This was an emotionally charged election season, wasn’t it? Whether you are elated or depressed with the election results, now is an especially important time to make sure you are making investment decisions based on facts rather than emotions.

U.S. presidential elections can cause ripples, and even waves, in the stock market. Like any other event that produces market volatility, changing your investment strategy in response to the political news of the day or the market’s short- term ups and downs have shown to do more harm then good. Here’s a look at how elections impact the market and how
to stay invested for the long-term in spite of short-term volatility.

Markets were volatile in the third quarter as investors faced political turmoil and increased uncertainty about future economic growth, but the return of Fed rate cuts and solid corporate earnings helped to offset those political and economic anxieties, and the S&P 500 hit another new all-time high and finished the quarter with strong gains. In the third quarter, we began to see other stocks (the 493) participate in the stock market’s rise. Learn more.

Way back in 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act established a brand new program to encourage investment into economically disadvantaged communities. This program, called the Qualified Opportunity Zone program, offered real tax incentives for investors through potentially deferred gains, a step up in basis, and tax-free growth. At the outset, investors with large realized capital gains were given the opportunity to reinvest and potentially save more by holding onto their investment longer; but with the capital gains tax deferral deadline coming up on December 31, 2026, can it still make sense to look at Opportunity Zones for tax savings? The first step in answering this question is to understand what is a Qualified Opportunity Zone and how investors interact with them. Learn more.