While the country is starting to open back up on a limited basis, we have a long way to go before we can put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us. The complete shutdown of the global economy is just now starting to show up in the economic data. Nobody knows what a recovery will look like, how long it will take, or how many setbacks we will face before we get there. The last few months have been so full of unusual events in the investment markets, now feels like a good time to reflect on what we learned in the markets over the last couple months, with the help of some graphics.

After weeks of quarantine and “stay at home” orders, we are starting to see encouraging signs of progress in our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. While we are not out of the woods yet, our collective focus seems to be shifting to what life looks like after COVID-19. We are all eager to go back to some sense of “normal”, but some experts believe the COVID-19 global pandemic will cause permanent changes in our lives, our psyches, and in the normal way business is conducted in America and around the world. Will we ever go back to the way we were before the virus struck?

As the saying goes, there are two things in life that are certain: death and taxes. While nobody can permanently escape either, everyone tries their best to do so. This makes sense when it comes to dying, but it might not always make sense for paying taxes.

We are living through a very scary time right now as COVID-19 spreads across the globe, forcing billions of people to stay in their homes. Back in January, I mentioned the trade war with China, escalating tensions with Iran and wildfires in Australia as scary headlines that might draw too much of your focus. Little did I know, just a few short months later, we would be in the midst of a global pandemic. I think it’s safe to say the headlines have become a lot scarier now. Let’s review what happened in the first quarter, what we learned and where we go from here.

We find ourselves in uncharted territory in many different aspects of our lives today. As the country and the world struggles through the COVID-19 health crisis and resulting financial implications, we have been focusing on what we CAN control. While everyone’s situation is unique, there are a number of planning strategies and ideas that you should consider right now.

It seems like every day there is a new announcement or change to the tax laws relating to Coronavirus relief. The massive CARES Act was passed into law on Friday with a number of tax provisions, while the Treasury department has released additional guidance regarding tax filing deadlines over the past few weeks. We are trying to stay on top of how this will impact you and we thought we’d try to answer some of your frequently asked questions.