We ended fairly sideways overall for November for both the S&P 500 and the bond market. It was a bit interesting though as there was a decent pullback mid-month of over 4% when doubts about another interest rate cut made the news and tech stocks pulled back. However, with the government shutdown ending, the pullback was short-lived to only a couple weeks, and we’re back to where we started the month.
The big news for December should be whether the Fed will cut by another 0.25% or hold steady. Markets are mostly expecting another cut so, if it doesn’t happen, we’ll probably see a pullback again.
Here are some housekeeping updates for your 2026 401k and/or IRA for under/to 50+ years old.
- IRA max contribution $7,500/8,600 (Don’t forget that IRA’s have income limits so check with us before you max out.)
- 401k max contribution $24,500/32,500 (“Super” catch-up now for ages 60-63 allows up to $35,750.)
- SEP IRA max contribution $72,000 (Watch out for the 25% cap)
- SIMPLE IRA max contribution $17,000/21,000
If you’re a high-earner and get an Employer match, it might be worth it to use static dollar amounts rather than a percentage of salary to avoid maxing out before the end of the year.
I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!! The snow sure seems to think it’s Christmas already.
We appreciate you!
Larry Mroczkowski
President
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly.
The economic forecasts set forth in this material may not develop as predicted and there can be no guarantee that strategies promoted will be successful. All investing involves risks, including the loss of principal.