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Every month Notes Along the Path will include an update on the markets and analysis of major developments in Washington that may impact your investments such as tax law changes or regulations that relate to specific industries, investments in general, or other areas of financial planning.  We will also dive into a different topic each month and include updates on my quotations in the media.

Occaisinally, I write longer form articles for my subscribers.  These will be posted here as well.

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

News of a new, highly virulent COVID variant triggered a market sell-off on Friday, sending stocks into negative territory for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 1.97%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 slumped 2.20%....

Monday, November 22, 2021

Stocks were mixed last week in choppy trading as investors battled the crosscurrents of good economic data and a troubling rise in COVID-19 infections globally. The Standard & Poor’s 500 added 0.32%, while the Dow Jones...

Monday, November 15, 2021

Stocks posted small declines last week as investors digested recent stock market gains and an unexpectedly high inflation read. The Standard & Poor’s 500 retreated 0.31%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 0.63%. The...

Monday, November 8, 2021

Dear Friends, Welcome to another edition of Notes Along the Path! This month's topics: Estate Planning, Big Mistakes to Avoid What's Driving the Market (to New Highs) Please consider sharing this with someone you know who might be...

Monday, November 1, 2021

A fresh wave of positive corporate earnings surprises sent markets to new record highs last week. The Standard & Poor’s 500 rose 1.33%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 0.40%. The Nasdaq Composite index picked up...

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Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Stocks rallied last week on a stream of positive corporate earnings surprises. Remember, earnings, and nothing else, drive stock prices. Other metrics are mostly useful in proportion to their predictive power about future earnings....

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Dear Friends, Welcome to another edition of Notes Along the Path! This month's topics: There's Something about... September? Tax Law Changes may be coming Please consider sharing this with someone you know who might be asking...

Monday, October 4, 2021

Higher bond yields and a legislative stalemate in Washington, D.C., added up to losses for the week. The Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 2.21%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 1.36%, and the Nasdaq Composite index...

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Stocks prices were whipsawed last week, dragged initially lower by financial contagion worries and later lifted by a supportive Fed policy statement.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.62%, while the Standard & Poor’s...

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

In late 2019, the president signed the SECURE (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement) Act. The starting age for required minimum distributions (RMDs) for employer-sponsored plans and IRA accounts was raised from 70...

Saturday, August 7, 2021

Dear Friends, Welcome to another edition of Notes Along the Path! This month's topics: The Covid (recession and) Recovery Market Update: Stocks Reach New Highs Are You On Track? A Change at Your Best Path Please consider sharing this...

Monday, July 19, 2021

Despite a good start to earnings season and some solid economic data, worries of slower second-half economic growth led to a pullback in stock prices last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.52%, while the Standard &...

Thursday, July 8, 2021

Dear Friends, Welcome to another edition of Notes Along the Path! This month's topics: How to Manage a Financial Windfall Market Update: A Halfway-Point Assessment In the News Please consider sharing this with someone you know who...

Wednesday, July 7, 2021

As we head into the Summer of '21, here are a few dates that may be meaningful for your situation. Please have a look, and then mark your calendar with the items that apply to you. Not sure, don't hesitate to give me a call. Summer...

Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Strong employment reports and rising consumer confidence sent the stock market broadly higher last week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.02%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 picked up 1.67%. The Nasdaq Composite index...

Monday, June 21, 2021

New messaging from the Federal Reserve on interest rates and inflation last week led to a broad retreat in stock prices. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 3.45% while the Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 1.91%. The Nasdaq...

Monday, June 14, 2021

Stocks ended the week mixed as investors appeared to shrug off a hotter-than-expected inflation report. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.80%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 advanced 0.41%. The Nasdaq Composite index...

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Dear Friends, Welcome to another edition of Notes Along the Path! This month's topics: When Is It Time to Downsize Your Home, and Will This Cycle Reverse? May Market Update: Thinking About the Markets and the Economy

Monday, May 24, 2021

Stock prices fluctuated amid inflation concerns and bargain hunting, leaving stocks mixed for the week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.51%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 dropped 0.43%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq...

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

The Case Against Bitcoin and other Cryptocurrencies: I have four categories of objections to Bitcoin: Financial, Practical, Civic, and Moral. Before I get to these objections, a brief bit of context. I don't think Bitcoin is doomed to go...

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Dear Friends, Welcome to another edition of Notes Along the Path! This month's topics: 7 Charitable Giving Missteps to Avoid Higher Taxes on Capital Gains, Should You Be Worried? April's Stock Market: Pleasant as a Sunny Spring Day,...

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Stocks meandered around a flatline in a busy week of corporate earnings, ending the trading week slightly higher. The Standard & Poor’s 500 was flat (+0.02%), while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 0.50%. The Nasdaq...

Monday, April 26, 2021

The crosscurrents of strong corporate earnings, rising global cases of COVID-19, and the specter of higher capital gains taxes led to a choppy week of trading that left stock prices slightly lower for the week. The Dow Jones...

Monday, April 19, 2021

Stocks reached record highs last week, riding the tailwind of improving economic data and a strong start to the earnings season.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.18%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 gained 1.37%. The...

Monday, April 12, 2021

Strong economic data and a resurgent technology sector propelled stocks to solid gains last week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 1.95%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 picked up 2.71%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq...

Thursday, April 8, 2021

Dear Friends, Welcome to another edition of Notes Along the Path! This month's topics: Covid—A Year Later Big Picture Market Update Avoiding 7 Retirement Traps Please consider sharing this with someone you know who might be...

Monday, March 22, 2021

Rising bond yields and improving economic conditions led to a choppy week of trading that ended in modest losses for investors.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.46%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 declined 0.77%. The...

Friday, March 19, 2021

Welcome to the inaugural edition of "Your Best Path: Gordon Achtermann on Investing" 50,000-foot View My Outlook for Stocks: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Bearish -------------------------X-------- Bullish (8+) The Fed's Current Position:...

Thursday, March 4, 2021

Dear Friends, Welcome to another edition of Notes Along the Path! This month's topics: The Psychology of Money, Not Your Typical Economic Recovery, Couples' Money Problems: 6 Traps to Avoid, Tax Changes to review as you file your 2020...

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Key Tax Law Changes Here are all the major changes to our tax laws you need to know as you work on your 2020 tax return. I hope you found this information useful. Please share and join the conversation using the social media icons All...

Monday, March 1, 2021

Stocks dropped amid rising long-term bond yields, with sharp declines in high-valuation growth stocks leading the overall market lower.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 1.78%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 declined...

Monday, February 22, 2021

Rising bond yields dampened investor enthusiasm for high-multiple growth companies last week, sending market averages mostly lower in a holiday-shortened week of trading.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.11% for the week. But...

Monday, February 8, 2021

Stocks notched strong gains last week, paced by a string of solid economic reports and consensus-beating corporate earnings.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 3.89%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 advanced 4.65%. The...

Friday, February 5, 2021

Dear Friends, Welcome to another edition of Notes Along the Path! This month's topics: In the News, The Worst Scams, Revenge of the Nerds? (Market Update)

Thursday, February 4, 2021

This is an update to an original post from August 13, 2020 ARE YOU SAVING ENOUGH FOR RETIREMENT? Financial Advisors get asked this question all the time: Am I (or are we) saving enough? Maybe you have heard of the concept of a...

Friday, January 8, 2021

January 8, 2021 Dear Friends, Welcome to another edition of Notes Along the Path! Please consider sharing this with someone you know who might be asking themselves (or you!) questions about their financial future. This month's topics:...

Saturday, January 2, 2021

Congress passed the budget and we finally know that this data is valid for 2021. Please let me know if you would like a .pdf file sent to your email.

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

The end of the year is upon us, so instead of the usual weekly market recap, I offer this metaphor to end the month. Your investment strategy is a lot like a marriage. One day you may feel like everything’s going swimmingly. The...

Friday, December 11, 2020

My Fiduciary Oath Potential clients sometimes wonder about the difference between a 100% fiduciary (like me) vs. a part-time fiduciary (also known as a fee-based advisor). As your 100% fiduciary my oath and code of ethics applies all...

Monday, December 7, 2020

December 7th, 2020 Dear Friends, Welcome to another edition of Notes Along the Path! As always, I hope you will consider sharing this with someone you know who might be asking themselves (or you) questions about their financial picture...

Friday, November 6, 2020

Dear Friends, Welcome to another edition of Notes Along the Path! November 6, 2020. Thoughts on the election aftermath and outlook, October 2020 market performance, and 7 financial planning steps you can implement today.

Friday, October 9, 2020

Dear Friends, Welcome! I hope you may benefit from this month's edition of Notes Along the Path. For those of you that are existing clients, I hope you will consider sharing this with someone you know who might be asking themselves...

Thursday, September 3, 2020

Notes Along the Path. Today we will be discussing: Gordon Achtermann quoated in the News, My Publications, Latest Market Commentary: Recession and Rally - Together Like Never Before, A Personal Reflection of Preparing for College

Thursday, August 6, 2020

This may be my longest issue in a while, so feel free to skip to your top priority first. Today we will be discussing: My IBD article, The State of Our Nation: economic & market commentary, Roth IRAs, August 31 rollover deadline...

Thursday, July 2, 2020

Today we will be discussing July 4th Celebrations, The Swoosh: economic & market commentary, Lessons from the pandemic (so far)...

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Since beginning Your Best Path Financial Planning, I have learned that what clients want is to SEE their finances better. To me, this means I must Simplify for them, Educate them, andEmpower them. To that end, the set of principals...

Friday, June 26, 2020

Let's Fix this: Less Than Half of You Know, Before Retirement, How Much Social Security You Are Going to Get. Researchers at the University of Michigan Retirement and Disability Research Center found that more than 50% of their sample...

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

I cannot remember a time when I've seen such a wide disparity between what is happening in the economy and what is happening in the stock market. As I explained last month, much of what is happening is the achievement (fault?) of the Fed...

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Whatever it takes. Within our mandate, the Fed is ready to do whatever it takes to support the economy. Believe me. It will be enough. Wait, did Fed Chief Jerome Powell really say that? No, he didn't, but the Fed's actions seem to have...

Monday, April 6, 2020

Today we will be discussing: Covid-19 Status and outlook, March market review, First, an admission. I was quite wrong about the virus. My initial take at the end of February was that it would likely be contained. That was before I knew...

Saturday, March 14, 2020

Click HERE to download your printable PDF of the Key Planning and Investment Deadlines for Spring 2020. Thank you for being a client or for taking interest and giving me a chance to win your business. I value your trust and the...

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Your Best Path Financial Planning is happy to announce that we are now a Green America certified business! Green America is one of the largest marketplaces in the US for people to find green business. For decades I have been a proud...

Monday, February 10, 2020

Our topics this month are: The SECURE Act, January Market Review and Current Outlook. As 2019 came to a close, the President signed into law a sweeping series of...

Monday, January 13, 2020

Our topics are: Your Best Path In the Media, What moved markets in 2019. As some of you you know by now, reporters often reach out...