East.⁴

Stocks took a breather Thursday before pushing higher again on Friday.⁵

The S&P and Dow Industrials had their best week since early November, and the Nasdaq saw its best weekly performance since early December. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell roughly 20 basis points over the week.^6,7

Slowing Inflation

Investors welcomed the inflation reports, believing wholesale and consumer prices might trend lower in 2025.

First, producer prices came in at 0.2 percent, which was less than the 0.4 percent increase anticipated. Then consumer prices came in at 2.9 percent, slightly elevated, but the real story was core inflation. When you subtract out food and gas prices, CPI saw its smallest monthly increase since July.⁸

Footnotes and Sources

^{The Wall Street Journal, January 17, 2025}
^{Investing.com, January 17, 2025}
^{CNBC.com, January 14, 2025}
^{The Wall Street Journal, January 15, 2025}
^{CNBC.com, January 17, 2025}
^{MarketWatch.com, January 17, 2025}
^{CNBC.com, January 17, 2025}
^{The Wall Street Journal, January 15, 2025}

Self-Employed Tax Obligations

There are a few tax considerations to consider when you work for yourself. Generally, you’re required to file and pay estimated taxes during the year.

Make quarterly payments if you’ve determined you need to use Form 11040-ES.
Filing annually: If you’re filing annually, you must use Schedule C to report income or loss. To file your Social Security and Medicare taxes, you should file Schedule SE Form 1040.
Deductions: If you’re using part of your home for business, you may be able to make certain deductions, such as for your office or a portion of your home’s square footage used for business purposes.

This information is not a substitute for individualized tax advice. Please discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional.

Tip adapted from IRS¹⁰

Footnotes and Sources

^{IRS.gov, September 30, 2024}

Weekly Market Insights | Investors Read Inflation Risk in Job Numbers

Stocks fell for the second consecutive week as a round of fresh economic data stoked inflationary fears among investors.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index declined 1.94 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 2.34 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.86 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, slipped 0.49 percent.^1,2

Inflation Stymies Markets

Stocks rallied broadly to start the week, but two economic reports on Tuesday—job openings and the prices-paid index among service companies—raised fresh inflation concerns. Higher Treasury yields also put pressure on stocks.^3,4

Stocks flattened out on Wednesday. Investors reacted to news that most Federal Open Market Committee members agreed inflation risks had increased, per minutes from the Fed’s December meeting.^5,6

U.S. stock markets were closed Thursday in observance of President Jimmy Carter’s funeral.

On Friday, a warmer-than-expected December jobs report caused investors to question whether the Fed will adjust rates in 2025. News that consumer sentiment ticked down also pushed stocks lower.⁷

When Good Becomes Bad News

The economy added 256,000 jobs in December—100,000 more than economists expected. That’s the second-highest monthly job gain for 2024. Unemployment ticked down to 4.1 percent, which was also better than anticipated.

Job growth and lower unemployment signals good news for the economy but bad news for the markets. A stronger jobs market puts less pressure on the Fed to adjust rates, especially with inflation top-of-mind among investors.^8,9

Footnotes and Sources

^{The Wall Street Journal, January 10, 2025}
^{Investing.com, January 10, 2025}
^{CNBC.com, January 6, 2025}
^{The Wall Street Journal, January 7, 2025}
^{CNBC.com, January 8, 2025}
^{MarketWatch.com, January 8, 2025}
^{CNBC.com, January 10, 2025}
^{The Wall Street Journal, January 10, 2025}
^{TradingEconomics.com, January 10, 2025}

Tips for Good Recordkeeping

When you file your tax return, the first step is to prepare your records. Good recordkeeping throughout the year can make filing your taxes easier.

Here are some recordkeeping tips:

Identify all sources of income.
Keep track of expenses.
Add tax records to your files as you receive them to make filing easier.
Organize support items that you may need to clarify your tax return.

This information is not a substitute for individualized tax advice. Please discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional.

Tip adapted from IRS⁸

Footnotes and Sources

^{IRS.gov, October 2, 2024}

Weekly Market Insights | Stocks Decline Slightly as New Year Dawns

Stocks edged lower last week despite a powerful end-of-week rally.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index lost 0.48 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index slid 0.51 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.60 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, dropped 0.90 percent.^1,2

Selling Then Buying

Stocks were under pressure right out of the gate on Monday for no apparent reason other than worries over the loss of year-end momentum. By the end of trading on Monday, markets recovered some losses, but the selling picked up again on Tuesday.^3,4

After being closed for the New Year’s holiday, stocks opened higher for the first trading day of 2025. But sellers gained the upper hand by the end of trading. On Friday, Investors perked up with tech stocks leading a recovery rally that erased most of the week’s losses.^5,6

Megacap’s Mega Influence

Megacap tech stocks have captured many headlines over the last two years as the S&P 500 posted double-digit returns (24 percent for 2023 and 23 percent for 2024).

And for a good reason—megacap tech stocks were doing most of the work. For example, during the past 12 months of trading, more than half (53 percent) of the S&P 500’s return can be attributed to the Magnificent Seven–the seven megacap tech companies that most investors would consider household names.⁷

Footnotes and Sources

^{The Wall Street Journal, January 3, 2025}
^{Investing.com, January 3, 2025}
^{CNBC.com, December 30, 2024}
^{The Wall Street Journal, December 31, 2024}
^{CNBC.com, January 2, 2025}
^{CNBC.com, January 3, 2025}
^{The Wall Street Journal, December 31, 2024}
^{IRS.gov, October 2, 2024}

Do You Have To Pay Taxes On Your Hobby?

Whether you picked up embroidering, dog grooming, or making jewelry, a side hobby may or may not require paying taxes.

Does your kids’ lemonade stand need to pay taxes? Probably not but if you’re doing something like selling cookies out of your kitchen, you might need to check out the rules.

Here are some things to consider when determining whether your activity is a hobby or business:

Is your hobby carried out in a businesslike manner?
Do you maintain complete and accurate books and records for your hobby?
Is the effort you put into your hobby intended to make a profit?
Do you depend on the income from your hobby for your livelihood?
Do you know how to carry out your hobby as a successful business?
Have you made a profit from your hobby?

If you receive income from your hobby with no intention of making a profit, you may have to report the income to the IRS.

This information is not a substitute for individualized tax advice. Please discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional.

Tip adapted from IRS⁷

Footnotes And Sources

^{IRS.gov, March 18, 2024}

Weekly Market Insights | Holiday Spending Up

Stocks notched a slight gain over the holiday week. A tech-driven rally in the first half of the week was clawed back in the second half as investors took profits following the market holiday.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index advanced 0.67 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.76 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.35 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, rose 1.54 percent.^1,2

Ho-Ho, Then No-Go

Stocks rallied during the first half of a shortened holiday trading week. Holiday cheer won out despite news of declining consumer confidence in December, a drop in durable goods, and new home sales reporting below expectations.^3,4

The “Santa rally” lost its ho-ho-go after the midweek holiday. Megacap technology stocks led markets down on Friday, giving back most of the gains from the first half of the week.^4,5

The Real Santa

While Santa got the headlines, the consumer drove the holiday shopping sleigh this year.

Holiday spending—defined by the period from November 1 through December 24—rose 3.8 percent in 2024, compared with 3.1 percent in 2023. Economists closely follow consumer activity since consumer spending makes up roughly two-thirds of total gross domestic product. Market watchers attributed the strong job market and growth in household wealth as the primary drivers of consumer strength.⁶

Footnotes And Sources

^{The Wall Street Journal, December 27, 2024}
^{Investing.com, December 27, 2024}
^{MarketWatch.com, December 23, 2024}
^{CNBC.com, December 26, 2024}
^{The Wall Street Journal, December 27, 2024}
^{MarketWatch.com, December 26, 2024}