Wealth Planning Commentary – June 16, 2025
Don’t Just Sign Trust Documents, Retitle Even the most thoughtfully designed estate plans can fail when trusts aren’t funded—a common and avoidable oversight. Often, someone works with an attorney to establish a revocable trust. Yet afterward, all or a portion of their assets remain titled in their individual or joint name rather than in the […]
Investment Commentary – June 16, 2025
Executive Summary Last week, stocks were down and bonds up (price up/yield down). The MSCI Emerging Markets index outperformed the S&P 500 and MSCI EAFE. The best performing sectors in the S&P 500 were energy, healthcare, and utilities. Across U.S. Russell style & market cap indices, large-cap value did the best, and the value factor […]
Corporate Earnings Off to a Solid Start in 2025
June 17, 2025 – The stock market’s performance is a function of two variables: earnings and valuations. A company generates profits, and investors assign a multiple to those profits, such as 15x or 20x earnings, to determine the company’s valuation. This year, earnings have been in the spotlight as policy uncertainty around tariffs and global […]
Economic Commentary – June 16, 2025
One of the practical implications of an economy that is growing at 1% versus an economy growing at 2-2.5% is that a more slowly growing economy tips into negative territory far more readily, with attendant implications for employment, earnings, and tax revenues. Thus far in the second quarter of 2025, the data persistently indicates that the US economy is growing at a pace greater […]
Market Note: Who’s the PIG(S) Now?
June 13, 2025 – In the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, many watched the unfolding European debt crisis with a mix of concern, curiosity, and self-satisfaction. Starting in 2009, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, and Spain (the so-called PIGS), among others, struggled to pay off their sovereign debt and were forced to accept international bailouts. […]
Mid-May Monthly Market Update
May 21, 2025 – Daniel Arcos provides us with a mid-month update.
Investment Commentary – June 9, 2025
Executive Summary U.S. stocks closed within ~2% of their all-time highest level since February 2025, lifted by a combination of resilient jobs data and signs of progress in U.S.-China trade negotiations. Bond Yields climbed as investors recalibrated expectations for Federal Reserve policy, following economic signals that eased fears of an imminent slowdown and fluctuating levels […]
Wealth Planning Commentary – June 9, 2025
Demystifying Proposed Social Security Tax Relief A provision in the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ that many associate with tax-free Social Security benefits is in the news cycle and confusing taxpayers. The proposed legislation, currently under revision in the Senate, does NOT mention tax-free Social Security. However, it does include an adjustment to a long-standing senior deduction. The […]
Five Charts for the Week That Was: June 6, 2025
Chief Economist Jeanette Garretty provides 5 economic charts covering topics including oil prices, the US Dollar, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Supply Management Purchasing Managers Index, and employment.
May Recap: Reflecting on the YTD Market Volatility & Recovery
Monthly Market Summary Markets Back Near All-Time Highs, But Forward Visibility Remains Low The defining story of 2025 has been changing trade policy. Markets have weathered two months of policy-driven volatility, only to end up roughly where they started. After a nearly 20% decline from late February to early April, the S&P 500 has rebounded […]
Golf and Wealth: Why Your Score—and Your Net Worth—Aren’t the Whole Story
Golf and building wealth might seem like unrelated pursuits, but beneath the surface, they share much in common. Both require careful planning, mental resilience, adaptability, and a recognition that the journey is more important than the final tally. Drawing on insights from “Why No One Cares About Your Golf Score,” here’s how the lessons of […]
Travel Smart This Summer
Summer is a time for rest, relaxation, and travel – but unfortunately, it can also bring heightened cybersecurity risks. As your trusted advisor, we want to help you protect your financial life during this season and beyond. While we’re proud to say that no client of ours has ever lost money to fraud, staying vigilant […]