Bull Oak Capital

American capitalism, as we know it, has changed. We are living in an era where policymakers have changed the game. Latest post is live https://bulloakcapital.com//the-times-they-are-a-changin-/

It’s heady to consider the long term positive stock market returns. It’s also normal to worry about the direction of future returns. But realize that the stock market is not an amorphous object driven by unknown forces, but ownership in U.S. and global businesses. A business’s primary goal is to generate profit. As a shareholder in a company, you get to receive a share of those profits. There is also the possibility of companies losing money. However, we are an innovative soc...iety and humankind has an uncanny ability to overcome problems. Furthermore, the global population will continue to grow and people will continue to need goods and services. Companies are incentivized to deliver a product or service in an efficient manner. Even if/when some companies fail and if/when industries lose favor, others will emerge as future leaders. This is the beauty of capitalism. This process ensures the survival of the fittest and its’ result is a product that is better than it’s predecessor. In the end, the reason why the stock market continues to outperform over time and why companies are so resilient is due to one major factor: innovation. The ability to continue to move forward, to overcome obstacles, to create better technologies and products is simply innovation. It is also a very humanistic quality we can all get behind. My latest post here: https://bulloakcapital.com/why-invest-in-stocks-the-resili/

So much has happened in the markets and economy over the past few months. We have seen unprecedented (a word used a lot, lately) events occur, including: - Nearly $2T in a discretionary fiscal spending - Unemployment levels at record highs - Interest rates at record lows... - A major stock market bounceback, pushing indices to near all-time highs I recently sat down with Steve Deppe, a fellow portfolio manager, to discuss the current state of the economy and markets and where we go from here during this critical juncture. Does the stock market continue to march higher? What about bonds? If interest rates are at all-time lows, isn't bond returns limited to the upside? There has been a lot of talk about Universal Basic Income (UBI). Is there a chance this get's passed soon, given the high unemployment rate? If you enjoy listening to two market enthusiasts talk candidly about their craft, then you are going to love this episode. Listen to the full episode here: https://bulloakcapital.com/steve-deppe-market-economy-duri/

How can this be in an era of extreme uncertainty? We are in the middle of a global pandemic and civil unrest, yet stocks are rallying? We explore 3 possible reasons why there is a divergence between the markets and the economy. Latest Post ... https://bulloakcapital.com/3-reasons-why-stocks-are-up/ See more

None of us truly knows what is going on. We do not have enough reliable information to know how prevalent COVID-19 has spread throughout our communities. Nonetheless, there are some steps we can take to help mitigate the situation. Latest Blog https://bulloakcapital.com/three-actionable-financial-step/

Ryan Hughes was recently interviewed by Tyrone Ross on the Human Advisor podcast. Check it out! In this episode, I talk about my history, how I started Bull Oak Capital, and how the firm is differentiated when it comes to financial planning and its investment philosophy. Check out the full post here: https://bulloakcapital.com/human-advisor-podcast-ryan-hugh/

Episode 11 will be released on 2/18/20. Stay tuned!

There is very little doubt that the U.S. economy narrowly avoided a recession this year. However, there has been a shocking reversal in both leading indicators and hard data, propelling the market to new highs. See how bad the economic data looked this year and where we currently stand as we look forward to 2020. https://bulloakcapital.com/the-u-s-economy-dodged-a-bullet/

Tax-loss harvesting shouldn’t take precedence over your long-term investment plan. Too many investors abandon their plan for the sake of reducing their taxable liability. This is a mistake. https://bulloakcapital.com/is-tax-loss-harvesting-worth-it/ #investing #taxlossharvesting

I received this awesome award and recognition from WealthManagement.com. I truly appreciate it!

Year-end is the ideal time to take stock of your finances and match them up with your goals and aspirations. Making a few strategic decisions regarding investing, taxes, estate planning, and budgeting can create an annual wealth-building and personal housekeeping habit. https://bulloakcapital.com/year-end-financial-planning-che/

College is expensive because of government intervention. As access to financial aid increased (1978), so has tuition rates. My latest post talks about this here: https://bulloakcapital.com/why-college-is-so-expensive-and/