The Dow gained 0.01% in April – a month in which the impressive bull run of the first quarter moderated and more pessimism crept onto Wall Street. Some domestic indicators were tepid – but others did provide nice surprises. Signals out of Europe flashed hints (or confirmations) of recession. Some key overseas indices suffered notable April losses. Our Q1 GDP was unimpressive, but U.S. consumer spending improved for March. Oil futures rose while gasoline and crop futures retreated. Analysts wondered (again) if the real estate market had at last bottomed out.¹

Could we see $5 gas this summer? As of April 6, U.S. retail gasoline prices were up 20.15% YTD; on that date, AAA’s national survey had the price of regular unleaded averaging $3.94 per gallon. So what happens this spring and summer – traditionally when Americans tend to hit the road?(1)

A new Christian Science Monitor/TIPP survey of 900+ adults finds that the average American expects pump prices of around $4.75 a gallon come July. That’s about 20% above where prices are now.(2)

Walla Street Wealth Management, Inc. is pleased to announce that Timothy Walla, CFP®, has been selected by Dental Practice Report magazine as one of the "2012 Best Financial Advisers for Dentists in America" list in their April 2012 edition. This is the second year in a row that Mr. Walla has received this recognition.

Mr. Walla is one of only two financial advisors in the State of Kansas and in all of Greater Kansas City to be included in this year's rankings. During the interview Mr. Walla was asked, "What helps build a successful financial adviser-dentist relationship?" To which he responded, "Clear communication and disciplined process are paramount. Dentists are focused on patient care and practice management. They're looking for a trusted partner to whom they can outsource their investment management."

Candidates were selected to the list based upon client and peer references, strong recommendations from dentists, and an extensive background check. Applicants were also required to complete an extensive questionnaire listing credentials, educational background, noteworthy professional achievements, specific areas of expertise, and percentage of dentists clients.

Thanks to those of you that joined us at Nick & Jake's in Overland Park last Friday to watch The Masters. It was great to see everyone. We had a great time enjoying the excellent Masters menu specials, and as you can see, Tim's infamous green jacket also made an appearance. It made the afternoon all the more special.

And congrats to Bubba Watson for winning the 2012 Masters! He had a number of incredible shots to take home the top prize, and it made for some very entertaining TV over Easter weekend.

Louis Oosthuizen also deserves a mention for his incredible double eagle "albatross" on the 2nd hole in the final round. Check it out here.

See you all next year!

March brought gains and milestones. The NASDAQ ended the month above 3,000, which it hadn’t done in nearly 12 years. The Dow pulled off its sixth straight monthly advance, and the S&P 500 and Russell 2000 rose as well. Gas prices continued their march upward, but consumer spending did not fall. The real estate sector flashed some negative signals. Investors and economists alike mulled the effect that potentially decelerating economies in Europe and Asia might have on Wall Street. The U.S. economy, on the other hand, seemed to show further improvement.¹

3 Questions You Need to Answer to Properly Plan for Retirement:

Whether you are currently retired or quickly approaching retirement, we come across more than a few people that lose sleep regarding the above question. It doesn’t have to be that way though. With proper planning and the right guidance, you can get those extra zzzs. Here are some of the questions you might try answering to be more confident when it comes to retirement:
 
1. How much money do I need to retire?

• What type of retirement lifestyle do you want?
• What is your current income level?
• What type of retirement incomes (e.g., pension, social security, etc.) do you expect to receive?
• At what age will you retire?
• Will you have any debts at retirement?

Were soaring oil and gas prices threatening the recovery? Was a new European recession exerting a drag on the global economy? In February, these questions barely dented the prevalent optimism on Wall Street. The Dow gained 2.5% for the month and settled above 13,000 on February 28; it hadn’t closed that high since June 2008. Energy futures set the pace in the commodities sector. The housing market offered some hopeful signals. Our economy seemed to be clearly on the mend, although the economies of China and certain EU nations appeared poised for soft landings or mild recessions. It was a strangely calm month, one in which the stock market behaved like a mature bull market.^1,2

True or false? You may have heard this claim before (or something like it): “Many Americans are being forced to retire later because their savings and investments took a hit in the Great Recession.”

Recently, a big-name economist disputed that belief. In a commentary for Bloomberg, former White House budget director Peter Orszag wrote that some of the statistics don’t seem to back up this conventional wisdom, but perhaps it all depends on which statistics you cite.

In recent stock market history, there have been many peaks and valleys. January 2012 represented a peak; it was the best January for U.S. stocks since 1997, with the S&P 500 rising 4.36%. It was also the S&P’s best month overall since October. Wall Street seemed to worry a little less about Europe during the month and a little more about subpar stateside indicators like consumer spending and home sales. Still, the mood was definitely bullish.^1,2

French President Nicolas Sarkozy spoke at a press conference just days after Standard & Poor's stripped
his nation of its AAA-rating, which also resulted in a ratings cut for the European Financial Stability Facility

"We enter 2012 with a great deal of hope, but our hopes are not for more bailouts, or money printing, or any of the myriad policies that investors seem to hope will save bad investments and sustain elevated valuations. Instead, our hope is that in 2012, the market will finally "clear," in the sense that bad debt around the world will be recognized as bad and restructured; that overleveraged financials will be taken into receivership instead of forcing austerity on every corner of the global economy in order to make them flush again; that rates of return will rise enough to compensate and encourage saving – and high enough to encourage borrowers and other users of capital to allocate the funds productively. Of course, in order to restructure bad debt, someone has to accept a loss. In order for rates of return to rise, valuations must decline. In short, our hope is for events that will unchain the global economy from an irresponsible past and open the gates toward a prosperous future. Maybe that is too hopeful, but we are not entirely convinced that bailouts and 'big bazooka' will be as easily procured in the year ahead as a confused public has allowed in recent years."

– John P. Hussman, Ph.D. (hussmanfunds.com)

The Dow advanced 1.43% and the S&P 500 rose 0.85% in December, but there was no major “Santa Claus” rally at the end of 2011. As a result, the Dow wound up +5.53% for the year while the S&P 500 posted a 2011 loss of 0.003%. While the year was hardly spectacular for U.S. stocks, our benchmarks outshone many others. Last month, we learned that the jobless rate had fallen and we glimpsed more hints that the real estate market could be inching toward some kind of recovery. Shoppers spent freely for the holidays while legislators managed to extend the payroll tax holiday. It was a bad month for many commodities but a good month for the dollar.¹

It's that time of year again. Everyone is making resolutions for the new year, so we thought we'd establish a few of our own resolutions and goals for 2012.

As an end-of-year exercise, we recently sent a Client Satisfaction Survey to all our clients. On a scale of 1 to 5, we asked our clients to rate our performance in areas such as customer service, communication, expertise, and professionalism.]]>http://www.wallastreet.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-14451661.xmlAwards & RecognitionPhil FreundTue, 03 Jan 2012 21:01:02 +0000http://www.wallastreet.com/blog/2012/1/3/2012-best-personal-wealth-managers-in-kansas-city.html1044382:12557097:14425559

For the sixth year in a row, Walla Street Wealth Management, Inc. has been selected as one of the Best Personal Wealth Managers in Kansas City by KC Business Magazine. The resulting list of 2012 FIVE STAR Wealth Managers is an elite group, representing less than 7 percent of the wealth managers in the Kansas City area.

Selection Process
Nominees are evaluated against 10 objective criteria to determine the 2012 Five Star Wealth Managers in more than 40 major markets. The updated Five Star Wealth Manager award process includes:

• Nominations by peers and firms: Wealth managers, including financial planners and advisors, CPAs and estate planning attorneys, are nominated by their firm or a peer to be considered for the Five Star Wealth Manager award. Self-nominations are not accepted.
• Objective selection process for nominated wealth managers: Nominees are evaluated against 10 objective criteria such as client retention rates, client assets administered and a favorable regulatory and complaint history. No more than 7 percent of the wealth managers in a market receive the Five Star award.
• Regulatory and consumer complaint process: Feedback from consumer surveys will augment a regulatory history review.
• Firm review: Firms will have the option to provide input on nominees from their firm, regardless of nomination source.

The Go To Market Show recently visited with Tim Walla and Phil Freund of Walla Street Wealth Management* to discuss the importance of focusing on a small niche of clients and building personal relationships. Tim outlines the firm's focus on helping individuals and families achieve their goals through financial planning, investment management and risk management. In a highly competitive marketplace, they also discussed the process that Walla Street has undergone to differentiate the firm and attract new clients.

Listen to the radio interview

About the Go-To-Market Show:
The Go-To-Market Show is focused on driving growth, sharing valuable insights into what it takes to turn your organization into a marketing machine – building reputation, triggering conversation and advancing engagements. We also talk about factors that influence market growth – ideas, money, talent, change management, the economy, regulations and more. Each week is a fresh take, responding to what’s happening in the world around us, and what our followers share with us to drive the conversation.

Listen to the Go-To-Market Show on 1510 AM (Kansas City radio) every Wed 3-4PM CST.

*Securities are solely offered through Ameritas Investment Corp. (AIC) Member FINRA/SIPC. AIC and Walla Street Wealth Manegement, Inc. are not affiliated. Additional products and services may be available through Walla Street Wealth Management, Inc. that are not offered through AIC.

It seems hard to believe that we only have two weeks left in 2011, does it not? For some, turning the page from 2011 will be very welcome; this past year has certainly produced its fair share of challenges. For those that truly prospered: count your blessings - you are very fortunate, and are likely in the minority.

While I foresee 2012 being challenging as well, it is our hope that good leaders will emerge that will help to forge solid solutions to the problems that ail us. These problems are complex and there are no easy solutions. It will take courage, discernment, and a deep collaborative spirit to dig out of the hole that we are collectively in. We can do it though. We have done it before.

Walla Street Wealth Management, Inc. is pleased to announce that Timothy Walla, CFP®, has been selected by Medical Economics magazine as one of the "2011 Best Financial Advisers for Doctors in America" list again in their November 2011 edition. Mr. Walla first joined this prestigious list in November 2008 and then again in 2010.

Candidates were selected to the list based upon client and peer references, strong recommendations from physicians, and an extensive background check. Applicants were also required to complete an extensive questionnaire listing credentials, educational background, noteworthy professional achievements, specific areas of expertise, and percentage of physician clients.

An astonishing rally during the last three days of November did much to improve what had been an anxious month for investors. The Dow ended up gaining 0.76% in November after jumping 4.24% on November 30 alone, responding largely to coordinated action by the world’s central banks to improve liquidity in the European Union. We got hints that the real estate market might be finding a legitimate bottom, some fine numbers from Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and pleasant surprises from some other key economic indicators. Our stock market struggled to pull off gains in the face of debt worries, both in Europe and at home.(1)

The Good. Our economy has shown some real resiliency in the last month or two. Despite all the uncertainty in the world, GDP figures have come in better than expected and employment figures have been, well, “less miserable” (that’s me trying to be nice). Earnings season went fairly well, with many of the S&P500 companies beating their estimates. In some select sectors/companies you would be hard-pressed to even know that we are in difficult times. Some areas are actually prospering, despite the difficulties facing our nation, and our world. We also had a terrific rebound from September’s nasty sell-off last month, with some markets seeing double digit gains. Greece headlines have abated somewhat, with new interim Prime Minister Lucas Papademos taking the reins and helping to somewhat calm some very nervous markets. Overall, there are some definite positives out there.

In October 2011, stocks had their best month in nearly 20 years. The S&P 500 climbed 10.77% as optimism returned; investors were relieved that Eurozone nations were progressing toward a solution to avert a Greek default. However, the month ended with a political curveball that threatened to sabotage the whole effort. At home, consumer confidence and mortgage rates were at generational lows while consumer spending, auto sales and new home sales held up. Occupy Wall Street gained the world’s attention, as the hazily defined movement may have inspired its first tangible financial change.(1)

It was a bit cloudy, but the autumn leaves made Shadow Glen even more incredible than usual.

What. A. September. That pretty much sums it up, right? While tempted to leave it at my first sentence, I feel inclined to offer a few observations. I desperately wish that I could write about something else (something a bit more cheery perhaps?), but the fact remains that Europe, and the implications of European decisions, are too serious to ignore. We were scratching our heads around here, often asking, “why is the market not reacting, or even flinching, to the facts on the ground over there?”. You, poor reader, have been subjected to us talking about such issues for quite some time now. Almost overnight it seems, our markets have gone from complete disregard, to being held hostage to a vote in Slovakia. The “plan to come up with a plan” helped us to rally ferociously off last week’s low, and now we sit almost 10% higher. To say that our markets have some headline risk is now the understatement of the year.

September 2011 was a difficult time for many investors; the best thing about it may be that it’s over. Stocks and commodities were battered during the month - the S&P 500 retreated 7.18% and the Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB Commodity Index sank 12.97%. Investor anxiety about the European Union’s debt problems increased, and Wall Street was unimpressed by some of the stateside economic statistics. Would stocks struggle for the balance of the year? Had we entered a new recession? Investors could only hope for market performance and economic signals in future months that would put both questions to rest.(1,2)

In August, Wall Street waited for a debt deal, reeled from Standard & Poor’s downgrade of the U.S. credit rating, contended with mounting anxieties over mediocre domestic indicators and troubles in Europe, felt an earthquake and braced itself against an oncoming hurricane. No wonder the S&P 500 slipped 5.68% during the month – a month that most investors would rather forget.(1)

Debt. The word hung over global markets like a cloud in July, and Wall Street braced for the shock that could have resulted if Congress didn’t raise the debt ceiling by August 2. Fortunately for stocks, a deal was struck in time – but the anxiety in the days prior to the deal stole momentum from the stock market. Away from Washington, domestic economic indicators left much to be desired. On the month, the S&P 500 lost 2.15%.(1)

There wasn’t a lot for Wall Street to get excited about in May. As the buzz of the 1Q earnings season faded, the latest indicators hinted that the economy was losing momentum. As a result, May turned out to be – well, another May. The Dow lost 1.88% for the month, retreating to 12,569.79. Commodities had a poor month as well, and dreams of a real estate recovery starting in 2011 faded. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers seemed more interested in discussing the debt ceiling than raising it. In Europe, the possibility of Greece defaulting prompted yet another bailout effort.(1)

The market took most of its cues from earnings in April, and earnings impressed. As the month wrapped up, 63% of the S&P 500 had reported 1Q results and 73% of those firms had beaten earnings estimates. The S&P 500 index climbed 2.85% in April. Home prices all but double-dipped; home sales improved (they seemingly couldn’t get any worse). Key indicators showed trends of economic expansion and renewed consumer spending continuing. Oil, gold, silver and gasoline prices repeatedly made headlines.

Walla Street Wealth Management, Inc. is pleased to announce that Timothy Walla, CFP®, has been selected by Dental Practice Report magazine as one of the "2011 Best Financial Advisers for Dentists in America" list in their April 2011 edition.]]>http://www.wallastreet.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-13370531.xml