Bouchey Blog

Bouchey Financial Group

A 529 Plan Savings Strategy for Current College Expenses

By Marty Shields | August 30, 2013

For those individuals who are saving for their children’s or grandchildren’s education, one of the best methods is to contribute to a 529 plan.  Each state has their own plan and New York’s plan is one of the better ones as far as fees and investments offered https://www.nysaves.com.   The investment are provided through Vanguard and…

Bouchey Financial Group

Housing Recovery: Boom or Bust

By Marty Shields | July 27, 2013

Two questions we are frequently asked are whether or not it is a good time to buy a house and whether the housing market can continue to improve with rates rising as shown in the graph below (click to enlarge).   The answer to whether it is a good time to buy a house depends…

Bouchey Financial Group

2nd Quarter Update

By Samantha Masey | July 18, 2013

Reacting to the Fed’s “Tapering” Decision Market Overview The beginning of the quarter continued the upward trend of the markets that we saw in the 1st quarter of 2013.  With considerable cash on the sidelines, any dips in the equity markets during April and early May saw investors buying into the markets for fear of…

Bouchey Financial Group

Preparing for 2nd Quarter Earnings Reports

By Marty Shields | July 6, 2013

Next week the 2nd quarter earnings reporting season will begin, starting with Alcoa on Monday.  As shown in the graph below (click graph to enlarge), a record number of companies in the S&P 500 index have issued negative guidance for the quarter.  This is not necessarily a bad thing to the extent that it is…

Bouchey Financial Group

Does more risk assure higher returns?

By Samantha Masey | June 17, 2013

A basic tenet of modern portfolio theory suggests that investors who take on greater risk can expect a higher return. Under this theory, to maximize your portfolio’s return, you need to accept more volatility. In the past few years there have been several studies completed that suggest a counter theory. These studies make the argument…

Bouchey Financial Group

The Fed’s Grip on the Current Market

By Samantha Masey | June 8, 2013

We saw a rollercoaster ride in the markets for the week ending 6/7, led in large part by reactions to what the Fed is, or what the Fed is perceived to be doing next with their quantitative easing policy.  With each new economic data report, employment report, and statement from the Fed, the markets are reacting…

Bouchey Financial Group

How should you allocate your bond portfolio?

By Samantha Masey | May 28, 2013

In any well-diversified portfolio it’s critical that investors have exposure to the fixed income or bond market.  When we allocate our clients’ portfolios, the fixed income portion can range from 20% to 60% of their total portfolio depending upon their indvidual risk tolerance and cash flow needs.  In the current market environment, where 10-year treasury bonds are yielding…