March 2012 Financial Asset Roundup

Here are my current financial assets as of the market close on March 12th, 2012:

Asset	Feb 2012	Mar 2012	Change
Checking	1,104	1,511	407
Money Market	45,013	44,474	-539
Savings Bonds	62,737	62,934	197
Treasury Bills	0	0	0
CDs	67,197	67,440	243
Brokerage	98,177	101,501	3,324
401k	101,246	102,954	1,708
Roth IRA	57,332	57,856	524
SEP IRA	285,763	306,412	20,649
529 Savings	61,138	62,727	1,589
Total Assets	$779,707	$807,809	$28,102
			(3.60%)

The S&P 500 had an overall rise since the last update, rising 1.43% during that time:

(chart courtesy of msn.com)

On the jobs front, the unemployment rate for February remained flat 8.3%, with a better than expected 227,000 jobs added. Oil prices have risen to almost $107 per barrel, reflecting the rise in gasoline prices I've been seeing over the past couple of months.

On the financial front, thanks to my 2011 SEP IRA contribution and some cooperation of the stock market my asset levels have once again reached an all time high, surpassing the previous peak from February 2012. I remember stetting the goal of getting my asset levels up to $500k 5+ years ago, so reaching $800k is a nice place to be as I gradually climb toward the million dollar asset level (yikes!). I'm also pleased to note that my 2011 S Corporation and personal tax returns are now complete, and I am due a refund on my personal Federal tax return which I've opted to receive the majority of in the form of paper Series I Savings Bonds. Once again, I found myself in the 15% Federal tax bracket which gave me a 0% tax rate on the long term capital gain from the Procter & Gamble (PG) stock I sold in late 2011. Depending on Mrs. Frugalson's employment prospects (and resulting income) after she finishes graduate school in the next couple of months, I may have an opportunity to sell some more stock in 2012 and once again not owe the feds any tax on the gains.

As for all things non-financial, I am once again looking at the impending expiration of my existing contract with my largest client. I'm hopeful that we will be able to work out yet another extension, but I'm not counting on that happening until I have a signed agreement in my hot little hands. And as for my recovery from the arm surgery I had nearly a month ago (has it really been that long already?), I've been healing nicely and have actually been able to get my arm moving around a bit over the past few weeks. The road to recovery is a long one, but having the surgery a month behind me makes the months of healing I'm looking at seem a bit more manageable. At this point, I just long for the day when I'll feel "normal" again and I can do things like tie my shoes or make myself a sandwich without the difficulties that I am currently experiencing. Baby steps...