Investing
Thoughts on this Weeks Volatility
Blog“Thoughts on this Weeks Volatility" I’m writing this on Tuesday, August 6th so take the context into account as you read this on Friday morning but we’ve already had a busy week in the market. I find it helpful to always take a step back, breathe, and put market...
A History of the Federal Funds Rate
Blog“A History of the Federal Funds Rate" There is a lot of talk about the Federal Funds rate recently and whether or not the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates in 2024. I thought this recent article from Yahoo Finance did a good job explaining the history of...
Is the AI Fever Too Hot?
Blog“Is the AI Fever Too Hot?" I get a lot of questions about Artificial Intelligence and whether clients think we should be investing more heavily in some of these companies. While the growth has certainly been eye-catching, it’s important to not get caught up in the...
Why America is Still a Safe Bet
Blog“Why America is Still a Safe Bet" Over the past few years I regularly get asked if I think that America is in a downward spiral and whether investing in our future is still a safe bet. While I understand the question, and I don’t think you can argue that the...
Why the Stock Market Isn’t a Casino
Blog“Why the Stock Market Isn’t a Casino" I’ve heard people say before that the stock market is simply organized gambling and while I understand the sentiment I would have to disagree especially when you take into account the time it takes for a bet to play out in a...
Roger Federer vs. the Stock Market
Blog“Roger Federer vs. the Stock Market" If someone has a large amount of money to invest, it can sometimes be easier psychologically to put that money to work slowly over time. In other words, rather than investing $500,000 in one day, it can feel better to invest...
“Bearish is Easier than Bullish”
Blog“Bearish is Easier than Bullish" No matter what is happening in the markets or wider economy it seems you can always make a case for why the market is about to crash or why we are set for another bull run. 10 different advisors or economic “experts” can view the...
The Increase in Americans Retiring Overseas
Blog“The Increase in Americans Retiring Overseas” America can be an expensive place. Having personally lived overseas, it’s not to say that other areas are always cheaper, but the reality is that more and more Americans are finding retirement locations that they love...
Humility Comes with Experience
BlogHumility Comes with Experience The more time I spend in finance, the more I realize how little we truly know or how foolish it is to try and predict what is going to take place. I’m convinced that if someone is absolutely certain of their belief of what will...
Your Goals > Stock Market Movements
Blog“Your Goals > Stock Market Movements” For those who’ve been reading our weekly articles for some time, you might recognize the title. We have re-visited the idea that your personal goals should hold a greater weight in your mind than what is happening in the...
5 Keys to Investing in 2024
Blog"5 Keys to Investing in 2024" I enjoyed reading this recently published piece from American Funds. Yes, there are concerns as we enter into 2024, but is there ever a perfect time to invest?? What a difference a year makes. At the start of 2023, market pessimism...
Retirement for the Next Generation
BlogRetirement for the Next Generation We have written posts in the past about setting your children up for retirement which you can find here. In this article, we wanted to dive in deeper to this concept of a Custodial IRA (sometimes called a minor IRA). I also...
“The realities of Diversification“
Blog “The realities of Diversification" 2023 has been an interesting year in the stock market. As we outlined a couple of weeks ago, the rally in the S&P 500 has really been driven by a handful of companies. When this happens, diversification can feel...
“Housing Market Frustrations”
Blog“Housing Market Frustrations" Last week I spoke about the complacency we feel in the US economy despite some attractive economic metrics. Yes, unemployment is historically low, yes GDP grew over 4% in the third quarter of 2023, and yes inflation seems more under...
“Avoiding Common Retirement Pitfalls“
Blog“Avoiding Common Retirement Pitfalls" There's no such thing as one-size-fits-all retirement planning and planning the perfect retirement may be a pipe dream. For many folks, their view of what retirement will look like tends to change after the first few months...
“America’s Problems are Relative”
Blog “America’s Problems are Relative” Not many people would argue with you if you said that America is a great place to live but also has many problems. Whether it’s our national debt, inflation, interest rates, or political division, it can be easy to assume that...
“In Good Years the Market Still Goes Down”
Blog“In Good Years the Market Still Goes Down" It’s a simple thought, but I really enjoyed this article from Ben Carlson over at A Wealth of Common Sense. I hope you enjoy it too: The S&P 500 is up just shy of 17% so far in 2023. Maybe these gains...
“Yield Curve Inversion”
Blog"Yield Curve Inversion" If you loan (not gift) someone money for 2 years, you would expect to get your money back plus some level of interest since they held your money for 2 years. If you decided to loan that same money to someone for 10 years you would...
“How Americans Save, Spend and Invest”
Blog "How Americans Save, Spend and Invest" Ever since the pandemic hit us in early 2020, something that has been very interesting to watch is how Americans save, spend, and invest their money. While during COVID lockdowns, our spending choices looked...
Should we be Bullish for the 2nd Half of 2023?
It’s safe to say that with all the talk of a pending recession coming into 2023, the first half of the year has been more favorable than expected for stockholders. The S&P 500 is up around 20% from its lows in October 2022. This has been nice to see but is...
“Is Cash King Yet Again?”
Blog“Is Cash King Yet Again?” The rapid and parabolic rise of interest rates throughout 2022 and into 2023 has meant that there are finally alternatives to investing only into high growth stocks. For so much of the bull run in 2020 and 2021, the alternatives...
“Uncertainty is the Only Certainty”
Blog“Uncertainty is the Only Certainty" If you keep up with the news on a daily basis, it’s hard not to notice the constant fluctuation and turmoil on a geopolitical and financial front. Whether it is increasing interest rates, persistent inflation, or inverted yield...
“Re-Thinking your Giving with a Donor Advised Fund”
“Donor Advised Funds are a great way to be more intentional and tax efficient with your charitable giving!”
“2022 was Tough; What’s the Outlook for 2023?”
Blog 2022 was Tough; What’s the Outlook for 2023? Investors just went through one of the toughest investment years in history. This was quite a change from 2019, 2020, and 2021 which saw strong stock and bond returns despite the pandemic. The question on...
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