The average consumer is getting tired of not being able to visit their favorite local businesses. Small business owners are weighing the effects of keeping the economy shut down vs. proceeding with caution. Though most people are getting their income by safely working from home, the PPP has failed to provide for the businesses currently lacking the income needed to stay afloat. Also:

• An economy coming back changed

• The chances of a global depression

• What should you be doing for retirement?

Saving the world by staying at home. Clearly these are special times even though we are itching to get back to work. Stocks are set to rally today on the promise of a better coronavirus treatment in the works. Today Rob Black takes over to discuss the newest hope of the COVID pandemic. Other topics include:

• The other side of COVID stocks

• #fakenews on Facebook

• Reopening the economy

• Investment angles going into COVID, during COVID and after COVID

• Are we hitting peak bottom?

Since March, headlines are ranging from anywhere between equity and small cap markets having the best weeks in decades to the rising number of people filing for unemployment. So what really happened in the market? Is it a tough place to thrive, are we crushing it or is it a bit of both? Topics:

• Is this type of movement normal?

• The bond market not working properly

• Access to cash and credit markets

• Emergence of corporate issues

• Getting your portfolio back on track

Today I discuss the issues that CFP®s, CPA’s and lawyers are trying to figure out. Topics include:

CAREs Act options for individuals and small businesses

Economic Injury Grant of $10,000

Mortgage forbearance

Options for Self-employment

How does the CARES Act Recovery Payment of $1,200 work?

Payroll Protection Loan Program –PPP

Deferring payroll taxes – what’s the catch?

No more RMD’s for 2020

• The most volatile market in my 25 year career

• I explain what happened in the credit and bond market

• Dissecting the CARES Act and the Payroll Protection Program - PPP

• Avoiding Required Minimum Distributions for 2020

• Explanation of the bond market and potential opportunities in different asset classes.

• My views on this event vs The Great Recession

• See The NewFocus Financial Group Facebook Page for links to help small businesses.

Tuesday offered the biggest one day gain in the stock market since 1933 which is just more proof that the biggest up days occur during a bear market. This is another reason you should never try to time the market. Prior to these moves, many small and mid cap stocks had already fallen 75-85% as much as they did during the Great Recession. The economy has come to an abrupt halt. How we work our way out of this situation.

There is some optimism as the senate is closes in on a $2 trillion stimulus bill. Markets have reacted worse in the past, more precisely the ’07-’08 scenario where congress voted against a buyout before a market plunge that sent them scrambling. While today’s snapback rally won’t get you where you want to be, but it will give you the opportunity to sell some losers. The world is coming together to fight this virus and hopefully we have already hit rock bottom.

California, one of the largest economies in the world, is shutting down under the order of Governor Gavin Newsom. Though none of us have a crystal ball, we are looking at recessionary numbers as people stay in and it comes with its positives and its negatives. Home cooking and staycations save you money, but still, on paper you are losing some money in the stock market. Today Rob Black looks at the potential aftermath of COVID-19.

Ever seen a good guy, bad guy movie where the heroes have to get creative to beat the baddies? That’s exactly what happened when the feds lowered rates to zero to combat COVID-19. Really though, coronavirus isn’t causing a crisis, but rather people’s reactions to it are causing the crisis happening around the world. Rob Black takes over today to discuss market volatility, crafting a recovery and more.

A few months ago, rate hikes and the trade war were predicted to cause the next recession, now coronavirus has come around and increased the chances of recession. Add in the crash in oil prices and it’s easy to understand why fear levels are rising. Can the market survive the disruption and avoid a true recession? Other topics include:

• Recession survival guide

• Planning for a more expensive retirement

• Rebalancing strategies