Blog

Discussing Finances Over the Holidays

Julian Rodriguez

Thursday, December 29, 2022

The holiday season is upon us; from story time with sorely missed grandchildren to laughter with friends and family over long-cherished memories, there's little doubt that "the most wonderful time of the year" has arrived.For my family...

Oil Prices Make a Round Trip in 2022

Julian Rodriguez

Tuesday, December 27, 2022

The financial markets are complex systems. They can move from one event to the next so quickly that it's hard to know what’s driving prices.For example, look at the roundtrip oil prices in the chart below.Oil prices surged to...

Weekly Market Insights: Stocks Slide on Recession Concerns

Julian Rodriguez

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Recession fears and concerns that the Fed may consider a longer rate-hike cycle sent stocks lower for the week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2.77%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 fell 3.37%. The Nasdaq Composite index...

Is the Fed Ready to Pause?

Julian Rodriguez

Monday, December 5, 2022

Over the years, the Fed has followed a similar pattern with interest rates. It raises interest rates, then pauses, so it can see how the economy is adjusting to the higher rates. The chart below shows the Fed’s pattern with...

Will the Midterm Elections Move Markets?

Julian Rodriguez

Monday, November 28, 2022

The midterm elections have come and gone, and although the results don’t appear as one-sided as many predicted, it seems one party will narrowly take control of the House, while the Senate may hinge on a Georgia runoff.It's...

New Retirement Contribution Limits for 2023

Julian Rodriguez

Monday, November 21, 2022

The Internal Revenue Service has released new limits for the coming year. After months of high inflation and financial uncertainty, some of these cost-of-living-based adjustments have reached near-record levels.Individual Retirement...

We won an award!

Julian Rodriguez

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJulian Rodriguez & Associates Receives 2022 Austin AwardAustin Award Program Honors the AchievementAUSTIN October 10, 2022 -- Julian Rodriguez & Associates has been selected for the 2022 Austin Award in the...

New Retirement Contribution Limits for 2023

Julian Rodriguez

Monday, November 7, 2022

The Internal Revenue Service has released new limits for the coming year. After months of high inflation and financial uncertainty, some of these cost-of-living-based adjustments have reached near-record levels.Individual Retirement...

Warren Buffett on Contrarian Investing

Julian Rodriguez

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

You may have heard the phrase “contrarian investing,” but did you know that one of the most reliable contrary indicators is individual investors?Retail investors often do the wrong thing at the wrong time. But this year,...

Stubborn Inflation Tests Fed's Resolve

Julian Rodriguez

Monday, October 31, 2022

Stubborn doesn’t seem like a strong enough word, but that’s how Fed officials are describing inflation.Inflation's “stubbornness” has been on full display in recent weeks: First, the Producer Price Index (PPI)...

The Biggest COLA Increase Since 1981

Julian Rodriguez

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

How well do you remember 1981? Harrison Ford had his first bow as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Frogger and Donkey Kong were all the rage at video arcades. Bob Ross left the Air Force and took up painting. On top of that,...

Weekly Market Insights: Volatility Reigns; Inflation Remains Unchecked.

Julian Rodriguez

Monday, October 17, 2022

Stocks were mixed last week amid wide intra- and inter-day price swings, as technology shares bore the brunt of the downdraft.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.15% for the week. Meanwhile, the Standard & Poor’s 500...

Have a Hopeful Halloween

Julian Rodriguez

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Lately, "inflation" seems to be the media's favorite word. Everywhere you turn, there's another story about the impact of inflation. For example, many news outlets have reported that confectionary prices have surged over 30% from last...

What’s the Fed’s Master Plan?

Julian Rodriguez

Friday, October 7, 2022

Wall Street is always searching for a hero to embrace or a villain to blame. And right now, Fed Chair Jerome Powell is the villain.After the September Fed meeting, Powell said interest rates may be heading higher for longer than...

1% Moves in S&P 500

Julian Rodriguez

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

If you’ve felt like stock prices were a little more volatile in 2022 than in recent years, your “spidey senses” are right on the money.The S&P 500 has posted 81 daily moves of at least 1% through August. Of those...

The CEO's Unofficial Q2 Buzzword

Julian Rodriguez

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

You may have heard the expression, “You can talk yourself into just about anything.” If that’s true, corporate America better watch out.As publicly traded companies report quarterly sales and earnings, they often...

Life Doesn't Stand Still

Julian Rodriguez

Monday, September 12, 2022

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. If you haven’t reviewed your insurance profile in a while, you may be surprised that what made sense in the past no longer fits your life.Here are some ways to quickly evaluate your...

The White House recently forgave up to $10,000 to student loan borrowers as part of a larger debt forgiveness program. There are still quite a few questions to be answered, but here are some key points to know.Pell vs. non-Pell: Loan...

Happy Labor Day!

Julian Rodriguez

Monday, September 5, 2022

The first Labor Day was celebrated over 100 years ago, created by the labor movement as a day to honor the achievements and contributions (both social and economic) of American workers.I’ve always found the way we celebrate to be...

These Months are More Volatile Than Others

Julian Rodriguez

Friday, September 2, 2022

We’re entering a tricky time of year: September and October have a reputation for bringing an extra measure of market volatility.Some of the stock market’s most challenging events have hit in September and October, and...

Inflation Math for Today’s Retiree

Julian Rodriguez

Tuesday, August 30, 2022

You may have heard the saying, “inflation hurts savers and benefits borrowers.” The expression suggests that borrowers benefit from inflation because they pay back lenders with dollars worth less than when the money...

Weekly Market Insights: Markets Tap Brakes, But Hold Fast Against Downbeat News

Julian Rodriguez

Monday, August 22, 2022

Stocks tumbled on Friday, sending stocks to a weekly loss after an otherwise quiet August week of trading.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped -0.16%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 1.21%. The Nasdaq Composite index...

An Everything Bagel of Good News

Julian Rodriguez

Friday, August 12, 2022

These days, an encouraging word can feel like a relief. Here are a few positive stories I’ve noticed lately – like an “everything bagel” sprinkled with good news.I saw a recent report in The Guardian about the...

Weekly Market Insights: Markets Rally; Earnings Better Than Expected

Julian Rodriguez

Friday, August 5, 2022

Undaunted by another Fed rate hike and news of a contracting economy, the stock market rallied last week on better-than-expected corporate earnings.The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 2.97%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500...

3 Shrewd Maneuvers in a Down Market

Julian Rodriguez

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

It’s natural to think “defense” during a bearish market season. But why not mix in some “offense” with your defense? Here are three moves we can discuss together that may be helpful during the current...

If you’re trying to get an inside edge on Wall Street, you’re probably paying attention to an array of stats and measurements. But there’s one indicator you might be overlooking.I’m talking about the...

3 Tips for the Second Half of 2022

Julian Rodriguez

Sunday, July 10, 2022

With half the year behind us, now is a great time to consider what the remainder of 2022 may hold. However, with inflation and economic uncertainty causing many of us to delay or cancel vacations, large purchases, and more, it can be...

Happy Independence Day

Julian Rodriguez

Monday, July 4, 2022

The Fourth of July is just ahead – a chance for us all to get together and celebrate what makes America so special. As Americans, we have the liberty to act, speak, think, and worship freely. This precious liberty was fought for,...

Fed Boosts Key Interest Rate 0.75%

Julian Rodriguez

Saturday, June 25, 2022

What an “interesting” week. In a move unseen since 1994, the Federal Reserve has taken an aggressive stance toward inflation by raising the key interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point.Investors initially...

The number one question I’m hearing this week is, “When are we going to see the stock market reach a low point?” In spite of recent volatility, my answer remains the same: rather than timing the markets, focus on time...

Tax professional acquires affiliation Media Contact Julian Rodriguez Julian Rodriguez & Associates 7000 N. Mopac Expwy, Suite 200 512.253.4339 info@jrafinance.com National Contact: Nancy Kasten, nkasten@natptax.com, 800-558-3402, ext....

Bad credit, credit cards are just like regular credit cards but with much higher interest rates and usually an annual fee, sometimes $50 a year and higher. Bad credit, credit cards can save your credit or make it worse if your not...

In today's world it is almost a necessity to have a credit card. If you have bad credit your options can become limited in regards to a credit. Many of the credit card companies will just deny the application. So picking the right card...

In today's world it is almost a necessity to have a credit card. If you have bad credit your options can become limited in regards to a credit. Many of the credit card companies will just deny the application. So picking the right card...

The following are important terms to consider that generally should be disclosed in applications or in solicitations for credit that require no application. Ask about these terms when you're looking for a card. Annual Percentage Rate....

Everyone faces unavoidable financial problems at some time and find that they are in an impossible situation and unable to meet their obligations. This situation might make some feel that it is hopeless to find money help, but that is...

Here are some great tips on credit card consolidation to help you manage your debts more effectively. 1) Draw up a financial budget. Yes I know it is boring but you will never be able to get out of debt until you know exactly how much...

Everybody wants to be rich, or at least well off. But one thing most people don't realize is that while having a lot of money does mean a lot more opportunities and choices, it also means more work. Taking care of your money is an...

You don't have to be wealthy to be able to benefit from good financial advice. A good adviser can help with everything from choosing the right life insurance, to minimizing tax consequences, to estate planning. The idea of a financial...

Your financial institution should provide you with information on credit card laws in your State when you enter into this type of agreement. Granted most of us ignore the small print as we never imagine that one day we may have...

When you are looking to repay your debts quickly, you should consider a no balance transfer fee credit card. This is a special deal offered by some financial institutions when they are trying to break into the market, for example a...

Finding ways to get out of credit card debt can be frustrating. There are so many options and yet many people still struggle to find a way to relieve the pressure of high payments and spiraling balances. If you're serious about getting...