Spring Surge: April Showers Watered a Bullish Market
Executive Summary Last Week Stocks largely ignored the wave of conflicting headlines about the war in the Middle East and a hawkish Federal Reserve policy meeting to post solid gains in most major indexes. Large-cap stocks outpaced small-caps, and value outperformed growth as another increase in oil prices lifted the energy sector. The S&P 500 Index returned […]
Gaps in Otherwise Good Estate Plans: Why Documents Are Only Half the Battle
Lately, a troubling pattern has surfaced in even the most carefully constructed estate plans. The work looks excellent on paper because competent attorneys drafted the documents, and specialized CPAs handled the tax compliance. Sophisticated structures were put in place, and on the surface, everyone feels protected. Look closer…and the loose ends start to show. Document creation is […]
Week of May 03, 2026 – Weekly Economic Commentary
GDP growth and consumer inflation figures released last week for both the Euro Area and the United States effectively told a tale of two different economies — both at war but experiencing the conflict in dissimilar fashion. US economic growth seems quite solid (Jerome Powell’s words were “amazingly resilient”), with inflation once again a worrisome problem. European economic […]
New Highs, Old Risks: Markets Rally Amid Geopolitical Whiplash
Executive Summary Most major U.S. stock indexes finished the week higher, with several hitting record highs, as some generally positive economic data, ongoing strength in artificial intelligence (AI)-linked stocks, and upbeat earnings results helped offset continued uncertainty surrounding the U.S.-Iran conflict. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite led gains, followed by the S&P 500 and Russell 2000 Indexes. Optimism around […]
The 2026 Property Tax Squeeze: Drivers and Mitigation Strategies
If you opened your latest property tax assessment with a wince, you are far from alone. Recent industry data suggests that nearly two-thirds of U.S. property owners were caught off guard by their most recent bills, and the increases are running well ahead of broader inflation . The good news is that property taxes, unlike many fixed […]
Week of April 26, 2026 – Weekly Economic Commentary
April ends with a flurry of important economic numbers and a heavy dose of Federal Reserve drama. The current range of estimates for first quarter US GDP growth is a fairly wide 1%-2.5% and anything close to 2% will be considered a quite good number. When the preliminary estimate for GDP growth is posted on Thursday, it will […]
Stocks Hit A Growth Spurt
Executive Summary Last week, markets absorbed a failed ceasefire deal and U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports to close at a new all-time high. The S&P 500 returned 4.5% for the week and rose to an all-time high amid optimism the Iran war is close to an end; oil prices and treasury yields fell. Mid […]
Why Now May Be the Time to Lock in Today’s Tax Rates
April 15th has come and gone. For most taxpayers, the instinct is to file the return, pay the liability, and put taxes out of mind for another year. However, there is something worth thinking about before you do. We are currently living through a period of low tax rates, expanded deductions, and a diminished IRS: a window […]
Week of April 19, 2026 – Weekly Economic Commentary
Euro Area inflation was 2.6% in March on a year-over-year basis, striking some observers as a surprisingly benign number given Europe’s considerable exposure to higher oil and natural gas prices. After all, US inflation in March rose 3.3%. The European measure of inflation most comparable to the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) is known as […]
Cease-Fire Sparks Risk On: Investors Swap Fear for FOMO
Executive Summary Stocks traded higher for a second consecutive week as a ceasefire announcement between the U.S. and Iran triggered the strongest single-day rally in roughly a year. The S&P 500 gained +3.7%, the Nasdaq rose +4.2%, and the Russell 2000 returned +4.3%. Most of the rally occurred Wednesday following news of a two-week ceasefire contingent on […]
Reduce the Risk of Retiring at the Wrong Time
Retiring this year? There is something worth thinking about before you circle that date on the calendar. Consider a scenario where the Iran conflict or other geopolitical events plunge your portfolio into a bear market for the next few years…. Just as you’ve stopped earning income, you could be withdrawing from your investment portfolio at depressed prices. […]
Week of April 12, 2026 – Weekly Economic Commentary
There is simply no way to spin this: the “affordability” metrics are ugly and likely to get uglier in the next two months. Inflation in the United States is running above 3% at the moment, a development that may indeed be “transitory” but nevertheless remains dispiriting and painful. In Europe, the magnitude of the upward push on prices from the […]