A&I Financial Services Periscope

A & I Financial Services LLC Newsletter

For the Week of
April 27, 2011
 

Policy Changes Could Derail Retirement


According to a recent survey conducted by LIMRA, more than half of retirees recently surveyed expressed concern that potential changes to Social Security and Medicare, as well as alterations to the federal tax code, could affect their ability to plan for retirement. 

  • When asked about sources of retirement income, 85% of respondents collected Social Security benefits, approximately 75% had a pension, 44% maintained investments and savings accounts, and 35% had an annuity. 
  • More than half of the retirees' income was used to pay living expenses. 
  • Fewer than half of retirees worked with a financial advisor, and only 22% maintained a written financial plan.

Who do you know who may benefit from a conversation with a financial advisor at A&I Financial Services? (1)

Economic Briefs
HOME SALES, HOME STARTS IMPROVE IN MARCH
The National Association of Realtors announced that existing home sales were up 3.7% last month, about 1% higher than the rebound expected on Wall Street. (NAR noted that about 35% of these were cash sales.) In another positive development for the real estate market, the Commerce Department measured a 7.2% gain in housing starts and an 11.2% rise in construction permits for March. (2)
  
GOLD AT NEW HIGH, DOLLAR TOUCHES 3-YEAR LOW
Gold cracked the $1,500 ceiling last week. Prices reached $1,508.75 on Thursday before settling at $1,503.80 on the COMEX. Silver hit yet another 31-year high at $46.68 per ounce, with prices ending the week at $46.06. Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar Index descended to 73.735 during the market day on Thursday, a low unseen since August 2008. (3,4)
  
LEI INDEX UP FOR NINTH STRAIGHT MONTH
The Conference Board's index of leading economic indicators rose another 0.4% for March, complementing a revised 1.0% gain in February. Economists polled by Bloomberg News had forecast a 0.3% advance. (5)
  
DOW SETTLES AT 2011 HIGH
Standard & Poor's rattled Wall Street early last week when it revised its outlook on U.S. long-term debt from "stable" to "negative". Across the next three trading days, earnings sent the market higher. The four-day week turned into a winning one, as the numbers show: DJIA, +1.33% to 12,505.99; S&P 500, +1.34% to 1,337.38; NASDAQ, +2.01% to 2,820.16. (6,7)
Market Summary

% Change

Y-T-D

1Yr Chg

5-Year Avg

DJIA

+8.02

+12.32

+2.04

NASDAQ

+6.31

+11.95

+4.07

S&P 500

+6.34

+10.65

+0.40

(Source: cnbc.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov, treasurydirect.gov - 4/22/11)
Create a beautiful week!

Karl Frank, MBA, MSF
Certified Financial Planner (R)
A & I Financial Services LLC
303.690.5070
 

Citations:
(1) - Standard & Poor's Financial News This Week 4/25/2011
(2) - blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2011/04/20/existing-home-sales-rise-market-cheers/ [4/20/11] 
(3) - reuters.com/article/2011/04/21/us-markets-global-idUSTRE71H0EB20110421  [4/21/11]
(4) - cnbc.com [4/22/11]
(5) - bloomberg.com/news/print/2011-04-21/index-of-leading-economic-indicators-in-the-u-s-rises-0-4-.html [4/21/11]
(6) - marketwatch.com/story/sp-cuts-us-rating-outlook-to-negative-2011-04-18 [4/18/11] 
(7) - cnbc.com/id/42708009 [4/22/11]
 
This material has been prepared and is distributed solely for information purposes only. It is not a solicitation or an offer buy any securities or instrument or to participate in any trading strategy. There is no assurance that a particular trading strategy will achieve investment success.

 

Securities offered through Geneos Wealth Management, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC.  Investment advisory services offered through A & I Financial Services LLC, registered investment advisor.


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 John Wooden
Watch Karl Frank on Channel 9 News & Read his article "Where to Invest in Times of Turmoil"

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Karl Frank was interviewed in The Denver Magazine.  The article talks about investing in our renewable energy future.

 

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Karl Frank & Cameron Morgan were featured in the Denver Post.  They talked about how to have a happy holiday while sticking to a budget. 

 

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Karl Frank, Certified Financial Planner, provided several Money Makeovers for families on CBS Channel 4. 
 
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 Beating the Recession
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FPA Week
Riddle of the Week
 What is the smallest number of cars that can be driven down the road in this formation: two cars ahead of a car, two cars behind a car, and a car between two cars?
  

Last week's riddle: 

They never move, even when we walk on them, but signs and arrows may indicate that they go "up" and "down". What are they?
     

Last week's answer: 

 Stairs