To Inform:  One of the biggest debates in the investment world is the future of inflation. There is no doubt inflation is here. So far in 2021, direct inputs to things we buy like lumber (think housing), corn/soybeans (groceries), and tin (cans for food, paint) have skyrocketed. The question though is whether inflation is a […]

To Inspire: As we emerge from some of the limitations COVID has imposed on our society, it may be tempting to jump back into lots of pursuits. After all, many of us have been cooped up and feeling somewhat on the shelf – we’re ready to get back in the game of life! All good, […]

To Inspire: As regular readers of WealthNotes know, we think there is nothing more important for each of us in living a satisfying life than discovering our unique purpose for being. We are all wired in a way where our innate desire to make a difference in the world results in a longing for where […]

To Inform: If we complain about paying taxes, that typically means we are making money. If we lament the historically low savings rates at the bank, that typically means we have money saved. Good problems to have, right? Perhaps, but that does not mean we shouldn’t try to solve them. I think we would all […]

To Inspire: For nearly 50 years, I (Matt) have been a reader of Guideposts Magazine. An unabashed fan of Norman Vincent Peale (who founded Guideposts with his wife, Ruth), Guideposts has inspired me month after month with stories of ordinary people overcoming great challenges and living lives of purpose. For this issue of WealthNotes, we […]

To Inform: This past week has been a wild ride for the stock market. On Tuesday (5/11) and Wednesday (5/12), the popular Dow Jones Industrial Average was down over -300 points and -600 points respectively. Of course, with the Dow hovering around 34,000, -600 points isn’t what is used to be in percentage terms, but […]

To Inspire: We’ve all had it happen – you talk about a song you haven’t heard in a long time and the next day you hear it – “We were just talking about this!” Or you are vacationing thousands of miles away from home, and totally unexpectedly run into someone from your hometown! Coincidences often […]

To Inform: I find great investment wisdom in reading from the accumulated wisdom of some of history’s greats. One such investor is David Dreman, author of Contrarian Investment Strategies. Dreman began investing in the late 1950s and ran his own firm for over 30 years. In his book, Dreman provides a number of “Rules”. One […]

Business owners agree that having a robust benefits package is critical to attracting and retaining top talent. Included in that package is a retirement plan, typically a 401(k) plan, with some type of employer contribution to give employee savings a boost. But what happens when employees aren’t taking care of their end of the bargain […]

To Inform: No one likes losing flexibility, especially when it comes to finances. Thanks to some recent changes through the SECURE Act and new IRS guidance, inherited retirement accounts suddenly became a lot more rigid. If you inherited a retirement account in 2020 or later, you might be subject to required minimum distributions (RMDs) starting […]