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Another presidential election year is upon us, with a second face-off between two candidates lying in store. As usual, the political chatter is accompanied by heightened attention to the economy and financial markets. In election times, many of our clients tend to share their concerns with us as they fret about potential market fluctuations, looming…

Supply and demand is the stuff you learn about on the first day of your economics class. When you have too much supply of a product and not enough demand, the price must decline. Conversely, when demand outstrips supply, the price inevitably rises. With this Econ 101 intro in mind, here is a question for…

Planning for retirement isn’t just about saving money – it’s also about ensuring you have a solid strategy for withdrawing your funds. Given the increasing life expectancy and the changing financial landscape, retirees need to make informed decisions about distributing their retirement savings so they can do it wisely. Working hard for decades and saving…

Hendrik Bessembinder’s groundbreaking paper “Do Stocks Outperform Treasury Bills?” is a comprehensive exploration of the long-term performance of US stocks versus Treasury bills1. Published in The Journal of Financial Economics in 2018, the study challenges conventional wisdom and sheds light on the distribution of stock returns over time. Bessembinder’s research covers a period of almost…

One could be forgiven for thinking a stock market index is a broadly diversified basket considering that the number of stocks is literally in its name: The S&P 500. Many mistakenly believe that if they invested $500 in the S&P 500, roughly $1 would go into each of the underlying stocks. However, what they don’t…

Are you making the best use of your tax-deductible expenses? A married couple filing jointly gets a standard deduction of $29,200, and most households do not itemize their deductions. If you are one of the few who has itemized deductions close to the standard amount, you might greatly benefit from additional tax planning. One approach…

Investing is a complex field with a fair share of myths and misconceptions that can lead investors astray and interfere with their financial goals. Let’s explore and debunk some common investing myths. Myth 1: Investing guarantees immediate wealth. Investing is a long-term endeavor that requires patience, discipline, and a realistic understanding of risk and return.…

A Family Financial Summit might be a new concept for many of you, so let’s start by defining it before delving into whether or not you need it. Essentially, it’s a family meeting that allows for the sharing of financial values and goals.  It can be helpful in aligning expectations about inheritance, responsibilities, and the…

There’s growing evidence of the value that financial advisors bring to the table, beyond investment management. This concept, often referred to as “Advisor Alpha,” has been championed by Vanguard and does a great job illustrating the many hats a financial advisor wears.  Our goal for you, whether you’re our client or not, is to get…