News & Insights

At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic back in late February and early March, economic prognosticators were already trying to forecast what type of recovery we would have in the United States.

It is probably an understatement to call this year unusual, and that extends to the financial planning topics that our advisors are focused on heading into the end of 2020.

Forum Financial Management, LP has been named as one of Barron’s 2020 Top 100 RIA Firms.

Holding all else constant, our economy and the stock market tend to go up in the long run despite political outcomes. What we do know is this: In the long run, staying invested in the market has worked out far better than getting out to avoid the rare exception.

Charitable lead trusts will become more relevant for donors who want to make charitable donations if tax rates go up and interest rates stay low.

Forum Financial Management, LP appears in the Top 100 on the 2020 Financial Advisor RIA Ranking.

Recent economic and health-related events are driving conversations and decisions that require a renewed emphasis on planning. A good financial plan provides framework and peace of mind, even during periods of market turmoil and personal stress.

For those whose company-sponsored 401(k) or 403(b) plan meet two key conditions, a mega backdoor Roth could allow additional savings each year in highly tax-advantaged Roth IRA assets beyond the normal employee contribution limit capitalizing on the benefits of asset location.

The goal of a well-constructed portfolio is to maximize returns for the lowest amount of risk. The benefit of diversification has mostly been researched as a risk story, but there is a very important return benefit as well.

In this Q&A, Chris elaborates on his comments from his San Fernando Valley Business Journal interview and shares how he has been helping clients during this market downturn. Chris and his team are based in Thousand Oaks, California.

Forum Advisor Juan Ros shares how thinking creatively about charitable giving can lead to new and inventive ways to maintain our philanthropy and provide help to those who need it.

Market volatility, especially the rapid price drops that we have seen in the first quarter of 2020, can be unsettling. Having a long-term financial plan and an advisor to act as a coach through these times can help balance emotions and ensure investors take the right steps for their long-term well-being.

Forum Partner Karma Forrestal shares how she is advising clients through this global pandemic in this recent feature with Dimensional Fund Advisors.

With the need to move to remote environments, businesses and schools swiftly transitioned to an online world. Read more on how individuals are spending their time and staying connected while social distancing.

Several new planning opportunities have been created by the CARES Act and the SECURE Act. Forum reviews planning opportunities regarding required minimum distributions and Roth conversions.

Financial markets experienced frequent volatility this quarter. Stock prices will fluctuate but volatility associated with the coronavirus should not dictate a change in course.

The U.S. government signed into law the largest economic stimulus bill in our country’s history in response to the effects of the coronavirus. We distilled the CARES Act into a digestible format, so you can read about what is applicable to your personal situation.

In the interest of reminding ourselves why we stay invested in stocks and specifically within value stocks during this financial crisis, we depart from our usual market-level commentary and dig into a specific example of one stock held by the funds in our portfolios.

Our advisors have worked through downturns with many clients in the past. The future is never certain but putting a plan in place for what you will do can give you confidence to weather this and any market decline.

For all the questions that remain regarding the coronavirus, one thing is certain: It is possible for each of us to make a difference to help our families, our communities, our economy and our world.

Regarding our daily operations, we feel that it is important that we do our part to protect our associates across the country while ensuring that business operations continue uninterrupted. To that end, Forum has moved to a fully remote work environment.

When we consider the historical performance of the U.S. stock market, the data tells us that the greatest rewards to investors have often come after the largest declines, but it requires investors to remain invested through some very difficult times to attain them.

It can be distressing to see this level of volatility in the market. In these times, it is helpful to recall that we have experienced other turbulent markets in the past.

Uncertainty about the coronavirus and its containment and treatment have caused concern around the world. These concerns have injected volatility into the global financial markets.