Dear Friends and Family,

January headlines of interest:

• New single family home sales increased 17.5% in December.
• Existing home sales increased 12.3% in December.
• U.S. car and light truck sales up 11.1% in December.
• GDP grew an estimated 3.2% during Q4.

These headlines suggest our economy is improving, despite continued negative news. We focus our research on filtering meaningful trends from noise.

This month, we touch on managing financial health through smart credit card use. Fewer cards are better for convenience and credit ratings. Consider reward-based or pre-paid credit cards for budgeting, teaching teens, or security while traveling.

Extension notice: 2010–2011 Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs allow individuals 70½+ to donate up to $100,000 tax-free directly from IRAs. This counts toward Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). Contact us with questions.

Tax note: Fees paid to Katz Family Financial may be deductible—consult your CPA. Year-end statements with fee details are available at Fidelity.com or by request.

Sincerely,

Katz Family Financial