Blog

The Markets Will the Fed lower rates? Last week, in a much-anticipated speech, Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell said, “In the near term, risks to inflation are tilted to the upside, and risks to employment to the downside—a...

The Markets Was inflation higher, lower, or steady? Perspective has a tremendous influence on how we perceive the world around us. If you saw any three-dimensional chalk drawings on sidewalks this summer, you understand how perspective...

The Markets U.S. companies have been hitting it out of the park! Earnings season happens four times every year. It’s the period of time when publicly traded companies report how they performed during the previous quarter. So far, in...

The Markets Fast as a snail. In July, the weather in Norfolk, England, was perfectly rainy as Bilbo Sluggins won the World Snail Racing Championship with a time of two minutes and 11 seconds. Fans and competitors traveled from the...

My spouse, Jorvany, and I have two dogs: Max, a Terrier mix, and Nani, a Chihuahua. On July 4th, Jorvany left for a month-long trip to visit his family in Veracruz, Mexico. He took Nani with him, thinking it would be easier for me to...

Rethinking Multi-Factor Investing: Is Smart Beta Smart?

Jim Worden CFA ®, CMT ®, CAIA ®

Thursday, July 31, 2025

I remember when multi-factor strategies became popular 15 years ago. They were marketed to add more diversification than the market while capturing the known risk premia – value, momentum, quality, volatility, and size – and were...

On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into law. This sweeping legislative package combines permanent tax reforms, new deductions, and significant spending changes across federal programs. Here are a few of...

The Markets How fast will an AI-powered economy grow? Global economic growth has not always been robust. Until the 1700s, economic growth averaged about 0.1 percent per year and was closely tied to population growth. “Bigger harvests...

The Markets This is not the inflation you’re looking for… In general, everyone who buys goods or services in the United States would prefer to see prices trend lower – and that’s what happened in the earlier part of this year. Over the...

The Markets Are financial markets too complacent? In Aesop’s fable, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, a young shepherd repeatedly raises a false alarm. Eventually, the people in his village ignore his warnings. When a wolf appears, the villagers...

2025 Mid-Year Review

Jim Worden CFA ®, CMT ®, CAIA ®

Monday, July 7, 2025

What a whirlwind were the first two quarters of the year! If we simply looked at year-to-date returns, it would seem like a pretty normal year. Up 6% for the S&P 500. Up 4% for core US bonds¹. Sectors that we have liked for a while,...

A business owner's mindset is often focused on long-term survival. Yet, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 25% of new businesses survive 15 years or longer. In the early years, owners are typically laser-focused on...

When people hear the term estate planning, many assume it’s something only the wealthy need to worry about. In reality, estate planning is an essential part of financial planning for nearly everyone—regardless of age, income, or assets...

Insurance Blogs Life insurance policies are incredibly detailed, and even a good policy might not cover everything you should know. Here are ten items every life insurance consumer should be aware of: • The Free Look Period: Every...

Nowadays, it’s extremely rare to meet someone who hasn’t encountered a cyber scam, phishing attempt, or identify fraud of some kind. Unfortunately, it’s a reality that these types of threats are omnipresent and only projected to...

Setting and pursuing new goals isn't confined to a calendar. However, there's a distinct sense of purpose and momentum that accompanies the start of a new year, making it an opportune time to lay the groundwork for the months ahead....

Secure Act 2.0: Reminders for 2024 On December 29, 2022, the SECURE Act 2.0 (SECURE 2.0) was signed into legislation. Many provisions included in the bill will be phased into effect over the next several years. Here are some of the...

Estate Planning Basics: Don’t Leave Your Estate in a “Purple Haze” November 1, 2023 Estate planning may be one of the last things that anyone wants to think about. Not only is it difficult to contemplate our mortality, but human beings...

An estate takes lifetimes to build but can be lost in the blink of an eye. Most of us don’t imagine assets that took decades to accumulate being drained in a few short years, but in some cases this is exactly what happens. Here are...

Credit cards are kind of like chainsaws. When used properly they can be extremely helpful tools, but if they are used improperly, they have the ability create a horrendous amount of damage. Considering this, it’s important to take the...

From CEOs to athletes, most people striving for a certain level of performance are constantly assessing where they are and where they want to be. Regularly checking in helps them decide if they’re effectively using all their resources....

Generating rental income can be an excellent way to earn passive income, while offsetting some ofyour expenses! Here are a few key considerations to keep in mind when renting your house: Research the MarketResearch rental rates for...

FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER? – Things to Consider Before Taking that LeapMay 1, 2023 Life is full of many exciting firsts. Your first steps, your first car, your first love, your first job, and nowyour first home! You’ve made it to what most...

Have you ever purchased your first home or opened a taxable account and got hit with the question “how would you like to hold title to this”? Most people just look confused like a deer in headlights! With so many different choices to...

• A budget is a tool for allocating your income; budgeting can be helpful in meeting short andlong-term goals• Get started by determining after-tax income and how income can be allocated• Track spending and savings on an ongoing basis...

Secure Act 2.0 – Key Provisions and Dates February 1, 2023 Hello, Congress recently passed a new law which is being referred to as Secure Act 2.0. Below is a short summary of some of the key provisions, written by one of the Wealth...