A Physics Lens on Market Fear In physics, the world is governed by forces—predictable relationships that describe how objects respond to change. One of the most fundamental is Newton’s Second Law: Force = mass × acceleration. It tells us that the impact an object feels is not only a function of the change around it, [...]
As the season of gratitude approaches, we’re reminded that giving isn’t confined to a single day, a donation drive, or a line item on a budget. True generosity — the kind that strengthens communities and enriches our lives — is a way of living. In a recent episode of Money Isn’t Scary, our colleague Meghan [...]
What can financial planning learn from military strategy? More than you might think. In this reflection, Stephen Yoskowitz shares how his time working alongside U.S. forces shaped the way he approaches uncertainty, discipline, and long-term readiness. Strategic Readiness: Why Comprehensive Financial Planning Resembles Military Strategy In the late 2000s through the mid-2010s, I [...]
Each time there’s a major tax bill, the natural question is: “How will this affect me, my taxes, and my planning?” For readers that work with an advisor, a specific conversation in the context of your life and planning will invariably take place over the coming months. To aid in those conversations and for those [...]
Last month, Professor Rene provided an update of the current market given the recent downturn (see below). Given the continued volatility here is an update to that update. With yesterday’s announcement of reciprocal tariffs the market is now down -13% from its Feb 19 high. Since my last post of Friday March 14 the market [...]
For now, the S&P 500 is down 8% from its recent (all-time) high on Feb 19. It’s an uncomfortable feeling not knowing whether an 8% drop will turn into a 25% bear market, but some things in life are unknowable – even to the most astute investors. It is key to remember that through all [...]
On January 5th the Social Security Fairness Act was signed into law eliminating the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) that had previously impacted the benefits of millions of public sector employees and their widows/widowers. If you were affected by either of these provisions this change likely means you are now [...]
Owner of a small business? How about a vacation home or investment property that you established an LLC to own? Guess what? You probably are subject to a new reporting requirement to the U.S. Department of the Treasury you may not yet be aware of. Why should you pay attention to it? Because the proposed [...]
Rene Jarquin July 2024 Market & Portfolio Commentary The S&P 500 Index has become very lopsided due to the run up of the 7 largest stocks in the index. While we have benefitted from this run up as index investors, this level of concentration can cause some anxiety and questions of what we should [...]
How much liability insurance do I need? Should it be enough to cover a large settlement if I make a mistake? Should it cover my net worth? These are the questions we hear from clients when we are looking at premium quotes for $1m, $3m, $5m and $10m+ of excess liability insurance. I don't like [...]
