Blog
What’s on our mind? You can read about it in our blog. Whether it’s ideas from the industry or emerging trends, you can read about it here. And once in a while, we may throw in a movie review or some other surprise. So keep checking in. We’re glad to have you reading along.
AI, Earnings, and Oil: What’s Driving Markets in 2026?
Some of you may be surprised by the stock market’s recent strength, particularly with oil prices over $100 a barrel. To us, the amount of artificial intelligence (AI) investment is even more surprising. But that’s not all there is to...
Read MoreMarkets and Military Conflict
As the Iran conflict enters its second month, geopolitical stress continues to test investors. Historical stock market performance during geopolitical conflicts helps remind us that stocks are far more resilient than the moment may...
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Navigating Geopolitical Volatility
Joint airstrikes against Iran targeting high-value military installations to hinder Iran’s nuclear development efforts and degrade its military capabilities while removing the Iranian regime from power are ongoing. The death of Iran’s...
Read MoreMarkets in January: Kevin Warsh’s Fed, AI-Driven Growth, and What Comes Next
Other than the historic volatility in gold and silver prices, the biggest news for markets in January may have been the nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair. We anticipate a Warsh-led Fed will be able to...
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Staying Safe in a Digital World: Practical Tips to Protect Your Information
Digital convenience has transformed how we manage money, health, and communication—but it has also opened new doors for scammers. In 2024 alone, older Americans lost over $3 billion to fraud, with the average loss per victim rising yearly.
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Tariffs Bring April Showers For Markets
April showers came a month early as stocks fell in March. Tariffs were the primary cause of the market jitters, although that uncertainty became too much for markets to shrug off once economic data started to weaken. The U.S. economy...
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Social Security 2025 COLA: Projected 2.5% Increase
More than 71 million Social Security beneficiaries can expect a 2.5% cost of living adjustment (COLA) increase in 2025, based on the Q3 inflation data so far. In other words, the COLA will raise the average benefit by $48 to $1,968 a...
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Hot Dog Inflation at the Ballpark
When you hear “hot dog” and “inflation” in the same sentence, you might think of those supermarket franks that plump up when cooked. In this case, we’re talking about the original dogs of the ballpark, a cultural touchstone of America...
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Countdown to the Fed’s September Meeting
Anticipation is growing for the Fed’s next two-day policy meeting, which ends on September 18, 2024.
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Thoughts on Current Market Conditions
The U.S. economy and stock market have successfully passed several recent challenges. Despite aggressive Federal Reserve rate hikes in 2022-2023 and fears of recession, consumer spending kept the economy strong... read more
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Raising a Family & Staying Insured at Every Stage
Happy Mother's Day to all of the hardworking and incredible moms out there! As a mother, you constantly think about your children's well-being and security. Read our article on raising a family and staying insured at every stage.
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Teachers & Investing - 403(b) Plans
It's Teacher's Appreciation Week! In light of this, we thought it would be a good time to discuss 403(b)s. What is a 403(b) and what are the benefits of investing in one?
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Top 10 Provisions in the New SECURE 2.0 Act
Congress recently enacted landmark retirement legislations known as SECURE 2.0 that will incentivize individuals to save for retirement, while increasing access to workplace plans.
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How SECURE 2.0 Makes Saving for Retirement Easier
Recent updates on the Secure Act 2.0 and how it impacts you.
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Financial Planning for Female Entrepreneurs
Women own nearly 20% of the businesses that employ people in the United States, and countless more women run their businesses without employees. There are over one million women-owned firms. They employ over 10 million people and...
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The Importance of Financial Wellness
Financial wellness, like physical wellness, isn’t something you should ignore. Instead, it's a critical concept for anyone who wants to be knowledgeable and confident about their finances, and in fact, financial wellness is so...
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Retirement Planning Tips for Women
Women often face special challenges when planning for retirement. For example, if they are the primary caregivers in their families, their careers may be interrupted to care for children or elderly parents, which means they may spend...
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Five Keys to Investing for Retirement
Making decisions about your retirement account can seem overwhelming, especially if you feel unsure about your knowledge of investments. However, the following basic rules can help you make smarter choices regardless of whether you...
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5 Advantages Women Financial Professionals May Have Over Their Male Counterparts
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The Most Common Tax Tips Before Year End
Tax planning can be advantageous when done during the year and well in advance of year’s end. Opportunities exist for you to mitigate tax liability, which may leave more income for you and/or your family. Generally, people put...
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Understanding the Federal Gift Tax
In 2018, around one in every five new home purchasers got at least part of their down payment from a relative—and of the parents who have contributed to this down payment assistance, the average gift is $39,000.1 With the housing...
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How Should High Net-Worth Women Use Their 401(k)?
The 401(k) allows (most) account owners to stash away $19,500 per year (or $26,000 for those age 50 and over), without paying any federal income tax on contributions.1 And with 2017's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reducing the top marginal tax...
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