Finance

July Recap and August Outlook The hot days of high summer are usually regarded as the “silly season” because, lacking important news, the media tends to look for trivial material that will capture viewers. Not this year. July saw an unrelenting spate of tariff news, shock firings of high-profile government personnel, the President feuding with [...]

June Recap and July Outlook June saw a further complication of the macro situation as U.S. military involvement in Iran was added to ongoing tariff confusion and a worsening of the economic outlook for the balance of 2025 and into 2026. The announcement that a new Fed Chairperson would soon be named essentially created a [...]

May Recap and June Outlook May was a month of differing perspectives. Markets turned positive on a belief that a solution on tariffs would be eventually forthcoming, and the continued whipsawing headlines began to have a muted impact. The Fed stuck to its position that more data was needed before a further move on rates. [...]

You’ve worked hard and built up a healthy retirement plan balance, and the time to start spending it is finally here. But how can you be sure that your plan will provide the income you need for the potentially 20+ years of your retirement? Well, your own situation of course depends on your total financial [...]

April Recap and May Outlook April began with the shock of tariff announcements that were much more punitive than anticipated by businesses, markets, investors, and economists. Equity markets promptly pulled back, even entering bear territory, although not closing there. The administration initially stood by the tariff enactment date. However, the bond markets became increasingly wobbly, [...]

Planning the transition of your assets isn’t just about maximizing the amount passed on and simplifying the handover—it’s really about ensuring that the help, love and wisdom you provide for your people now can continue even after you are gone. A thoughtful plan can look ahead and smooth obstacles in the same way you would [...]

A Shock to the System: Tariffs, Stagflation and Market Corrections March Recap and April Outlook The month started out on a positive note as CPI came in lower than expected, creating a brief respite from worries about the impact of tariffs. It was short-lived, as the result of the Federal Open Market Committee meeting at [...]

February Recap and March Outlook The new administration’s priority of “reindustrializing the U.S.” is coming into focus as tariff announcements - even if softened or rescinded - indicated that this is a policy, not just a campaign plank. Throughout the month, the Department of Government Efficiency (“DOGE”) continued its mandate of shrinking government with a [...]

Last year ended with a strong economy and positive stock and bond market returns. With inflation under 3% and GDP over 3%, the soft landing remained in place. While volatility was not a constant theme, 2024 saw some very dramatic single-day stock movements. As a new administration gets underway and campaign promises coalesce into an [...]

A New Administration Gets Down to Business January Recap and February Outlook January seemed to go on forever, as the country faced extreme weather and devasting wildfires. The  new administration got underway with a lot of sound and fury, particularly around tariffs, which had been a highlight – or a wild card – of the [...]