Click Here for direct link to an electronic version (an early peek-good ole fashion paper versions are on their way to you shortly) and here for our Newsletter page
Break In : If you don’t have a Twitter account, the time is now – many of the CARE ACT services are crashing their regular sites, as such communication is being made via Twitter … If you REALLY do not want a Twitter account, just use it as a browser, however by having an account you can subscribe to whatever entity you need to follow and you will be notified immediately as they comment.
This is also useful for following your industry organization, important company or almost anything you may need immediate notification.
Let’s get going!
Just so you know this was hurried with a call before and just after this video, so it was not edited as normal … but wanted to get this out to as many as possible as fast as possible… Never claimed to be a Spielberg .. haha … prompt, complete delivery of this information was very important at the moment!
Thanks in advance!
The CARE ACT –
On Friday March 27th 2020, a stimulus package was passed into law for the benefit of those being effected by the Corona Virus officially starting the clock for many programs.
The general spirit of the most important parts of the bill is getting money into the hands of consumers quickly AND attempting to incentivize employers to keep workers on the payroll!
Recovery Rebate
Checks Being Sent to Over 90% of the population
Each person to receive $1200, kids UNDER age 17 credited to parents at $500 each, no limit in headcount.
This Rebate is NOT TAXABLE!
The payout is likely to be sent out end of April or early May!
The applicable AGI phase out threshold amounts are as follows:
- Married Joint: $150,000
- Head of Household: $112,500
- All Other Filers: $75,000
One time Maximum $100k IRA Distribution Available in 2020 Only
Investors affected by the Corona Virus can take a maximum of $100k of a Corona Virus impacted distribution from your IRA or Employer related plans.
- There will be no 10% penalty for the withdrawal.
- There will also be no 20% mandatory withholding.
- You must take this distribution by 12-31-20.
You can repay this distribution within three years and have NO TAXES. You may stagger payback contributions over any time frame as long as you pay all of it back within three years of the day you received the distribution in order not to have taxes due on the distribution.
RMD’s (Required Minimum Distributions) Waived in 2020
All RMD’s for any and all mandatory plans are waived as of 2020.
This includes all types of RMD’s including those with the five year rule.
Next year will not mandate a doubling of the RMD.
Next years RMD will be on the higher mandated level, but again will not cause a duplicate.
One Off Charitable Deduction – Small – Available Only to Non Itemizers
Included in the new Coronal Stimulus package is a one time above the line, Charitable Donation Write off of $300.
This amount is only available to those who do not itemize.
Pandemic Unemployment Insurance Benefit
A New Pandemic Unemployment Benefit available to those effected by the Corona Virus.
This benefit is additionally available to those that may not have had access before, mainly self-employed individuals.
This new benefit is $600/week and lasts for four months.
There is also the elimination of the first week waiting period, allowing those immediate access if needed.
Student Loan Deferral
No payments required until September 30th of 2020!
No interest will accrue during the interim.
Must notify your loan provider if you are on automatic payment.
Paycheck Protection Program – AKA SBA Loan Program
Forgiveness loan that can be totally FREE to small business owners if they qualify and use the funds appropriately. If not, they will receive a possible 10 year term, 4% maximum interest rate from the Small Business Association, happily administered by qualified local banks in an attempt to speed the process of getting the loans to business owners.
The purpose of this loan is too keep your people employed!
Available for business owners of less than 500 people who were or have been adversely affected by the Corona Virus.
Must certify Good Faith that the business has been affected by the Virus. Which can include uncertainty of the future.
Must be applied for by June 30, 2020!
Repayments will not commence until at least six months and no longer than twelve months.
Loan amount is the lesser of $10 mllion or 2.5 times your average monthly payroll in 2019 – EXCLUDING AMOUNTS OVER $100K ANNUALLY
Capital Market Update –
Bonds are so good they are Bad
Given the speed of the equity stock, drop due to the ever expanding Coronavirus. Investors were caught flat-footed and in a dash for cash, sold their old faithful bond holdings which are viewed favorably again due to their safety.
Using history as our guide, not only does this correct itself, but also likely turns out to go even higher in value, which is what happens when rates go down and bonds go up.
In closing, one more bit of good news in almost all cases we will have reinvestment of income at these lower prices, taking advantage of that pricing for our own benefit.

We hope you enjoy … talk to you in the Summer !!!
John A. Kvale CFA, CFP
Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.
A Dallas Texas based fee only
Financial Planning Total Wealth
Management firm.
32.862841
-96.808100
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Kaplan Town Hall Review … Second Most Recent FOMC Update Meeting Last Week… Procrastination Leads to Lucky Update
As mentioned in our embarrassing post here recently The Dallas Federal Reserve had a Town Hall meeting with special guest speaker Dallas federal president reserve Robert Kaplan.
One of our favorite things to do is listen to people like Robert Kaplan in less public venues in order to try and get their candid or less guarded opinions.
This will make the 10th article talking about Kaplan and as such you may notice that we are pretty big fans.
Kaplan Town Hall Candid Comments
What was interesting about this town Hall meeting was that Kaplan for the first time since his tenure at the FOMC dissented about the federal reserves decision due the fact the the FOMC made a three pronged approach for their interest rate movement decisions.
What do we mean? In the released report from the FOMC chaired by Jerome Powell but with Robert Kaplan a voting member at the meeting they released the following unique statement
1. We intend on having interest rates lower for longer – In Kaplan’s opinion and ours, that was enough
2. We will keep interest rates lower even if inflation ticks up – this is the comment that Kaplan had an issue with and we do as well as we have written multiple times ( here here here and here ) that inflation may actually raise its head , Kaplan agreed!
3. Until a very lower rate of unemployment. is established we will also wait to raise rates
Maybe the reason we like Kaplan so much is he seems to think very much like we do and have similar concerns. By attaching these three points together future Federal Reserve board members are being bound by a multi point limitation that could cause problems. What if one of these points gets dramatically above target but another is not thereby limiting the increase in interest rates?
Kaplan … like us, believes that there is a time in the not too distant future where interest rates will need to be raised and normalized not only for inflation limitations but also for industries that rely on higher interest rates.
Kaplan also mentioned that low interest rates for too long of a period of time may cause people to take greater risks than they otherwise would.
Lastly, Kaplan once again seeing eye to eye with our beliefs, said that low interest rates for too long of a period of time becomes not only helpful but a stimulus that is unneeded once the economy gets rolling.
Time will tell but once again we like Kaplan’s thoughts on higher interest rates potentially sooner rather than later but likely a year or so out!
Updated Thoughts From More Recent FOMC Statement
So time flew past us on getting this post to you, but in true making Lemonade out of Lemons fashion, something neat occurred….
Our Procrastination lead to a Lucky Update!
Last week, the FOMC released their latest statement here and guess what?
No strings like the prior meeting, just simple slow economy stuff and, Kaplan voted FOR the opinion… no dissenting this time.
Maybe the FOMC members have already backed down from their prior “Strings Attached” discussion!
Have a Great “Kaplan FOMC” Update!
John A. Kvale CFA, CFP
Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.
A Dallas Texas based fee only
Financial Planning Total Wealth
Management firm.
jkfinancialinc
street-cents
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Posted in Economy, FOMC, Investing/Financial Planning, Market Comments, Political
Tagged Dallas Federal Reserve, Dallas FOMC, FOMC, Robert Kaplan