RESOURCES

What should we do given the election results?

If you've decided to get involved in philanthropy at any level, you're likely considering various options. While major organizations like the American Red Cross or Doctors Without Borders do incredible work, you might feel that your contributions could have a more significant impact locally. So, how do you go about finding reputable charities in San Luis Obispo County that align with your values and goals? Here are some steps to help you in your search.

Purpose based financial planning is about helping you with a plan that aligns your money with what is important to you so that you can confidently get what you want.

The S&P 500 (as measured by SPY) returned 15.21% in the first half of the year. This would be an excellent full-year return. It’s always good to look at what drives a return. Strong earnings growth that is sustainable demonstrates that actual value has been created by the companies in the index, while an increase in the valuation investors are willing to pay today for future earnings merely pulls forward future returns into the current period.

There is no perfect strategy that works all the time, in every environment. Rather, there are various approaches that generally earn a little extra return or reduce risk on average over full market cycles.

Based on the Shiller P/E, 99% of the return in the first half was driven by valuation increasing, and 1% by the underlying companies producing value. The 36.3x multiple is 68% above its fifty-year average, and 38% above its twenty-year average. For historical reference, prior peaks were 29.1x in September 1929, 45.5x in April 2000, and 39.6x in 12/21.