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As concern rises about the spread of the coronavirus, we wanted to let you know that we at Patriot are closely monitoring this situation to maintain very high service levels and minimize disruption. We have taken prudent steps and have carefully reviewed our plans to ensure business continuity. If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know. We are here for you. Read More

Our Insights

1st Quarter 2021 Market Commentary

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Markets Reach New Highs in Q12021 Global equity markets had a choppy first quarter, but when the final Wall Street-bell tolled on March 31st, global markets had turned in some very solid performance numbers on their way to new record highs. Given that investors did see interest rates rise, oil prices jump, inflation worries reappear and continued headwinds from COVID-19 surface, the first quarter returns for the major U.S. and global, developed markets was nothing short of impressive. For the

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Is Your Retirement-Ship Stuck in the Suez Canal

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A list of must-dos for 40 and 50 year old captains that have run aground On March 23rd, the massive, skyscraper-sized container ship named the Ever Given ran aground and got stuck in Egypt’s Suez Canal. It took about a week for more than a dozen tugboats, dredgers, engineers, salvage teams, and a full moon that brought an unusually high tide to free the behemoth. While it’s still not clear exactly how it got stuck in the first place, experts

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March Madness and the DJIA – Winners & Losers

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Can we see patterns from one year to the next or is it a maddening bracket?  Newspapers, radio, and TV news programs refer to the Dow Jones Industrial Average every day, calling it the Dow, sometimes the Dow Jones or even the DJIA.  And economists and financial advisors pay close attention to its daily changes and the longer trends.  But what exactly is the Dow Jones Industrial Average, does it really matter and can one see performance patterns from year

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IRS Provides Needed Flexibility for Health FSAs

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New guidelines to employee benefit plans for 2020 and 2021 On February 18, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service announced greater flexibility to employee benefit plans offering health flexible spending arrangements (FSAs) or dependent care assistance programs. Under the COVID-related Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020, these plans now have additional discretion in 2021 and 2022 to adjust their programs to help employees. Under such health flexible spending arrangements or dependent care assistance programs, an employer allows employees

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Dogecoin Might Be a Case of Asset Euphoria

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Examples of asset bubbles that kept growing and popped spectacularly Bitcoin is going through another spectacular price move so far in 2021, rising from about $28,000 on January 1st to about $48,000 in mid-February. And other cryptocurrencies have come along for the ride, with Dogecoin (pronounced “dozhe-coin”), being one of the oddest of the bunch. Why is it odd? Well, Dogecoin was originally a joke cryptocurrency, taking its name from the “doge” internet meme that showed a picture of a

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The New IRS Tax Rates and Deductions for 2021

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Although a year away, your 2021 tax planning should have already started Amidst all the pandemic news and 2020 election drama, many might have missed that the IRS also quietly published new 2021 tax rates in late October and there are plenty of changes that will impact taxpayers in 2021. While it’s more than a year away (these changes are for 2021 returns filed by taxpayers in 2022), there are a few changes that you should know about. Rules Not

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What Can the Best/Worst Stocks of 2020 Tell Us?

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Looking for longer-term trends that might shape the next few years Let’s be honest for a second: the DJIA, the S&P 500, and NASDAQ all delivered one of the most surprising years in recent history. And while many are happy to see 2020 in the rear-view mirror, the 2020 performance for the major U.S. indices was nothing short of impressive, especially given the headwinds of COVID-19 and the drama surrounding the presidential election. Who could have predicted that: The DJIA

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4th Quarter 2020 Market Commentary

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Markets Reach New Highs in 2020 Global equity markets pulled back in October, turned in some astonishing returns in November, performed admirably for the month of December and closed out the fourth quarter of 2020 with new record highs. While many are happy to see 2020 in the rear-view mirror, the performance for the last quarter and for all of 2020 for the major U.S. indices was nothing short of impressive, especially given the headwinds of COVID-19 and the drama

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How Should We Approach New Year’s Resolutions For 2021?

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After the long year that has been 2020, 2021 is just a couple days away. This is a time when many of us reflect on the year we have had and think of resolutions and goals we can set for ourselves in the coming year. But just as it has been an unprecedented year, our resolutions for the coming year may be unprecedented as well. A recent survey by OnePoll on behalf of Affirm, a consumer finance company, found some interesting trends. The survey asked 2,000 Americans about their ideas for the new year after

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A Financial Review Can Pay Off at Year End

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Today, many people find themselves bombarded by a constant stream of financial news from television, radio, and the Internet. Yet, does all this “information age” data really help you manage your finances any better now than in the past? Often, what are considered old-fashioned practices, such as performing periodic financial reviews, can lead to greater success in the long run. Why not spend a few hours reviewing your finances? The changes you make today could result in increased savings. Consider

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