To Inform: We get a lot of investment research emails each week and if there was a common theme the last few days, it was the phrase “peak inflation.” Earlier this week inflation data came out for March. For the month, the consumer price index (CPI) surged +1.2% which equates to a whopping 8.5% on […]
To Inform: I once had a boss whose mantra was “everything is cyclical.” She would say this when we were discussing investment trends and asset classes that were either in favor or out of favor. There is great wisdom in understanding this. The Byrds did an excellent cover of Ecclesiastes 3 in their 1965 hit […]
To Inform: When a crisis hits, whether through war, natural disaster, pandemic, or other triggering event, many people feel a natural inclination to help those who are most affected. This topic feels pressing today amid the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and also the tornadoes in New Orleans. We all want to help, so let’s […]
To Inform: I am often asked by people, “how much money do I need to retire?” It is such a fascinating question for me that leads me to ask them a few questions such as, “How much money do you spend every year? What do you want to do in retirement? What makes you happy? […]
To Inform: Earlier this week we held our first live Portfolios at Panera event in many months. Alex and I had the opportunity to speak to a capacity crowd (it was a bit cozy in the room) and have a lively conversation on markets. Here is summary of key discussion items: Fed Rate Hikes On […]
To Inform: As you can imagine, we’ve had a lot of conversations about markets, the war in Ukraine and our thoughts on the direction going forward. For this “To Inform piece, “Chris” is a fictional character based on an amalgamation of clients and friends we have had recent conversations with. Why “Chris”? While we aren’t […]
To Inform: It’s tax season! And I just realized this is the 20 year anniversary of my last busy season preparing tax returns. Fond memories – truly. As I reflect on those years, aside from the tax planning strategies I gleaned, I learned so much about HOW financial advisors can best work with tax preparers. […]
To Inform: I have a chair at home I sit in every morning where I have my coffee and devotional time. Often toward the end of that time I will read the Wall Street Journal and look at the news. The headlines and pictures of explosions in Ukraine stir a fury of emotions. Our prayers […]
To Inform: It seems like you can’t go an hour without seeing a headline about inflation, or interest rates, or Ukraine. These are all important developments for the market, but they’re all clearly getting their time in the sun. We’ve talked about those issues at some length, and they continue to be front page news. […]
To Inform: The past week has seen two major economic data releases. First, January’s jobs number was much better than expected. Payrolls increased by +467,000 jobs which was higher than virtually every economist’s forecast (which ranged from -400,000 to 250,000). Upward revisions to prior months’ data only strengthened the case the employment market is robust. […]