To Inform: How do I fund education costs for my kids and grandkids? This is one of the perennial questions that parents and grandparents face when it comes to education costs. 529 accounts have long been the answer for people looking for tax-deferred growth for education expenses (if you’re unfamiliar with 529s, be sure to […]

To Inspire:   When was the last time you felt awe? Awe is defined as a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder. But beyond the dictionary definition, awe blows us away: It reminds us that there are forces bigger than ourselves. Last month I had the opportunity to see my favorite band perform […]

To Inform: Markets take a circuitous path to the future. Investing is rarely a “linear” discipline. It’s better thought of as a “chaos system” akin to understanding the weather. In less scientific terms, markets are a “whack-a-mole” of risks and opportunities, all presenting themselves at different times and in varying fashions. Sometimes markets behave rationally, […]

To Inspire: Mark and I heard Bret Baier, Fox News anchor and historian, speak last night at the New Albany Lecture Series. Mr. Baier has written a biography of President Ulysses S. Grant and shared that well over 1 million people lined the streets of New York City for Grant’s funeral procession, an incredible turnout. […]

To Inform: We began 2023 talking about key themes which we believed would impact markets, and therefore portfolio decisions, throughout the year. A few weeks ago, we talked about inflation and the prospect of recession (Unpacking Themes Key to 2023 – Part 1)…let’s unpack two themes related to asset classes. Foreign Stocks: Could Shifting Winds […]

To Inspire: It’s almost Valentine’s Day! Next Tuesday, February 14, is Valentine’s Day. You know the traditions associated with this day – giving roses, candy, and sending cards. But how much do we know about Saint Valentine, the inspiration of this day that celebrates love? Here are a few surprising facts about Saint Valentine: There […]

To Inform: The Rodney Dangerfield classic, Back to School, finds our protagonist Thornton Melon attempting the “Triple Lindy.” Mr. Melon attempts and completes a dive that anyone in the real world would be a fool to try. A person asks in the crowd what Mr. Melon is attempting. When told it’s the “Triple Lindy” she […]

To Inspire:   In recent years  I (Matt) have used two planners – the Franklin Planner and more recently the Full Focus Planner. Both are very good and I’m sure many of you have or do now use one or the other. But for me, they were lacking something that lays beneath my priorities and […]

To Inspire: How many songs in the world last 250 years? “Amazing Grace,” a song sung millions of times each year, turned 250 years old on January 1, 2023. Not born of American Black spirituals as many believe, the song started in Olney, England. John Newton, a slave trader who nearly died in a shipwreck […]

To Inform: While we gathered with family, friends, and loved ones just a few weeks ago for the holiday season the U.S. Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. Although this Appropriations Act is largely a spending bill gaining notoriety for its $1.7 trillion price tag, it includes legislation within it known as “Secure […]