Larry Howes covered a gamut of information this week including the possibility of a Federal Reserve rate increase, consumer confidence, real estate, and oil’s slow recovery. His commentary led to many investigative questions from the team on everything from unemployment to Mexico’s supposed recovery and especially China. Larry discussed China’s “fundamental flaw” and went into depth on their unrealistic drive to become a consumer economy saying, “China wants to become a consuming economy, but you need income to be a consuming economy.” Don’t miss one of the best economic discussions the SH&J team has had in some time. Listen in!
Year: 2015
Meet Melissa Baldwin
Name: Melissa Baldwin
Title: Certified Financial Planner™
SH&J team member since: January, 2011
My favorite thing about working at Sharkey, Howes & Javer is…
TEAMWORK! We all come from different backgrounds and have different views and insight on various topics and it is great to be able to use each other as a sounding board. Teamwork and collaboration opens the door for more perspective in problem solving and options for clients to reach their goals.
An Evening of Entertainment with Sharkey, Howes & Javer
On October 22, 2015, we held our annual client appreciation event. This year’s festivities were a little different than our previous events, as Sharkey, Howes & Javer was celebrating its 25th Anniversary. Rather than hosting our usual educational seminar, we hosted “An Evening of Entertainment” to celebrate twenty five successful years with the people who made it all possible, our clients.
The celebration took place at the beautiful Seawell Grand Ballroom within the Denver Center for the Performing Arts complex with approximately 380 of our clients in attendance. With lighting and drapery filling the ballroom, the ambiance set a festive mood for everyone.
The evening began with a cocktail hour, which included appetizers, drinks, and a magician who left guests in wonderment as to how he performed such tricks as turning dollar bills into one hundred dollar bills…If only we all knew his secret!
Following the cocktail hour, Eileen Sharkey presented a series of heartfelt speeches honoring our clients, staff, and her partners of 25 years, Joel Javer and Larry Howes.
Guests enjoyed a delicious dinner, and watched musical performances that took them on a journey through the years of Broadway. Acts included West Side Story, Grease, Chicago, Jersey Boys, and Rock of Ages.
The evening was a very special night for not only the clients in attendance, but for the partners and employees of Sharkey, Howes & Javer as we celebrated this important milestone.
On behalf of the entire team at SH&J, we want to thank each and every client for your continued trust and loyalty. We owe these past 25 years to you, and we look forward to the next 25 with you!
Inside the Economy with SH&J: October 26, 2015
The dollar looks like it might weaken, Puerto Rico could have a political solution, and for the first time the Congressional Budget Office named the public federal government accounts holding 13.1 trillion dollars in debt — all topics covered this week. During the commentary, Larry said, “I’m also in the camp, along with several people, who think China is in a recession…” Listen in to hear what else Larry shared about China and the global economy in this week’s Inside the Economy with SH&J.
https://vimeo.com/143934427%20
Note: We apologize for the audio quality this week. We experienced some technical difficulties during recording and will be back up to snuff in time for our next release in 2 weeks.
To Stay or to Go: Should You Downsize or Renovate as an Empty Nester?
The last kid has left for college or to start their career. As the past few years have gone by perhaps you have wandered from room to room wondering why you are paying for all this space or wishing your space was better used. It could be time for you to consider downsizing or maybe your home is in need of a few simple renovations.
Before you make the decision to stay or go, here are a few things to consider:
Have they really flown the coop?
It is becoming more common for college graduates to move back in with their parents for a while as they find a job and establish a career. Do you want to stay in your home and wait to see if they need their space again? Before making the decision to move, think through the possible scenarios with your children to determine if it makes sense to hold onto the family home for a while longer.
Inside the Economy with SH&J: October 12, 2015
The SH&J team kept Larry on his toes this week with a lot of interesting questions. Discussions arose over the stock markets, the dollar and CBO’s ten year Treasury outlook. Larry covered a lot of additional ground including minimum wage and upper-end staffing, the S&P 500, the dollar, and the TPP (Trans-Pacific-Partnership) which “kind-of passed this week.” It’s been a busy couple of weeks in the economy and Larry covered many important bases. Listen in to catch up on where the U.S. and global economy has been and where they might be headed.
Retirement Savings 101: What’s The Difference Between a Roth IRA and a Traditional IRA?
The world of retirement savings can be confusing. Which option is best to help you move towards your goals? What is the difference between all of the retirement savings options? Over the next few weeks, we try to clear the muddy waters and help you gain an understanding of what retirement savings plan might be best for you.
Today we start with IRAs…
IRAs, Individual Retirement Accounts, are popular tools to save for retirement. The type of IRA you select can affect your long-term savings. It’s important to understand the various types of accounts to select the best one for you.
The main difference in Traditional and Roth IRAs comes down to when you pay income taxes. For Traditional IRAs, you pay taxes when you withdraw money in retirement. With a Roth IRA, you pay taxes on the front end, but no taxes when you withdraw.
Let’s start by looking at a Traditional IRA…
Inside the Economy with SH&J: September 28, 2015
The U.S. GDP number adjusted up, Qatar opens a $35B investment fund in NYC and Larry names China as the cause of global slowing — all topics in this week’s Inside the Economy with SH&J. Larry also touches on the U.S. federal debt, impressive personal savings rates and the potential impact of a government shutdown. He ends his commentary by reminding us, while the markets may appear a little volatile, there is little volume and the trading is trying to generate some more activity. Listen in and share with your family and friends.
Meet Kay Sinclair
Title: Client Service
SH&J team member since: 2004
You just welcomed your first grandchild into the world, a beautiful baby boy. Congratulations, Grandma! What are you most excited to do with your grandson?
Love him. My husband and I have been so blessed with our sons that we are so looking forward to all the stages of our grandson’s life. I want to cuddle with him, read to him, then play on the floor with him and his toys, bake with him. Pinterest has a whole page on science ideas that I want to try with him, soccer and bicycle riding, I am looking forward to all of it. The only thing I am NOT looking forward to is adolescent boy humor.
Inside the Economy with SH&J: September 14, 2015
This week Larry focuses much of his commentary on the U.S. Looking at new housing starts, the dollar, markets and corporate America, Larry says, “The U.S. economy, compared to everyone else, is doing so much better.” He also shares his perspective on the possibility of a rate increase by the Fed and answers a question from last week about the American banking system. Larry ends with a trip around the world to China, explaining how China’s decline has influenced the currencies of countries that rely on China for trade. Educational and informative as per usual — listen in now!
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