To Inform: Each fall some 66 million people who receive social security benefits tune in to see what cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, will be introduced by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Annual COLAs have occurred since 1975 and are based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), with the […]

To Inform: Emotions are high when it comes to markets right now. There is a coffee shop in Hilliard called Coffee Connections which is one of my favorite places to work when I need to focus. It’s a terrific place – great coffee, terrific atmosphere, and amazing people. As I’m typing this, there is a […]

To Inform: Markets have dealt a difficult hand of cards this year. Equity returns have been subpar nearly across the board (energy being the sole standout) and bonds, typically the ballast in rough seas, have performed almost as poorly as equities. The question on everyone’s mind is “Are there any positives in today’s market?” Before […]

To Inform:  Stocks are retesting their June lows but one of the factors which has made the market environment particularly challenging is bonds are down as well. Most often, when stocks are down, bonds will tend to cushion the blow, but with the Bloomberg Aggregate Bond Index down over -14% YTD, bonds haven’t been a […]

To Inform:   “How much can I give someone each year?” We hear this question often and justifiably so as the amount has changed over the years. In this WealthNotes we’ll demystify personal gifting. What is the Gift Tax? The annual gift tax exclusion has been around since the 1920s as a way to prevent […]

To Inform: “One Step Forward, Two Steps Back” is perhaps the best way one can summarize today’s market conditions. Markets rallied from June to August on several factors, eventually rising almost 20% from the year’s low hit on June 16. Since then, the S&P has slid almost 10%. Why the tug-of-war? How long will we […]

To Inform:   Years like 2022 when both stocks and bonds decline are rare. Because of the conservative assumptions built into the financial plans of the clients we have the privilege of serving we know those plans can tolerate years like this. Nonetheless, it’s sometimes hard to find silver linings in market drawdowns. One silver […]

To Inform: Wednesday night I attended the programming season kickoff event for the Columbus CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Society. I had a front row seat for a panel discussion concerning “The Portfolio for the Future.” Panelists included the President/CEO of an institutional asset manager, the CEO/CIO of a local Private Wealth Firm and senior investment […]

To Inform:  On my desk is a copy of Anthony Sampson’s book, The Seven Sisters. The book details the history of seven of the largest oil companies that formed in the years after the breakup of John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil. It highlights some of the drama and political intrigue behind the discovery and exploration […]

To Inform: Let us propose a thought experiment. Suppose that fussy old Prince John has usurped governorship of Ohio and he’s taxing you hand over fist. You and your spouse decide that you want to stick it to that criminal curmudgeon, so you take $1,500 of your taxes owed and give it to the private […]