Blog
Our wealth management dialogue, The Grapevine, is shared to educate you on financial matters that can help inform decisions you face today, tomorrow, and further down the road. We hope that this will give you insight into the “why” behind the actions we are taking in the strategies we run on your behalf. It may even help foster an internal dialogue within your family so that money and wealth are easier to discuss with loved ones.
Tariffs, War, and the Headlines: Staying Focused on What Actually Matters
If you turned on the news this week, you might feel like the world suddenly became a much more uncertain place.Tariffs are back in the spotlight after the Supreme Court struck down the tariffs enacted in 2025. At the same time,...
Read MoreLessons from the Winter Olympics
Every four years, the Winter Olympics deliver a concentrated look at excellence under pressure. We remember the iconic victories: the 1980 U.S. hockey team, Jamaican bobsledders, Shaun White; But the Games also show us something else...
Read MoreWhat if we're in an AI bubble?
What if we’re in an AI bubble? The “b” word is not one most investors like to talk about, but what began as a whisper has become louder and more prominent in recent weeks.
Read MoreEarthquake, Hurricane, or Layoff? How to Financially Prepare for Anything.
Did you know that September was National Preparedness Month? Normally, when we think about “preparedness,” we think in terms of readying our houses for a natural disaster, like an earthquake or hurricane. But financial preparedness...
Read More2025 - 2nd Half Outlook
In most quarters, we typically send a short “market recap” message looking back at the previous three months in the markets. This quarter, we are looking ahead. Not to make predictions, but to prepare ourselves for various possibilities...
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The Harvesting Strategy: Built For Life, Not Just Markets
Our Harvesting Strategy helps you survive periods of uncertainty with peace of mind. Learn how "The Three Cs" offer resilience, growth potential, and help to prevent panic selling.
Read MoreRules for Getting Through Market Volatility
Like getting the flu or visiting the DMV, market volatility is one of those facts of life that never gets more pleasant no matter how many times we experience it. As you know, the markets have been very volatile of late. In large part...
Read MoreThe tariff-related questions that investors should be asking
“What should we do about tariffs?” It’s a question I’ve heard a lot lately, often with a note of fear in the voice of whoever is asking it. In this message, I want to answer that question. I also want to talk a little about fear, how...
Read MoreThe $300 Billion Question: What’s Behind Buffet’s Large Cash Reserve?
Warren Buffett, the famed chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, is a legend on Wall Street. His reputation for acquiring businesses has stood the test of time. As I was reading his annual letter to shareholders recently, it occurred to me...
Read MoreElection 2024 - The Aftermath
The dust has settled, the votes have been counted, and Donald Trump is once again president-elect of the United States. The question now is, “What does that mean for us?”
Read More2024: A Long Expected Rate Cut
Over the last two years, the Fed has been trying to do the seemingly impossible: Cool down consumer prices without starting a recession. To do that, the Fed turned to the most substantial tool available to them: Interest rate hikes....
Read MoreHappy Grandparents Day!
We have holidays for Mom and Dad, which makes perfect sense. We also have holidays celebrating political figures (Presidents’ Day), a 500-year-old naval explorer (Columbus Day), and a weather-predicting rodent (Groundhog’s Day). All...
Read MoreRecent Market Volatility - A Deer in the Road
A few weeks ago, some friends of mine hit a deer. They had long expected this might happen. The area they live in is dotted with deer crossing signs, so they knew the possibility was always present. They always made sure to obey the...
Read MoreIndependence Day: Vote for Patriotism
This year the United States will celebrate its birthday. How are you planning to celebrate? ... Actually this year is different. It’s an election year! In years like this, the words “being American” take on an entirely different meaning..
Read MoreSix Important Questions About the "Magnificent 7"
What are the Magnificent 7? I’m referring to the seven companies most responsible for the stock market’s rise over the past year. In fact, they've played such an oversized role that it’s time to think about what might happen if they - stop.
Read More2023: The Year in Review
Every January, it’s customary to look back on the year that was. What were the highlights? What were the “lowlights”? What events will we remember? Most importantly, what did we learn? As you know,...
Read MoreOur Thoughts on the Markets Recent Volatility
You probably saw the news: On October 27, the S&P 500 officially slid into a market correction. A correction is when the markets decline 10% or more from a recent peak. In the S&P’s case, the “recent peak” was...
Read MoreIt Has Been a Rough September...
If you’ve been paying attention to the headlines, you know that September was a rough month for the markets. What’s behind this surge in volatility? Let’s unravel the string of events together and make sense of what’s going on.
Read MoreIn The News: Big Short? More like Big Reach
We recently received emails from two separate clients asking my thoughts on the following article. What are 'Big Short' Michael Burry and Warren Buffett seeing that we aren't? | CNN Business I responded to each separately and...
Read MoreA Hard Landing, or a Soft One?
You are on a plane, currently descending gradually through the clouds. I’m on the plane, too. In fact, everyone in the country is on board. Welcome to Flight 2023 of U.S. Economy Airlines. We know our...
Read More2023 Q2 Market Recap
June was a good month for the markets. Check these numbers out: The S&P 500 gained 6.5% in June.1 That’s the best month the index has seen since October of 2022. The Dow climbed 4.6% — its best showing...
Read MoreGood News! - 2023 Debt Crisis Averted
When 2023 kicked off, there were two storylines every economist, analyst, and financial advisor were keeping an eye on. Two potential crises that could upend the markets. I’m referring, of course, to the debt ceiling...
Read MoreA run on the bank – Lessons from March 2023 and SVB
For most of us, the words “bank failure” immediately trigger the same recent memory: the financial crisis of 2008. That was a year no investor could ever forget. The year some of the largest, most storied financial institutions...
Read MoreIt's Tax Time Again
A new year means new tax changes. While Congress didn’t pass any major tax reform last year, there are still updated tax provisions that could affect how much money you keep and how much goes to Uncle Sam. ...
Read More2022: The Year in Review
Every January, it’s customary to look back at the year that was. What were the highlights? What were the “lowlights”? What events will we always remember? Most importantly, what did we...
Read MoreHappy Thanksgiving: An Open Letter to Our Clients
Happy Thanksgiving! We hope you have a wonderful day spent with family, friends, and great food. As you know, Thanksgiving is a time for reflecting on all that we have to be thankful for. It occurred to us the other...
Read MoreDividends Matter
As late President John F Kennedy famously reminded us during his Presidency, the Chinese symbol for crisis is one part danger and the other opportunity.Our approach to wealth management is designed to help protect you from the former...
Read MoreThe Fed's Recipe For Fighting Inflation
You’ve probably noticed the volatility wreaking havoc in the markets over the past few weeks. For example, on Tuesday, September 13, the Dow fell over 1200 points.1 To understand what’s going on, let me tell you a story.
Read MoreThe Grapevine: Three Things to Know About Bear Markets
As you probably know, a bear market is a 20% drop from a recent peak. Bear markets can be a nerve-wracking time for investors, but in my experience, they can also be an opportunity if you know these three things about them.
Read MoreThe Grapevine: Are You Getting Your Fees Worth?
The f-word is seldom discussed in polite conversations. When it comes up, it can evoke awkward conversations and emotions, but it is on the mind of all parties, especially at the outset of a relationship. So, I hope you will...
Read MoreThe Grapevine: The Bear is Back
On Monday, June 13, investors began the week by digesting a new spate of bad—albeit familiar—news: Inflation continues to surge. In response, the markets sank , pushing the S&P 500 officially into bear market territory. Let's dig in.
Read MoreThe Grapevine: Importance of Harvesting, Now More than Ever
The harvesting strategy was adopted by our team in the early 2000s when rates were low on fixed income investments, the outlook for equities was uncertain, and folks were confident that rates would rise to more “normal” levels...
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