To Inform: The turn of the calendar to the month of May this week has brought a flurry of economic and earnings data. Banks are obviously in the headlines, but let’s take a look at some of the big data points from this week and potential implications. Rates Jay Powell and the Federal Reserve increased […]

To Inform: Another tax season has officially come and gone with the “celebration” of Tax Day on Tuesday, April 18th! Hopefully much of the stress surrounding taxes has subsided as most people have filed their income tax returns and can now look forward to enjoyable spring activities. Golf anyone? One reason tax season is stressful […]

To Inform: “Just because everything’s changing, doesn’t mean it’s never been this way before.” I heard this line in a song once and it was one of those things that sticks with me. So much of the human experience can be thought of in this way, including what we experience as investors. The world is […]

To Inform: Instead of pontificating about topics I think will be interesting to our readers (I hope we’re doing a good job at this!), I thought it would be worth addressing a few questions that seem to be on the minds of lots of friends and clients. So read along for a rapid fire Q&A. […]

To Inform: Earlier this week I was in a meeting with a client, and we talked about the challenging market last year in 2022. The client said, “I know, and everything is down again this year!” I replied that actually, most asset classes are positive so far this year and a balanced portfolio in the […]

To Inform: Inflation, interest rates, stocks, bonds…there are countless factors to consider when thinking about your investment portfolio and your long-term goals, but when was the last time you considered what to do with your short-term cash savings? We all have a dollar amount that makes us feel comfortable in savings to be able to […]

To Inform: “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.”  – Yogi Berra Most mornings as I’m having my coffee, after a devotional and quiet time, I look at my CNBC app to check pre-market trading and the major headlines for the financial markets. For the early morning of March 17, here is the […]

To Inform: “So, on behalf of the people of this country, to prevent a recession, yes or no Chairman Powell, will you pause future interest rate hikes?” This question was posed to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell by Rep. Ayanna Pressley from Michigan this past week as the Chairman testified before Congress. Powell ultimately responded […]

To Inform: An article in Thursday’s Wall Street Journal started with the sentence, “Stronger-than-expected manufacturing data Wednesday pushed stocks lower…” Wait, what? Isn’t better than expected data supposed to be good for markets? Sometimes that’s the case, but the current market environment is one of mixed signals as the market wrestles with the prospects for […]

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 […]