Blog
Greg and Kendra share their latest thoughts on the market, informative financial topics and other fun thoughts.
Cyber Hygiene: How Clean Are Your Cyber Habits?
The password management company NordPass, released their 2023 annual report of the most commonly used passwords. At the top of the list was “123456”, which was used over 4.5 million times. A frightening fact about the most...
Read MoreMarket Recap
Markets continued their upward trend for the second half of November. In fact, the month of November has posted the strongest returns in over a year, back to July of 2022. Helping to buoy markets was recent positive economic news...
Read MoreLong-Term Care Insurance Awareness Month
November is Long Term Care (LTC) Insurance Awareness Month. The goal is to raise awareness of LTC and promote discussions on its importance and whether LTC could be a necessary addition to your financial plan. LTC insurance is a...
Read MoreMarket Recap
After several months of pain, November started off with a bang! The first week of the month featured the strongest single-week returns in all of 2023. Gains continued throughout the first half of the month as markets posted modest...
Read MoreUnderstanding Your Options During Open Enrollment
Fall is here which means open enrollment time is upon us! Typically open enrollment occurs once a year, usually in the fall. That makes this the one time a year when you can enroll in or adjust various benefits offered by...
Read MoreShow All
Market Recap
Markets reversed direction and trended lower for the second half of October. A welcome end-of-the-month bounce helped to pare down some of the losses. The labor market continues to show remarkable resiliency. The October...
Read MoreNational Retirement Security Week
Retirement is a financial goal that nearly every individual shares. Unfortunately, planning and saving for retirement is often put on the back burner. Ubiquity Retirement + Savings surveyed 1,000 Americans about retirement. 80% of...
Read MoreMarket Recap
Markets spent the first half of October focused on the same old story: Where are we with inflation and will the actions of the Federal Reserve (the Fed) push the economy into a recession? Any news suggesting...
Read MoreMarket Recap
September fulfilled its reputation as a tough month for investors. Markets continued their downturn from the first half of the month to end with moderate losses. Last week the Federal Reserve (the Fed) concluded their most recent...
Read MoreSeptember is Life Insurance Awareness Month
This September kicks off the 20th year of Life Insurance Awareness Month. While talking about life insurance needs can be uncomfortable, planning ahead will alleviate many of the tough conversations had by the individuals you...
Read MoreMarket Recap
All eyes are on the upcoming Federal Reserve (Fed) meeting later this week. After raising rates for the 11th time (since March 2022) during their last meeting in July, market expectations are for a pause to rate hikes this...
Read MoreWhat is an HSA?
You may have heard of an HSA and wondered what it was; you may even own an HSA but aren’t exactly sure how it works. HSA stands for Health Savings Account and it allows individuals that meet certain requirements to...
Read MoreMarket Recap
While the August market slide continued during the second half of the month, a rally over the past few days has not only reversed the market course but has erased much of the losses from earlier this month. The story of the day...
Read MoreSocial Security's Birthday
On August 14, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act, making August 14, 2023, Social Security’s 88th “birthday”. In January 1937, Ernest Ackerman received a one-time, lump-sum payout...
Read MoreMarket Recap
Historically August is the second worst month for market returns.1 So far, that reputation seems to be holding true. Fueling market declines were fresh inflation data and banking downgrades, with threats of more to come. ...
Read MoreInvestor Call Recap
Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for our 3rd Investor Call of 2023. Our speaker, Mitch Tofte, from MFS Investment Management ®, delivered a recap of the significant events in the market and the...
Read MoreMarket Recap
Markets spent the second half of July focused on interest rates and Federal Reserve (Fed) policy. The strength of the U.S. Economy also took center stage as companies began releasing their second-quarter earnings reports. Last week the...
Read MoreThe Mid-Year Financial Checkup
We can officially put a bow on the first half of 2023. As we head into the second half of the year now may be a good time to take a look at your finances. There is still time to make changes and celebrate a great start to the year! One...
Read MoreMarket Recap
Markets spent the first half of July trying to determine the direction of the economy. While labor generally remains a bright spot, recent data is coming in mixed. One positive sign: the June unemployment rate was a...
Read MoreProtect Yourself From Scams
You likely hate reading about scams as much as we hate writing about them! Unfortunately, there is little evidence that scammers are slowing their activity– in fact, the opposite appears to be true and their newest target is...
Read MoreSell in May and Go Away!
It turns out summer break isn’t just for students and school employees. Historically, stocks rise more in the 6-month period from November to April than from May to October.1 For this reason, investors have coined the phrase...
Read MoreMarket Recap
Markets traded in a narrow range during the second half of June. June 16th saw a rare phenomenon, a “quadruple witching” where four types of options and futures contracts expire on the same day. Add in a...
Read MoreWA Long Term Care Tax Will Take Effect July 1st
Regular readers of our newsletter will recall previous articles we’ve featured regarding this new tax. The rollout of the new program begins soon.A quick review: the Washington Long Term Services and Supports Trust (LTC) Act was...
Read MoreMarket Recap
Historically, June is the worst month of the year for market returns. In fact, on average June only posts growth 37% of the time.1 So far, however, June 2023 seems to be bucking that trend. Markets started the...
Read MoreMarket Recap
The Debt Ceiling debate captivated both investors and the markets over the past few weeks. In classic ‘Washington Style’ President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reached an 11th-hour compromise last weekend...
Read MoreDisability Insurance Awareness Month: Protecting Your Biggest Asset
If someone were to ask you what your most valuable asset is, what would you say? Your house, your 401(k), your baseball card collection? For most individuals, their ability to earn money is their largest asset! Disability insurance...
Read MoreWashington State's New Capital Gains Tax
It’s officially here! In 2021 the Washington State Legislature passed ESSB 5096 which created a 7% excise tax on the sale or exchange of long-term capital assets such as stocks, bonds, business interests, or other...
Read MoreMarket Recap
Continuing April’s trend, the major markets spent the first half of May trading in a very narrow range. In fact, since the start of April, the S&P 500’s highest closing level was 4,169 on April 28. That’s...
Read MoreSpring Cleaning: Organizing Your Financial Documents
Spring is in the air! Flowers are blooming, the sun is shining and it is time to get our financial documents in order. Whether you maintain paper files or save all of your documents electronically, being able to locate your financial...
Read MoreMarket Recap
Historically April is the second-best month for the stock market, posting positive returns 74.3% of the time.1 This April continued that trend, although it’s obviously too soon to know where April will rank among the...
Read MoreMarket Recap
Markets were relatively calm for the first half of April, despite continuing concerns over inflation and interest rates. While inflation has peaked and is trending downward, questions remain as to how the Federal Reserve (Fed)...
Read MoreMarket Recap
Markets shook off concerns over bank failures to rebound in the second half of March. The Federal Reserve (the Fed) in partnership with the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) moved decisively...
Read MoreSlam the Scam
Are you tired of seeing those phishing emails claiming to be from the Social Security Administration saying that your social security number has been “suspended”? How about an emailed invoice for a product or service...
Read MoreMarket Recap
In preparation for this issue’s Market Recap, we thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice to write about something other than the Federal Reserve (the Fed) and interest rates?” Well, be careful what you wish...
Read MoreMarket Recap
The interest rate guessing game continues! Our last newsletter focused on a batch of data that suggested the Federal Reserve (the Fed) may be winding down its policy of aggressive interest rate hikes. That policy was arguably the...
Read MoreMarket Recap
February markets started out with a bang, thanks to the Federal Reserve (the Fed). February 1st marked the conclusion of the Fed’s first meeting of 2023 and resulted in the much-anticipated interest rate hike of 0...
Read MoreMarket Recap
The first half of January has been a welcome break from the losses of 2022, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (Dow), Standard and Poor’s 500 Index (S&P 500), and NASDAQ Composite Index (NASDAQ) all ending the period with...
Read MoreMarket Recap
Markets continued to focus their attention on interest rates and the Federal Reserve (the Fed) during the first two weeks of December. Leading up to the Fed’s December meeting (held on the 13th and 14th) volatility was...
Read MoreFSA vs. HSA: What’s the Difference?
The end of a calendar year is often the deadline to use up the balance of your Flexible Spending Account (FSA), although some employers do follow a different timeline. If you participate in an FSA, be sure to track this closely so...
Read MoreMarket Recap
The second half of November proved to be relatively quiet as the market took a breather from recent volatility. Underlying economic reports were mostly positive, while inflation and the Federal Reserve’s (the Fed) policy of...
Read MoreRetirement Plan Contribution Amounts
Each year the IRS reviews contribution maximums for qualified retirement plans. The new rates for 2023 were recently announced and feature some significant increases. The new annual contribution amounts include:401(k), 403(b)...
Read MoreMarket Recap
After blistering hot returns in October, market gains continued for the first half of November, although volatility continued to remain a factor. The Federal Reserve (the Fed) concluded its most recent meeting on November 2nd. As...
Read MoreMarket Returns After Midterm Elections
Much attention is being paid to the upcoming midterm elections and the potential impact on market returns. While election results will likely impact the market, contrary to popular belief the market cares less...
Read MoreMarket Recap (October 2022)
After a dismal September, expectations were pretty low for this month’s returns. Despite October historically being a strong month (it is the third-best month of the year behind December #1, and April #2)1, given the overall...
Read MoreHigh School Seniors and Current College Students – It’s Financial Aid Time!
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2023-2024 school year opens on October 1st. One of the largest expenditures we encounter when creating a financial plan is paying for college. Many families do...
Read MoreMarket Recap (September 2022)
The positive momentum of the past two months hit a major speed bump in the middle of last week. The markets remain focused on two factors: the strength of the economy and the anticipated actions of the Federal Reserve (Fed)...
Read MoreSeries I Savings Bonds
Series I Savings BondsSeries I Savings Bonds are receiving lots of media attention these days. We thought it might be helpful to provide some introductory information on this unique saving option. Series I Bonds are...
Read MoreMarket Recap (August 2022)
The ongoing “Relief Rally” hit a few speed bumps during the second half of August as positive economic news clashed with anxiety over the pace of continuing Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate hikes. Earnings season...
Read MoreVolatility Presents Opportunity
Since 1926 there have been 20 market drops of 15% or more. Our strategic partners at Russell Investments created a chart to illustrate not only the cumulative market losses but also the subsequent gains. It is interesting to...
Read MoreMarket Recap (August 2022)
The “Relief Rally” is continuing into its second month. Markets are celebrating signs that inflation has begun to ease. While the inflation rate does remain elevated, the July Consumer Price Index (CPI) report came in...
Read MoreThe Best and Worst Months For The Market
Monthly market returns are based on a wide variety of factors and fluctuate from year to year. While conditions are constantly evolving, it can be interesting to note the trends that months fall into.For instance, over the last 31...
Read MoreMarket Recap (July 2022)
Positive news continued to buoy the markets during the second half of July. On Tuesday, July 19th, all major markets posted significant gains: the Dow Jones Industrial Average (Dow) closed up 754 points, the S&P 500 gained 104 and...
Read MoreBear Market Recovery
By the end of June, both the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ Composite Index entered bear market territory and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was close behind. Technically speaking, a bear market is defined as a market decline of at...
Read MoreMarket Recap (July 2022)
On Wednesday, July 6th, the Federal Reserve (Fed) released the minutes from its June meeting. While they highlight the Fed’s concern over inflation, particularly that inflation may become “entrenched”, it did not hold...
Read MoreMarket Volatility = Opportunity?
It probably comes as no surprise that market performance for the first half of 2022 is down. All major markets fell, including the Dow Jones Industrial Average (Dow) which was down 16%, the S&P 500 which lost 21% and NASDAQ Composite...
Read MoreMarket Recap (June 2022)
Our last market recap, dated June 15th, struck an optimistic chord: the Federal Reserve (Fed) had just raised interest rates by 0.75% and the markets reacted positively. Prior to the announcement concerns swirled that the Fed...
Read MoreSocial Security Update
The Social Security Administration released its 2022 Trustees Report earlier this month. Of particular note was the revision of the trust fund data. The Social Security Trust Fund backs the payment of Social Security benefits;...
Read MoreMarket Recap (June 2022)
Inflation was the dominant story for the first half of June. Fears that a key inflation report would show higher than expected rates pushed markets down last Thursday (June 9). The Dow Jones Industrial Average (Dow) fell 1.95%, the S&P...
Read MoreA Deeper Dive Into The Economy
We’re starting to hear multiple sources using the word “recession” in regards to the future of the economy. No doubt there are headwinds out there – some significant. However, with so much negative...
Read MoreMarket Recap (May 2022)
The Stock Market Rollercoaster continued at full speed during the second half of May. Markets reversed course during the final days of the month, resulting in a positive return for that period. The market is grappling...
Read MoreHow about a little perspective?
During times of extreme volatility, our nerves can get the better of us and we might start thinking, “Why don’t I sell everything and get out of investing?” We thought this perspective might be a little helpful...
Read MoreMarket Recap (May 2022)
Market mayhem continued for the first half of May as large daily swings – both positive and negative -- continued. Here’s one example: On May 4th, the Federal Reserve (Fed) announced a much-anticipated...
Read More
College Planning Part 3 - FAFSA Simplification coming 2023-2023
Read More
The Grown-Up Guide: A Summer Activity - Kids Saving Stars!
We know that children have an awareness of money at a very early age and yet most "grown-ups" don't discuss money with kids. While there are many reasons, one common idea is a fear that talking about money will create greedy,...
Read MoreMarket Recap (July 15 2021)
After a strong first half of the year, stocks began the second half with continued optimism. Interest rates remain low, new COVID cases are significantly below January’s peak (although the Delta Variant does provide cause for...
Read MoreJust For Kids: A Summer Activity - Saving Stars
Numerous studies report that financial (and money) concepts are ingrained in children at a very early age. A 2013 Cambridge University study showed that kids as young as seven years old had already developed several basic concepts...
Read MoreMarket Recap (July 1 2021)
Stocks continued to trade in a very narrow range for the second half of the month. On June 16th, the Federal Reserve (Fed) concluded their regularly scheduled meeting and announced that while they expect higher inflation, there is no...
Read MoreFocus Charity Update
On Sunday, May 23rd, our office was proud to join a team of over 25 walkers at the Chambers Creek Properties for the annual Your Walk Your Way fundraiser for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Amy organized our office...
Read MoreSummer Activity - Financial Literacy for Kids
A few months back, I (Kendra) took Amelia, my 6-year-old, into a new local gift shop. She immediately found the softest stuffed animal hedgehog. I braced myself for her to beg me to buy another stuffed animal we do not need – and...
Read MoreWashington's New Long Term Care Tax, Part 2
We’ve received lots of questions about private long-term care options over the last few weeks. We understand the interest in opting out of the state plan – particularly for higher-income earners or younger people that will...
Read MoreThe Value of Staying Invested
In times of fear or uncertainty, our first inclination is often to “run for the hills”. When we are afraid of the markets that translate to selling our investments and ‘hiding’ in cash. Advisors frequently urge...
Read MoreMarket Recap (June 17 2021)
Stocks traded very narrowly as markets searched for direction during the first half of June. The peak-to-trough range for the NASDAQ Composite Index (NASDAQ) barely topped 4%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (Dow) and Standard...
Read MoreWashington State Long Term Care Act Overview
The Washington Long Term Services and Supports Trust (LTC) Act was passed in 2019 and is slated to begin in January of 2022. Here is what you need to know: This is the nation’s first public-operated long-term care insurance...
Read MoreMarket Recap (June 2 2021)
The second half of May ended on a positive note with all major markets posting gains. Amongst the markets, momentum shifted to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which gained 1,147 points (3.44%) as investors shied away from technology...
Read MoreMarket Recap (May 18 2021)
So far this month volatility has been the story. The last two weeks have seen several significant percentage moves – both positive and negative. May 7th saw new record high closes for both the S&P 500 Index and the Dow Jones...
Read MoreQuaterly Investor Call Recap
Thanks to all who were able to join us last week for our Quarterly Investor Call. We welcomed Devon Barker, Regional Consultant for Meeder Investment Management. Devon began his talk by providing an overview of tactical asset...
Read MoreMarket Recap (May 3 2021)
Despite some significant daily movements, the major U.S. Markets (S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and NASDAQ Composite Index) remained essentially flat for the second half of April. The Dow and NASDAQ both posted modest losses...
Read MoreMarket Recap (April 20 2021)
The major U.S. Indices (S&P 500, Dow Jones, and NASDAQ) all rose for the third week in a row - making a strong start to the second quarter. Recent economic data continues to build a compelling case that the U.S. economy is on the mend....
Read MoreThe Second Half of March (2021)
The Federal Reserve met on the 16th and 17th of March. Their primary mandate is to promote a strong U.S. economy and a key tool is keeping inflation in check. After their meeting, they reaffirmed their commitment to avoid making any...
Read MoreMarket Recap (April 5 2021)
Last month marked the one-year anniversary of the COVID Market Crash. March 23, 2020, was the low point of the market: the Dow Jones bottomed out at 18,592, the S&P 500 fell to 2,237 and the NASDAQ closed at 6,861. While the pace of...
Read MoreMarket Recap (March 15 2021)
The markets seesawed their way through the first half of February and the daily movements were frequently significant. Day-to-day changes were often a half of a percent or more. Concerns continued to center around inflation and...
Read MoreMarket Recap (March 5 2021)
Volatility returned to the market for the end of February with losses across the board for the last week of the month. Primary concerns were focused around inflation and interest rates. Increasing inflation would serve to erode...
Read MoreIntroducing This Year's Focus Charity
Each year our team supports a “focus charity.” We spend the year committing financial support as well as raising awareness for the organization. This year was Amy’s turn to choose our charity. The Juvenile Diabetes...
Read MoreMarket Recap (February 22 2021)
The first half of February has proven to be very positive. Every major market has posted several new record highs over the past several weeks. Optimism comes from hopes that the economy will continue to recover. The Congressional...
Read MoreMarket Recap (February 2 2021)
Last week was a volatile one for Wall Street and the markets experienced the highest trading volume in years. The week began with mixed returns as the markets digested earnings reports and the likely outcome of the newly proposed...
Read MoreMarket Recap (January 25 2021)
Last week was a shortened trading week due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. Optimism returned to the markets on Tuesday as positive earnings reports suggested that the economy continues to recover. Wednesday’s Presidential...
Read MoreMarket Recap (January 19 2021)
The markets took a breather last week and posted modest losses across the board. Political concerns, including the vote to impeach President Trump for the second time, as well as fears over the rampant spread of COVID-19 and its impact...
Read MoreMarket Recap (January 11 2021)
The first week of 2021 saw markets continue to climb. Surprisingly, they grew in spite of several major news stories, including the horrific events of Wednesday. Friday brought a surprise jobs report: the month of December posted a...
Read MoreWrapping up 2020
During the last trading week of 2020, all major U.S. markets set new record highs, posting gains of around 1%. Volatility was light over the shortened holiday trading weeks, despite continued gridlock in Washington D.C. over further...
Read MoreMarket Recap (December 21 2020)
The markets returned to positive territory last week. The NASDAQ led the way with a return over 3% while the Dow and S&P 500 returned 0.5% and 1.3% respectively. Optimism centered on the possibility of a COVID-19 relief package deal,...
Read MoreMarket Recap (December 14 2020)
After several weeks of solid gains and new records, the markets took a breather last week. The major indices all ended the week modestly lower (less than 1%). The week’s dominant news stories centered on the elusive COVID-19...
Read MoreMarket Recap (December 7 2020)
Last week saw solid gains and new record highs for all the major markets. The NASDAQ led with a weekly return of 2.1%, followed by the S&P at 1.7% and the Dow Jones at 1.1%. Continued optimism over a recovering economy and the promise...
Read MoreMarket Recap (November 30 2020)
Last week was a shorter week in the market with the Thanksgiving holiday and early market close on Friday. All major stock market indices ended positive with more coronavirus-vaccine news. This propelled the Dow Jones up over 30,000...
Read MoreMarket Recap (November 23 2020)
After hitting new highs in the previous week, volatility returned to the markets last week. COVID-19 was the dominant story and the primary influencer on the major markets. On Monday Moderna announced the very positive results of their...
Read MoreMarket Recap (November 16 2020)
The previous week’s optimism continued to fuel market returns last week. The first half of the week posted solid gains for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500. The tech heavy NASDAQ dropped, but this was attributed...
Read MoreMarket Recap (November 9 2020)
What a difference a week makes! Our previous update spoke to the pessimism and fear that was dominating the market and driving down returns. The story last week was one of optimism and hope. The markets started the week with strong...
Read MoreMarket Recap (November 2 2020)
Pessimism and fear returned to the market last week. Monday experienced the single largest losses in the past several months with the major markets down over 1.5% for the day. Dashed hopes for a COVID-19 economic relief plan before...
Read MoreMarket Recap (October 26 2020)
Last week kicked off with extreme pessimism over the likelihood of Congress coming to agreement on a COVID-19 relief package coupled with concerns over a nationwide increase in COVID-19 cases. Some optimism did return the following...
Read MoreThings to Consider Before Refinancing your Home
Low mortgage rates have sparked many homeowners to ask about refinancing. Aside from interest rates there are a few things to consider before filling out a loan application. First, a big precursor to refinancing is whether you plan on...
Read MoreMarket Recap (October 19 2020)
Last week started with optimism over a possible COVID-19 relief package and progress on medicines to combat the virus. The markets responded in turn with solid gains. However, by Tuesday that optimism faded as two high profile clinical...
Read MoreMarket Recap (October 12 2020)
Last week’s dominant news story, at least where the markets were concerned, was the ongoing saga over another COVID-19 relief package. Democrats and Republicans have been in ongoing negotiations over passing a second economic...
Read MoreMarket Recap (October 5 2020)
News that President Trump tested positive for COVID-19 dominated Friday’s headlines. The markets responded and not even the possibility of a COVID-19 relief package could pull markets out of the red. However, looking at the week...
Read MoreSidlelining an Election Year
Elections cause uncertainty in the markets. This uncertainty creates volatile weeks in our portfolios - like last week! A natural reaction for investors is to feel uncomfortable. The challenge is not acting on our feelings. We know...
Read MoreMarket Recap (September 28 2020)
If you follow market performance daily, it is likely you ended the week with a significant case of whiplash. Volatility raged and the Dow experienced triple digit moves nearly every day. Keep in mind that ‘volatility’...
Read MoreActive vs. Passive Portfolio Management
One of the longest-standing debates in investing is over the relative merits of active portfolio management versus passive management. But what does this even mean? An actively managed portfolio, a manager tries to beat the performance...
Read MoreMarket Recap (September 21 2020)
Last week started strong with the markets posting solid gains on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday the markets turned flat or negative and that trend continued for the remainder of the week. By Friday all major indices posted modest losses...
Read MoreMarket Recap (September 14 2020)
Last week’s market was quite the teeter-totter. While Tuesday and Thursday posted significant losses, most markets showed gains on Wednesday and Friday. However, losses did exceed gains overall with all major indices ending the...
Read MoreElections and The Market
We've mentioned the upcoming election in many of our emails. We think it's time to talk about the relationship between stocks and elections. Don't worry, we're not getting political on you. Politicians often take credit for the economy...
Read MoreBeware of Fraud
Fraudsters are constantly developing new ploys to get at your personal information. There are many methods scammers use, many of which look and feel real. With education and proactive measures, you can avoid these traps. Be Cautious:...
Read MoreMarket Recap (September 7 2020)
Last week began on a very positive note and by Wednesday both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq had reached new record highs. The Dow closed above 29,000 for the first time since February. And then came Thursday. The markets were hammered with...
Read MoreValue of Diversification
A few weeks ago we addressed the question, "What is The Market Anyway?" As you're probably aware, there are in fact many different 'markets' and sectors within the market. Examples include U.S. Large Cap, Emerging Markets, Global Real...
Read MoreMarket Recap (August 31 2020)
The market posted solid gains last week with all major indexes ending the week higher. With one trading day remaining for the month, August will likely record gains across the board. Despite many potential concerns, the markets...
Read MoreAll indexes Are Not Created Equal
A few weeks back we shared information about market indexes, often referred to as "the market". An index is a formula that follows the stock prices of companies within a specific area of the market. The S&P 500 tracks the 505 largest...
Read MoreMarket Recap (August 24 2020)
Technology stocks drove the market up again last week. While other areas of the market remain down, the vast adoption of technology to allow workplaces to function and keep people connected while social distancing - has pushed the...
Read MoreMarket Recap (August 17 2020)
The market enjoyed another positive week of growth last week, despite a few hiccups. At its height, the S&P 500 clawed closer to the high point of 2020, on February 19th. Three significant data points this week pointed toward continued...
Read MoreMarket Recap (August 10 2020)
Last week was a good one for the markets as all major indices posted solid gains. The markets were driven by a strong jobs report indicating an addition of nearly 1.8 million new jobs and an unemployment rate of 10.2%. Both numbers...
Read MoreMarket Recap (August 3 2020)
The markets ended the week mixed, with the Dow Jones modestly lower while both the S&P 500 and NASDAQ posted solid returns. Market movement was driven by several factors including second quarter earnings reports, second quarter gross...
Read MoreWhat is "The Market" Anyway?
You’ll notice that our weekly updates discuss the performance of the “market” or the “markets.” But what exactly is the “market”? When discussing investment returns, the most commonly...
Read MoreMarket Recap (July 27 2020)
After several consecutive weeks of gains, the markets posted modest losses to end last week. Rising tensions between the United States and China as well as disappointing earnings reports in the tech sector fueled the selloff....
Read More2020 Halftime Huddle
Let's take a high level look at the first half of 2020. The chart below shows how asset classes performed in second quarter (on top) compared to first quarter (on bottom). While there are some differences - this rebound looks close to...
Read MoreMarket Recap (July 20 2020)
The market closed positive last week for the fourth week in a row. The continued growth has been driven in part by news on the COVID front. The market perked with the news of progress in potential vaccine solutions; while remaining...
Read MoreRegulation BI: Coming to Your Mailbox This Week!
Effective June 30th, 2020, an important new regulation known as Regulation Best Interest, or Reg BI, has gone into effect. The purpose of Reg BI is to provide additional transparency to our industry. This results in an increase to the...
Read MoreStay the Course
Our access to information can tilt our long-term investment focus. We have daily access to account values, constant media coverage – not to mention our own weekly market email. The purpose of our communication is to keep you in...
Read MoreMarket Recap (July 13 2020)
Last week ended on a positive note as all major indices advanced. This was despite a few stumbles earlier in the week due to the growing number of COVID-19 cases. Positive news included a decrease in unemployment numbers and a...
Read MoreAn Important CARES Act Update
On March 27th, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law. This $2 trillion economic relief package was designed to help blunt the economic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. Among other...
Read MoreMarket Recap (July 6 2020)
Last week was a shortened trading week due to the 4th of July Holiday. Wall Street shrugged off the dramatic increase of Coronavirus cases as all major indices posted positive returns. Optimism centered on the development of possible...
Read MoreShelter in Place Update
Our staff has returned to the office in a very limited capacity: we work in separate, brief shifts and follow the guidance: if we can accomplish our tasks remotely, we will conduct that work remotely. Those guidelines also apply to...
Read MoreMarket Recap (June 29 2020)
Our previous newsletter introduced the term, ‘COVID Reactionary Market’. That is, the likelihood that news on the virus would influence near-term market returns: positive news will spur gains while negative news would drive...
Read MoreMarket Recap (June 22 2020)
Last week proved to be much quieter than the week prior. Markets closed slightly higher for the week as Friday’s selloff erased most, but not all, of the week’s gains. Once again market volatility centered around COVID-19,...
Read MoreMarket Recap (June 15 2020)
Volatility returned last week as the market took a breather from recent gains. Solid growth on Monday turned to mixed results mid-week and significant losses by Thursday. Friday’s late day rally helped to blunt the overall...
Read MoreFraudulent Unemployment Claims
Several clients notified us that they were victims of a fraudulent unemployment claim in their name. This fraud is widespread and losses are estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Washington has been a primary target...
Read MoreMarket Recap (June 8 2020)
Optimism returned to the markets last week as all the major indices posted very solid gains. Friday was the strongest day as a surprise announcement on unemployment numbers led to a surge across the board. Wall Street took heart in...
Read MoreMarket Recap (June 1 2020)
Last week was a shortened trading week due to the Memorial Day Holiday. Positive news drove gains on Tuesday and Wednesday, while concerns over trade tensions with China led to modest losses on Thursday and Friday. Overall, the markets...
Read MoreMarket Recap (May 26 2020)
Positive news returned to the market last Monday. This optimism, related to developments for a possible COVID-19 vaccine, pushed all the major indices significantly higher. The remainder of the week was mixed as markets struggled to...
Read MoreMarket Recap (May 18 2020)
Negative news, including jobless claims and renewed tensions between the United States and China, dominated the news last week. The market reacted in turn and dropped the first three trading days before staging a partial recovery at...
Read MoreMarket Recap (May 11 2020)
“The stock market is a wonderfully efficient mechanism for transferring wealth from the impatient to the patient.” Warren Buffett If you’re like us, you’re getting tired: tired of being quarantined at home,...
Read MoreMarket Recap (May 4 2020)
Believe it or not, April was the single best month for the markets over the past 30+ years. Since the low of March 23rd, all major indices have experienced a significant increase. It has been a welcome respite from the previous...
Read MoreInvestor Call Recap (April 27 2020)
Thank you to everyone who was able to listen in live on Monday’s quarterly investor call. We hope you enjoyed listening to Mark Eibel, from Russell Investments. Particularly in times like these, our goal is to provide you with...
Read MoreThe Coronavirus, Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act: A Special Update
On March 27th, Congress passed the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, with the intent of blunting the economic impact of COVID-19. The CARES Act contains many provisions, but we wanted to highlight several of...
Read MoreMarket Volatility Update (April 20 2020)
By now you should have received your first quarter statements. These statements likely showed a loss for the period. We know that seeing values go backwards is discouraging. We are here to talk you through your particular holdings and...
Read MoreMarket Volatility Update (April 13 2020)
While financial markets continued to fluctuate last week, the majority of the movement was positive. Optimism surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, including signs of lower infection rates and indications of a “flattening of the...
Read MoreMarket Volatility Update (April 6 2020)
Financial markets continued to fluctuate last week. The main cause of this continued volatility is the uncertainty surrounding the long-term effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. Above all, the market hates uncertainty, which is why we are...
Read MoreMarket Volatility Update (March 30 2020)
Market headlines have continued to dominate the news and the majority of these headlines have been negative. While we have certainly continued to see volatility, we thought we would devote some column space to highlight the good news,...
Read MoreMarket Volatility Update (March 23 2020)
Stocks ended their historic 11-year bull run last week after closing more than -20% lower than their all-time highs just four weeks earlier. One of the fastest bear markets ever seems to have been driven by short-term traders, rather...
Read MoreMarket Volatility Update (March 17 2020)
The headlines are scary and it’s easy to get caught up in the moment as widespread reaction to the coronavirus has caused market disruptions and panic selling. The urge to do something in times of crisis can be strong. However,...
Read More