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Weekly Market Commentary 9.15.25
The Markets What are your expectations for inflation? Inflation occurs when the prices of goods and services increase. Last week, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed that inflation moved modestly higher from July to August. Prices...
Read MoreRoth Conversions in a Post-OBBBA World: What to Consider Before Converting
You’ve probably heard of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or something close to it. We’re calling it OBBBA, and while it may not directly rewrite retirement account rules, it could have indirect effects that impact your Roth conversion...
Read MoreWeekly Market Commentary 9.08.25
The Markets Was the jobs report good news or bad news for the stock market? In financial markets, sometimes bad news is good. It looked like that might be the case last week. On Friday, the Employment Situation Summary was released. It...
Read MoreWeekly Market Commentary 9.02.25
Will the bull market in stocks continue? There is always a diversity of opinion about whether stocks are headed higher or lower. Last week, investors were feeling more bearish than bullish about where the stock market may...
Read MoreWeekly Market Commentary 8.25.25
The Markets Will the Fed lower rates? Last week, in a much-anticipated speech, Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell said, “In the near term, risks to inflation are tilted to the upside, and risks to employment to the downside—a...
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Weekly Market Commentary 8.18.25
The Markets Was inflation higher, lower, or steady? Perspective has a tremendous influence on how we perceive the world around us. If you saw any three-dimensional chalk drawings on sidewalks this summer, you understand how perspective...
Read MoreWeekly Market Commentary 8.11.25
The Markets U.S. companies have been hitting it out of the park! Earnings season happens four times every year. It’s the period of time when publicly traded companies report how they performed during the previous quarter. So far, in...
Read MoreWeekly Market Commentary 8.04.25
The Markets Fast as a snail. In July, the weather in Norfolk, England, was perfectly rainy as Bilbo Sluggins won the World Snail Racing Championship with a time of two minutes and 11 seconds. Fans and competitors traveled from the...
Read MoreWhat the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Means for Your Financial Plan
On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into law. This sweeping legislative package combines permanent tax reforms, new deductions, and significant spending changes across federal programs. Here are a few of...
Read MoreRethinking Multi-Factor Investing: Is Smart Beta Smart?
I remember when multi-factor strategies became popular 15 years ago. They were marketed to add more diversification than the market while capturing the known risk premia – value, momentum, quality, volatility, and size – and were...
Read MoreWhat My Dog Taught Me About Loss, Grief and Life Insurance
My spouse, Jorvany, and I have two dogs: Max, a Terrier mix, and Nani, a Chihuahua. On July 4th, Jorvany left for a month-long trip to visit his family in Veracruz, Mexico. He took Nani with him, thinking it would be easier for me to...
Read MoreWeekly Market Commentary 7.28.25
The Markets How fast will an AI-powered economy grow? Global economic growth has not always been robust. Until the 1700s, economic growth averaged about 0.1 percent per year and was closely tied to population growth. “Bigger harvests...
Read MoreWeekly Market Commentary 7.21.25
The Markets This is not the inflation you’re looking for… In general, everyone who buys goods or services in the United States would prefer to see prices trend lower – and that’s what happened in the earlier part of this year. Over the...
Read MoreWeekly Market Commentary 7.14.25
The Markets Are financial markets too complacent? In Aesop’s fable, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, a young shepherd repeatedly raises a false alarm. Eventually, the people in his village ignore his warnings. When a wolf appears, the villagers...
Read More2025 Mid-Year Review
What a whirlwind were the first two quarters of the year! If we simply looked at year-to-date returns, it would seem like a pretty normal year. Up 6% for the S&P 500. Up 4% for core US bonds¹. Sectors that we have liked for a while,...
Read MoreEstate Planning Basics: What Everyone Should Know
When people hear the term estate planning, many assume it’s something only the wealthy need to worry about. In reality, estate planning is an essential part of financial planning for nearly everyone—regardless of age, income, or assets...
Read MoreThe Case for Succession Planning
A business owner's mindset is often focused on long-term survival. Yet, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 25% of new businesses survive 15 years or longer. In the early years, owners are typically laser-focused on...
Read MoreTen Items Often Overlooked in Your Life Insurance Policy
Insurance Blogs Life insurance policies are incredibly detailed, and even a good policy might not cover everything you should know. Here are ten items every life insurance consumer should be aware of: • The Free Look Period: Every...
Read MoreBest Practices for Data Security
Nowadays, it’s extremely rare to meet someone who hasn’t encountered a cyber scam, phishing attempt, or identify fraud of some kind. Unfortunately, it’s a reality that these types of threats are omnipresent and only projected to...
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