Keeping You Informed 

Have you received an inheritance and aren’t sure what to do next? Learn how to decide whether to spend, save, or invest so you can honor your loved one’s gift while securing your financial future.

The Week In Perspective combines market activity, financial events, commentary and analysis for individual investors.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower once said that "plans are worthless, but planning is everything." Applied to today, the lesson is that specific geopolitical events are unpredictable, but the fact that they occur regularly is not. The process of structuring a portfolio and making financial plans is designed precisely to deal with this uncertainty. While each event is unique, financial markets have navigated countless wars, crises, and regional conflicts, including the U.S. operation in Venezuela earlier this year. What should investors keep in mind as events unfold in Venezuela, Iran and other nations the coming weeks?

After nearly a year of trade policy uncertainty, the Supreme Court's ruling that recent tariffs are unconstitutional has reset the policy landscape. Yet, as is often the case in Washington, when one chapter closes, another opens. President Trump has already signaled a switch to an alternative legal framework for tariffs, and markets are still digesting what this means for trade policy, corporate earnings, consumer spending, and investment portfolios. What's the future of tariffs?

Financial stress can affect both mental and physical health. This article explores how mindfulness and meditation may help individuals manage financial anxiety, improve focus, and approach money decisions with greater clarity and intention.

Review your legacy approach regularly, particularly following significant life events or legislative updates.

Today's headline numbers are largely healthy: GDP growth is stronger than expected, inflation is slowing, and unemployment remains low by historical standards. However, the labor market tells a more complicated story. While the latest monthly figures were encouraging, hiring over the past year was far weaker than previously believed. For long-term investors, the key is understanding how the data fits together to form a broader perspective, rather than reacting to any single report.

The Week In Perspective combines market activity, financial events, commentary and analysis for individual investors.

We've witnessed firsthand the effects of identity theft on individuals and families. These incidents underscore the need to consider a few proactive measures to help protect against this pervasive threat.

The Week In Perspective combines market activity, financial events, commentary and analysis for individual investors.

The Week In Perspective combines market activity, financial events, commentary and analysis for individual investors.

The Federal Reserve plays a crucial role in the economy by setting monetary policy and interest rates, so changes in leadership naturally create uncertainty. Here are some relevant facts informed by history

How do lower interest rates affect portfolios?

Strong earnings growth has been the main driver of stock market returns, resulting in long-term wealth creation for investors. However, the details of any single company's results matter far less than how earnings trends impact overall portfolios. What truly matters is understanding what corporate profitability says about economic growth, consumer spending, business investment, and the sustainability of the current market environment. What should investors focus on as new earnings are announced?

The Week In Perspective combines market activity, financial events, commentary and analysis for individual investors.

While many investors often turn to precious metals as "safe haven" investments, these and other commodities are prone to boom and bust cycles. In today's environment, the rallies in gold and silver are occurring alongside many other asset classes due to heightened uncertainty around monetary policy, fiscal policy, and geopolitical risk. It's important to view these assets not as speculative trading instruments, but as components of a broader investment strategy aligned with financial goals.

The Week In Perspective combines market activity, financial events, commentary and analysis for individual investors.

Humans have a long history of training animal behaviors. How successful are we in training our own behavior, especially when it comes to money? The field that studies human reactions when it comes to investing is known as behavioral finance. Over 50 years of research tells us that people can be prone to both cognitive and emotional biases that often lead to suboptimal outcomes. Most investors understand that we cannot directly control how markets will behave, how the economy will perform, or what policymakers will do in Washington. However, we can learn to control our own behavior in response to events and headlines.

What are new tax laws you can take advantage of in 2026? As former Senator Max Baucus once observed, "tax complexity itself is a kind of tax." While this is the case every year, this is especially true in 2026 as many significant tax policy changes create new tax and financial planning opportunities. From new restrictions on retirement catch-up contributions to expanded deduction limits, understanding these tax law changes is essential for making informed decisions in the coming year. These changes require careful planning at the start of the year, particularly those over the age of 50 with higher incomes. Rather than viewing tax policy shifts as individual changes, informed taxpayers can view them as opportunities to refine their strategies and strengthen their long-term plans.

The Week In Perspective combines market activity, financial events, commentary and analysis for individual investors.