In the first four trading days of 2016, U.S. stock market indexes have declined approximately -5%, the worst four day start to a year for the Dow and S&P 500 in history, according to FactSet data going back to 1897.  The catalysts for the decline seem like an almost exact replay of last August’s correction – news of slowing economic growth in China, China devaluing their currency, and the Chinese government interfering with free operation of their stock market. Let’s look at each piece to discuss what is happening:

In order to become the best version of yourself in 2016 you will need to identify clear goals and strategies for the important areas of your life – spiritual, physical, emotional, relational. You also must avoid the key pitfalls that those who live great lives have learned to overcome. Renowned phychologist Dr. Heny Cloud identifies those in his book, Never Go Back: 10 Things You’ll Never Do Again. Those who live great lives strive to never again…

As this note is being written on the last day of the year, the Dow is down over 100 points, capping off a year of flat to negative returns for major stock indexes in 2015. Looking at how things stand in December, here are a few observations:

In this issue of WealthNotes we share the final teachings of Doug Smith’s series, Living and Leading in the Second Half of Life. It is with the principals of leading in the second half of life that you are now able to fully reflect on Doug’s message to ultimately live with greater joy and lead with greater effectiveness for the benefit of ourselves and everyone with whom we come in contact.

Yesterday the Federal Reserve increased the Fed Funds rate by 0.25%, effectively ending a 7 year period of zero interest rates. The move in rates was widely expected, but the main event was what Fed Chair Janet Yellen said about the future…

You will recall in our previous issue of Wealth Notes Doug believes in order to have a profoundly successful life, there is a transition between the “two halves of life.” Throughout the transition, the soul becomes our primary focus and our lives and our leadership take on a very different character. In terms of living, those who transition most successfully…

This week, three charts particularly caught the attention of The Joseph Group’s investment committee as we discussed what is happening with markets and what is likely to happen going forward.

Doug Smith, former CEO of Kraft Foods Canada to name a few, now writes and speaks extensively on the subject of abundant living. Today we introduce the objective and concept of Doug’s message, “Living and Leading in the Second Half of Life.”

This past week, all eyes were on Congress and the debt ceiling negotiations. A budget deal was struck, but there were a couple important provisions of that bill not being talked about which impact Social Security claiming options. Specifically, two key strategies were targeted which are now being phased out.

Criticism is like medicine, it all depends on administration and dose. But here’s the problem: If we’re quick to judge, we’re upping the odds that we’ll misdiagnose and seriously hurt someone. New York Times bestselling author and former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers shares with us three reasons why we should be slow to judge.