Talking with clients over the last few months, I've noticed a recurring theme: concerns about higher medical premiums and expenses! The United States has one of the highest per capita costs for health care expenses, and yet we don't seem to be getting the best and most reliable care from our healthcare institutions. As Congress faces another potential shutdown and a decision to be made regarding...
Building on the momentum from the prior quarter, equity markets delivered another strong performance in Q3 2025, with all major U.S. indices posting robust gains and setting new record highs. The S&P 500 Index1 and Nasdaq Composite Index2 advanced by 7.8% and 11.2%, respectively, during the quarter, extending their year-to-date (through 9/30/25) gains to 13.7% and 17.3%. This continued rally...
On November 13, 2025, the IRS announced the Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) affecting the dollar limitations for retirement plans for 2026. In October, the Social Security Administration announced a modest benefit increase of 2.8%. Retirement plan limits also increased over the 2025 limits. COLA increases are intended to allow participant contributions and benefits to keep up with the “cost...
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) has brought sweeping changes to federal tax law. Some are permanent, others temporary. The changes affect both individuals and business owners. This article breaks down what you need to know and, more importantly, what you should consider doing before year end to take advantage (or avoid surprises) For clients we have begun to do year-end tax planning with,...
With the enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July 2025, Congress introduced a new class of tax-advantaged savings vehicles for minors known as Trump accounts. Here's a breakdown of the key features. What are they? Trump accounts are custodial savings and investment accounts that can be established for U.S. children under age 18 to encourage long-term financial security. Contributions...
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law in July 2025, includes multiple provisions that affect higher education. Key changes include new borrowing limits for students and parents under federal loan programs, streamlined student loan repayment plans, stricter rules on the ability of borrowers to pause student loan repayment, the promotion of workforce training programs, expanded...
Over the past several years, news reports have grown more intense about the precarious global supply of rare earth minerals. Yet outside scientific and national security arenas, many people may not fully understand the importance of rare earths. What are these mysterious materials and why are they receiving so much attention? Essential elements of everyday life Scientifically speaking, rare...
At the age of 94, Warren Buffett recently announced his retirement as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, the massive holding company he has controlled since 1965.1 Buffett is a venerated investor due to his financial success and long track record of stock market outperformance. The value of Berkshire Hathaway shares grew by 19.9% per year (annualized) over the six decades from 1965 to 2024, compared...
After a challenging start to the quarter, marred by a tariff-induced sell-off in the first part of April, equity markets staged a remarkable turnaround in Q2 2025. After bottoming out on April 7th, both the S&P 500 Index1 and Nasdaq Composite Index rebounded strongly, surging by 28.3% and 37.8%, respectively, to close out the quarter, reaching new all-time highs in the process. This largely...
Each year, the Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds provide detailed reports to Congress that track the programs' current financial condition and projected financial outlook. These reports have warned for years that the trust funds would be depleted in the not-too-distant future, and the most recent reports, released on June 18, 2025, show that Social Security and Medicare...
It is unclear if anyone would have expected the equity market to be touching all-time highs if you had told them the economy would be navigating 15%-ish effective tariff rates. Let’s see what August brings. A notoriously difficult month to predict given thin liquidity. Here are 3 things you need to know: U.S. ‘tech-ceptionalism’ made a comeback with the NASDAQ (+3.7%) posting 14 record highs in...
On July 4, 2025, President Donald Trump signed the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) into law, introducing major updates to the U.S. tax code for 2025 and 2026. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have developed a habit of bundling major legislation into large, complex bills to appeal to a wide range of constituents, from moderates to hardline conservatives. They then use budget...
Written By: Brent Miller, Senior Portfolio Manager Q2 2025 was a period of significant recovery for U.S. equity markets, following a turbulent start to the period marked by trade tensions and economic uncertainty. After bottoming out on 4/7/25, both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite rebounded strongly, surging by 28.3% and 37.8%, respectively, to close out the quarter and reaching new...
The 2nd quarter (Q2) began with a truly historic selloff after the Liberation Day tariff announcements on April 2. The S&P 500 saw its 5th biggest two-day decline since WWII, down more than -10%. That decline had only been rivaled around Black Monday 1987, the height of the GFC, and the initial pandemic turmoil. But by the end of June, the S&P 500 ended up +10.9% for Q2 (its best...
Recent tariff-related market gyrations caught the attention of many wary investors, including IRA owners. Although markets (and the tariff situation) have stabilized a bit, the outlook remains uncertain. For this reason, you may want to keep two key points in mind: First, market dips create opportunities for Roth IRA conversions, and second, the timing of a required minimum distribution (RMD)...
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