Antaeus' Market Commentary

 “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

            -Benjamin Franklin

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy new year! As we welcome in 2017, are you aware that the idea of New Year’s resolutions can be traced back some 4,000 years?

What we find to be the #1 topic of procrastination for clients!

Interesting Numbers:

• Percentage of U.S. homeowner’s underwater on their mortgages as of 03/31/15:15%. (Zillow)
• U.S. corporate operating margins as of 03/31/07: 19.9%. As of 03/31/15: 17.3%.

Interesting Numbers:

• City with highest average 401(k) saving rate in 2014: San Francisco, 14.8%. National average: 8.1%. Average 401(k) contribution in 2014: $9,630. (Fidelity, Natixis Global Asset Management)
• Average home price in San Francisco: $859,000.

Interesting Numbers:

• Due to low COLAs, Social Security beneficiaries have lost 1/3 of their buying power since 2000. (Senior Citizen’s League)
• The last calendar year when China’s economy did not grow by 7%+ was in 1991. The last calendar year when the U.S.

Interesting Numbers:

• Average credit card debt among U.S. consumers: $10,902. (MagnifyMoney, July 2014)
• Percentage of American small-business owners who say they would still become a small-business owner if they had to do it all over again: 84%.

Interesting Numbers:

• Disbursement of the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) signed into law in October 2008: $438 billion. Actual net cost of the program for taxpayers as of 04/27/14: $27 billion.

Interesting Numbers:

• In 1994, it took a taxable income of $312,362 on a joint return to produce federal income taxes of $100,000.  It will take a 2014 taxable income of $376,047 on a joint return to produce federal income taxes of $100,000.  (Tax Foundation)
• The top 10% of U.S.

Interesting Numbers

• *Maximum retirement benefit paid by Social Security to an individual retiring in 2014 at normal retirement age of 66 is $2,642/month.  2014’s Social Security Wage Base is $117,000.  (Social Security Administration)
• *Maximum amount that a deceased individual may pass onto heirs federally estate-tax free in 2014