It’s natural to feel anxious about investing. Investors all want to make the best decisions when it comes to their money and wealth management—decisions that will help your portfolio grow bigger without excessive risk. However, the investment decision process can be overwhelming, given the many available options and pitfalls. And when you’re entrusting the planning and management of your financial future to a professional, you’re likely to have questions. Investing is a key piece of a comprehensive personal wealth management, company-sponsored retirement plans, and endowment management. Belo ..read more

Imagine a tug-of-war, but instead of ropes, it’s financial priorities. On one side, there’s the immediate pressure of rent, car payments, groceries, and childcare. On the other, a secure and comfortable retirement down the line. For many employees, the future often loses this battle. A company-sponsored 401(k) plan can be a win-win scenario for both you and your employees—but only when employees take advantage of it. This article explores  the reasons why some workers may choose to opt out. And more importantly, how you, as an employer, can help them make the choice to start using this v ..read more

The U.S. population is aging. By 2034, all baby boomers will be older than 70 and older adults will outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history, according to Census data. With age comes a greater risk for chronic diseases and conditions—yet most adults are not facing this reality head-on. People tend to worry about how a market downturn would affect their retirement savings. But considering that 70% of seniors will likely need some type of long-term care, not planning ahead for it could have a greater impact than any recession.  Below, we’ll help you understand long-term care c ..read more

News vs. noise Is there still a chance of a recession? Inflation has small a surprise uptick, Fed interest rates remained unchanged, causing bond to wobble since investors were hoping rates would fall. Stock markets, especially many of the biggest stocks performed well yet again. However, some mega-cap stocks cooled, it wouldn’t be surprising if more volatility were on the horizon. That and more in this quarter’s Quarterly Context webinar …Watch to stay relaxed by staying informed, and remain current about things that actually matter to staying focused on your long-term goals and strategy ..read more

Macroeconomic Environment While it may feel like we are in a “higher forever” world with respect to stock prices or interest rates, we know this scenario is implausible, if not impossible. Amid a backdrop of low volatility mixed with investor enthusiasm (especially around anything to do with artificial intelligence) and better-than-expected economic news, the S&P 500 Index closed the quarter at a new high—its 22nd record high over the course of the quarter. A cut in the Fed Funds rate did not materialize as anticipated, and the Fed appears to be in no hurry to cut rates. Views are mixed w ..read more

A recent financial literacy study from Investopedia shows Generation X (or Gen X) is invested in—and concerned about—retirement. Currently between 44 and 59 years old in 2024, Gen Xers recognize that it’s time to get serious about retirement savings.  The study showed the top 3 worries for Gen Xers are retirement (21%), followed by saving money (13%) and digital currency (13%). The recent climate of inflation, rising cost of living and stagnant wages are a part of that. As were their lived experience and cultural upbringing.  Whether you’re an older Millennial who identifies with Ge ..read more

If you think your tax bill is too high, you’re not alone. Two-thirds of Americans feel like they spend too much on federal taxes—and that’s before tacking on property or state taxes. What if you could avoid some of the pains of tax season? From tax-deferred investing to charitable deductions and income deferrals, Americans have a wealth of options to lower their tax burdens. Whether you’re not getting the most from these strategies, or failing to use them at all, you could be costing yourself money. Read on to learn about nine common tax planning mistakes, and how you can avoid them.  Ke ..read more

The so-called “sandwich generation” is squished between their aging parents and adult children, like a piece of lettuce. That’s how some are now referring to Gen Xers (born roughly between 1965 and 1980). Between work demands, running a home, and responsibilities to both your parents and your children, midlife is often a time of “peak busyness”.  The upside of this stressful time is, it often serves as motivation. The weight of questions like “What happens when mom and dad are gone?” and “What if something were to happen to me?” may push Gen Xers, in particular, to assess their current s ..read more

News vs. noise Stock and bond markets came out better than expected in 2023 despite rate hikes, wars and collapsed banks, the chance of recession is dropping but still exists, markets may be more tepid in 2024, bonds got a boost at the end of the year. That and more in this quarter’s Quarterly Context webinar …Watch to stay relaxed by staying informed, and remain current about things that actually matter to staying focused on your long-term goals and strategy ..read more

Endowment fiduciaries are amazing people, sharing their time, and often financial resources, for the benefit of a larger goal for their communities. Many endowment committees of funds under $100 million, and especially under $50 million, however, are not fully optimizing their outcomes.  This can be due to gaps in their fiduciary, spending policy or investment policy processes. This article focuses on the spending policy component. [To see how Spending Policy fits within endowment fiduciary responsibility more broadly, and the regulatory framework for endowments (UPMIFA), see our “Endowm ..read more