Englewood Bank & Trust Financial Blog (28)

Estate Planning, Taxes, Managing your Wealth

01/16/20

Happy (SECURE Act) 2020!

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019, better known as the SECURE Act, is so new that estate planners and accountants are still learning ways to plan around it to minimize the impact on existing and future clients. Following are some items to ponder as you review your estate plans through the year.

Market Update

01/9/20

4th Quarter 2019 Investment Update

Supported by stable interest rates and optimism regarding the China trade negotiations, the S&P 500 Index rose 28.9% and the Nasdaq Index, with its high information technology weighting, rose 33% for the year.

Savings

11/27/19

“Be Prepared” for Hiking the Investment Trail

Samuel A. Kiburz, who serves as Scoutmaster for a Boy Scout Troop in Punta Gorda and Portfolio Manager at Charlotte State Bank & Trust, sees several similarities between the two callings. He described those parallels in a column he wrote after taking his troop to a summer camp in the Ocala National Forest.

Estate Planning

11/27/19

Estate planning and your pet: Should you consider a Pet Trust?

We share our homes, our beds and our hearts with our pets. Is it any wonder we treat them as if they were our children? For some people, pets are the only family member providing love, affection, entertainment, a listening ear and a reason to get up in the morning. They ask for no more than a place to live, to be well fed, cared for and loved – and if you spoil your pets as badly as I do, a lot of tummy rubs. What they give us in return is “priceless.”

Security and Fraud Prevention

11/26/19

Cybersecurity: What You Need to Do

CSI Technologies and Harris Poll recently surveyed 2,000 Americans nationwide about their opinions and fears surrounding cybersecurity as it pertains to their personal financial data. A majority of respondents expressed concerns about their online security online, and 74% said they would be likely to participate in a cybersecurity education or awareness program if their bank offered it.

Business

11/26/19

Is a Loan or Line of Credit Best for My Business?

Selecting the proper loan product for your business depends on what you need the money for and how you intend to pay it back. Here are some quick facts about each product.

Market Update

10/3/19

3rd Quarter 2019 Investment Update

The S&P 500 Index has climbed 1.2% during the third quarter as optimism about a China trade deal and the increased probability of a more accommodative Federal Reserve has investors convinced that the economic expansion will continue. The second-quarter earnings reports were generally better than anticipated with 2-4% growth year over year, so overall valuations look reasonable.

Market Update

02/8/19

4th Quarter Investment Update

The volatile equity markets continued dramatic price swings while bond yields moved lower in the fourth quarter. The potential for a trade war with China and higher interest rates has investors concerned that economic growth will be constricted. With U.S. annual inflation dormant at 2.2%, reduced home sales for the past nine months, decelerating automobile sales, declining commodity prices and slowing GDP growth, the concern is the Federal Reserve has already raised rates too quickly.

On Our Minds

Happy (SECURE Act) 2020!

4th Quarter 2019 Investment Update

“Be Prepared” for Hiking the Investment Trail

Estate planning and your pet: Should you consider a Pet Trust?

Cybersecurity: What You Need to Do

Is a Loan or Line of Credit Best for My Business?

3rd Quarter 2019 Investment Update

4th Quarter Investment Update

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