Insights

Fiduciary

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Killing Vampires and Unused Services: 4 Ways to Clean Up Your Budget

By Nick Gertsema

Saving money is never a bad thing. It’s never a bad time to take a look at your spending and see if there’s anywhere you could save a few bucks. We all know the common budget drains: eating out too much, luxury coffee, clothes, and so on. Read more

Weekly Market Commentary May 20, 2019

The S&P 500 dropped 0.7% last week primarily due to a sharp decline on Monday after the Chinese retaliated against increased U.S. tariffs. The global MSCI ACWI also declined 0.7% as international developed markets increased slightly, but declines in emerging markets pushed the overall index lower. Read more

On the Fence: Choosing a Financial Advisor as a Family

Written by Jackie Heater

Four years ago, my husband and I purchased a home with a nice large corner lot. The previous owners had put a wood picket fence around the back yard, but it was starting to weather. Of course, as soon as we moved in, we started talking about the things we wanted to change, and the fence was near the top of the list Read more

Weekly Market Commentary May 13, 2019

The S&P 500 dropped 2.1% last week as optimism that the U.S. and China will reach a trade deal was beaten down by additional tariffs and accusations of backing away from agreed-on compromises. The global MSCI ACWI slid 2.5%. Read more

Retirement Planning: What Are You Waiting For?

By Jake Bleicher, Equity Analyst, CFA®

Almost half of households near retirement have nothing saved, and that’s a big problem. I believe the biggest headwind is merely getting started: saving money is hard to do. Read more

Weekly Market Commentary May 6, 2019

The news in the last seven days has challenged the hopes and assumptions of some investors. Many hoped the Federal Reserve would signal an interest rate cut this year to combat weak inflation reports. The Fed signaled a cut is unlikely if growth remains decent in the press conference following the meeting. Read more

4 Ways to Make the Most of Your Tax Refund (and What Yours Says About You)

If you’ve worked in business, healthcare, ministry or almost any corporate entity in the last generation, chances are good you’ve taken a personality test – perhaps even a few. You found out you’re an ENFP or an INTJ or an Otter/Lion, or a Steady Wing 2 who needs to focus on your Bright Side. These tests tell you how you digest information, how you play with others and often things you didn’t know about yourself. Read more

Future Funding of Social Security Is A Pivotal Piece To Retirement Security

By Jamie Hopkins

You’ve probably heard of the three-legged retirement savings “stool.” The idea is that a quality savings plan for retirement starts with having three aspects of saving: personal savings, employer retirement savings and government-provided benefits. Read more

Weekly Market Commentary April 29, 2019

The S&P 500 climbed 1.2% last week, and the index rallied to an all-time high even when dividends are excluded. Continued optimism the U.S. and China will reach a new trade deal and solid earnings helped support the move to new highs. Read more