Polaris Perspective

Polaris Perspective

by Jeff Powell & Jeremy Witbeck
Season 2

Where to Invest When Yields Are Low

How does an investor extract a livable income stream from a retirement portfolio in such a low-yield environment? In this session of the Polaris Wealth Podcast, Jeff Powell and Jeremy Witbeck discuss why it might be a good time to consider adding alternative investments to your investment portfolio.

Insurance as a Financial Planning Tool

Life insurance is a key financial planning tool that can often be overlooked. As you build your wealth, it’s important to protect your assets against any unforeseen events. While not as direct a way of saving as investing, insurance planning can save you significant amounts of money over the long-term. In this session of the Polaris Wealth Podcast, Jeff Powell and Jeremy Witbeck discuss how insurance can essentially make it easier to navigate financial obstacles that could thwart your financial goals.

Inflation Nation: Transitory vs. Permanent

With the U.S. economic recovery now well under way, one of the more heated debates between economists and policymakers and a discussion that may seem irrelevant and confusing to the general public is whether the price surges that have coincided with accelerating activity will be permanently higher or will those eventually pass. Some experts are sounding the alarm over rising inflation in the United States, despite assurances from the Federal Reserve. While the topic is dry, Jeff Powell and Jeremy Witbeck discuss how its resolution is of critical importance. Depending on the answer, mortgage costs could rise, stock prices could become more volatile, and the U.S. economy’s recent torrid growth could slow significantly.

The Song Remains the Same

We’re halfway through 2021. Where do the financial markets stand? Well, the short answer is that the “Song Remains the Same”. The global reopening remains on track as COVID-19 vaccination rates climb. Inflation is the new concern, but the spike so far looks transitory. Fiscal and Monetary Policy remains highly supportive of accelerating growth in the US economy. And, we still like the pandemic-recovery trade that favors equities over bonds. For this week’s podcast, Jeff Powell and Jeremy Witbeck provide their thoughts on the midway point of the financial markets.

Inflation Scare Doesn’t Match Reality

In the last few months, inflation has been a hot topic, especially as Americans can’t escape rising prices. Go to the grocery store for some pork, and you’ll pay nearly 5 percent more than you did last spring. Go to the gas pump, and filling your tank may very well empty your wallet. Check out that open house in the neighborhood, and you’re liable to see an asking price 15 percent higher than you thought it would be. For consumers and policy-makers alike, a defining question of our economic moment is this: Are today’s price rises the start of a lasting trend that will lower living standards and derail the economy, or merely just the result of the post-COVID recovery? No one can answer that question with certainty, but the available evidence does tilt in one direction. For this week’s podcast, Jeff Powell and Jeremy Witbeck discuss a number of reasons why investors should use caution when interpreting the data.

Seasonality

The business and financial world have pithy little sayings – “The January Effect”, “June Gloom” and among the oldest and most oft-repeated: “Sell in May and go away” – all of which are worth investigating as an investor. These adages revolve around the concept of market seasonality – where sectors/stocks/indices and the economy are influenced by weather events (temperature in winter vs. summer, probability of inclement conditions, etc.) and calendar events (quarterly reporting expectations, announcements, etc.). For this week’s podcast, Jeff Powell and Jeremy Witbeck discuss the effects of seasonality when analyzing markets from a fundamental point of view, as it can have a big impact on an investor’s portfolio.

A June Gloom?

In Southern California, the weather is beautiful most of the year. However, there is the annual June Gloom weather pattern that results in cloudy, overcast skies with cool temperatures during the late spring and early summer, most commonly occurring during the month of June. Similarly, that saying can apply to the financial markets as well – especially during the summer months all the way to Labor Day. These months can be dangerous for investors, because many are away on vacation and, as a result, volatility is higher since liquidity is lower than it otherwise would have been. As a result, stock price fluctuations tend to create a lot of financial pain for those who would attempt to trade stocks. For this week’s podcast, Jeff Powell and Jeremy Witbeck shine some light through the market’s “June Gloom”.

Understanding Cryptocurrencies

So, what is cryptocurrency? Well-known cryptocurrencies include Bitcoin, Dogecoin and Ethereum. And, they have become nearly impossible for even the biggest skeptics to ignore and that’s especially the case for investors. Even for individuals who today swear up and down that they will never touch cryptoassets, it still requires being educated on the subject. Jeff Powell, Jeremy Witbeck and Brett Miller discuss what cryptocurrencies are, why they are popular (especially in the news these days) and whether or not they serve as a viable investment option that could fit into an investment portfolio.

Trading Sideways

In recent weeks, investors have received positive economic news that usually would push markets higher – however, as the U.S. edges toward a full economic reopening, investors continue to struggle with one of the most pressing questions of today’s market… Is there more pain ahead for growth stocks, meaning it’s wise to rotate into value stocks? So, why haven’t the large-cap indexes really gone anywhere? Jeff Powell and Jeremy Witbeck discuss three significant factors that will influence the length of the sideways financial markets.

Should You Be Worried... About Inflation?

Inflation may be an unavoidable economic fact of life, but it’s starting to make a lot of people very nervous. Economists, investors and everyday folks believe inflation is primed for rapid growth as trillions in federal stimulus spending is layered on top of the Federal Reserve’s rock-bottom rates, a nascent economic recovery and hordes of newly vaccinated shoppers who are eager to spend. The question is whether the coming wave of inflation will be a modest, easily managed wave or a dramatic flood that will roil markets, kneecap savers and cause the Fed to rapidly hike rates, imperiling the recovery.
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