Pradel Financial Group

// What are the pros and cons of a 401k plan? See below 👇

Pros:

→ Tax Deductible Contributions: Employees can contribute pre-tax dollars to their 401k plan and reduce their taxable income.

→ Employer Matching: Employers may match a portion of the employee’s contributions, providing a great incentive to save.

→ Automated Savings: Employees elect their contribution percentage and the savings occurs with each payroll – out of sight, out of mind savings.

Cons:

→ Contribution Limits: 401k plans have annual contribution limits that may limit the amount of money an employee can save.

→ Investment Choices: 401k plans typically offer limited investment choices and limited investment classes.

→ Limited Access: Early withdrawals are usually discouraged and may be subject to additional taxes and penalties.

A few highlights from last week’s market news:

✦ The market’s back-to-back weekly gains went a long way toward reversing March’s declines. The NASDAQ’s cumulative gain for the two weeks was about 9%, the S&P 500’s was 7%, and the Dow’s was 6%. Year-to-date through Friday, the S&P 500 and the Dow were essentially flat on a total return basis while the NASDAQ was down about 1%.

✦ Rising energy costs lifted the latest Consumer Price Index reading to an annual rate of 3.3%, well above the U.S. Federal Reserve’s long-term target of around 2.0%. March’s figure, released on Friday, was up sharply from the previous month’s 2.4% reading. The energy price component of CPI surged 12.5% year over year.

✦ Wall Street analysts modestly scaled back their expectations as major U.S. banks prepared to open quarterly earnings season. As of Friday, analysts surveyed by FactSet were forecasting an average first-quarter earnings growth rate of around 12.6% for companies in the S&P 500, down from a 13.2% forecast a week earlier.

We’re proud to share that Paul Pradel has once again been recognized as one of Forbes' 2026 Best-In-State Wealth Advisors!

“While I’m grateful for this recognition, our success at Pradel Financial Group is truly a team effort. A huge thank you to Jessica Moore for everything she does. Most importantly, this honor reflects our ongoing commitment to our clients, who we consider family. Thank you for your trust and support—it’s a privilege to help you pursue your financial goals and live fulfilling lives.” — Paul



2026 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, created by SHOOK Research. Presented in April 2026 based on data gathered from June 2024 to June 2025. Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary.