Weekend Read: Where We Stand
As we head into September, markets feel at a crossroads: corporate profits are good and GDP has steadied, but disinflation has stalled, hiring is cooling, and tariff policy remains unknown. Taken together, these forces put us near a likely turning point for the Federal Reserve, moving from holding rates steady to the first steps of an easing cycle if upcoming inflation and employment prints cooperate. Below, I’ll summarize where we stand on earnings, GDP, inflation, employment, and tariffs, and outline the obstacles and opportunities into year-end.
Weekend Read: Trump’s Attempt to Fire Powell and Cook
Over the past several months, President Trump has repeatedly attacked Fed Chair Jerome Powell and called for his resignation. Recently, he has escalated efforts by trying to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook, accusing her of mortgage fraud1. Cook, a Biden appointee denies the allegations and has filed a lawsuit saying that Trump violated the protections afforded to her by being on the Fed Board2.
Weekly Review 8-1-25
This weekly review is going to be robust, I’ll try and organize it, but it was a busy week, as we got some major economic reports and policy announcements. The S&P 500 lost its weekly progress on Friday after the jobs report came out, ending the week down 2.47%. It concluded a healthy July adding 2.28%. As of Friday’s close, the S&P 500 is up about 6% year-to-date (FactSet).
Weekend Read: Should You Pay Down the Mortgage or Invest?
One of the most common questions I receive is whether someone should pay down their mortgage faster or invest the extra money in the market. With many homeowners having refinanced around 3% the math is impressive.
Weekly Review 7-25-25
The S&P 500 and the NASDAQ pushed their record levels higher last week, adding 1.5% and 1%, respectively. That puts them at a positive 8.62% and 9.31% year-to-date (FactSet). That’s an impressive performance considering the current economic environment. It's even more remarkable when you consider that on April 8, just 3.5 months ago, the S&P 500 was down 15% and has now added 28%! (FactSet) As I type this and reread that sentence, I too can’t quite believe it. It’s frankly incredible considering
Weekend Read - What's Really in the New Tax Bill
Congress recently passed a major tax bill, and while it makes many provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) permanent, there are also some significant new additions. I went through it to clarify the final changes. Here is a straightforward breakdown:
Weekend Read: The Truth Behind 3% Q2 GDP
This past Wednesday the 2nd Quarter GDP report made headlines: the economy grew at a 3.0% annualized pace1, a sharp turnaround from the 0.5% contraction we saw in Q1 that I wrote about here. That kind of swing would usually suggest a booming economy. But as is often the case with economic data, the truth is more complicated.
Weekend Read – So have Social Security taxes been eliminated?
“The new law includes a provision that eliminates federal income taxes on Social Security benefits for most beneficiaries, providing relief to individuals and couples. Additionally, it provides an enhanced deduction for taxpayers aged 65 and older, ensuring that retirees can keep more of what they have earned.”
Weekly Review 8-30-25
The S&P500 index finished slightly lower last week as markets headed into a holiday weekend and the unofficial end of summer. The S&P 500 on Thursday closed above the 6,500-point level for the first time, but it slipped back below that threshold on Friday (FactSet).
Weekly Review 8-22-25
Markets began last week relatively quietly, as the S&P 500 took a breather after hitting all-time highs the week prior. The calm shifted midweek when the Federal Reserve released minutes from its July meeting, showing that most policymakers felt it was still too early to begin cutting interest rates1. That narrative was chucked Friday when Jerome Powell suggesting the Fed may in fact be weighing rate cuts2.
Weekly Review 8-15-25
Last week, markets had a choppy but ultimately positive week. The S&P 500 stumbled on Monday despite news that the White House had extended the China tariff deadline by another 90 days1. That weakness didn’t last long. By Tuesday, a softer-than-expected consumer price report reignited optimism that the Fed may finally be getting closer to cutting rates (bea.gov). Stocks took off, with both the S&P 500 and NASDAQ hitting fresh all-time highs (FactSet).
Weekly Review 7-5-25
The S&P 500 had a choppy week, ultimately finishing little changed. On Tuesday, stocks fell on concerns that the Supreme Court might rule against the White House’s tariffs, raising fresh questions about the administration’s trade policy1. By Wednesday, sentiment reversed when a federal court sided with Google, ruling that the company would not need to divest its core search engine business2.
Weekend Read - The Clock is Ticking on Trump’s Tariff Pauses
As I write this, markets are back at all-time highs. We’ve erased all the losses we saw earlier this year when tariff turmoil first hit the headlines and are within sneezing distance of our February highs (FactSet). This rebound seems mostly driven by optimism that the temporary tariff pauses Trump enacted with China, the European Union, and others will soon become permanent trade deals.
Weekend Read - How Much Cash Should You Keep on Hand?
When it comes to financial planning, one of the most common questions I get is: “How much cash should I keep on hand?” The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all, but there are a few solid rules of thumb to start with.
Weekend Read - Think Your Will Covers Everything? Think Again
Most people assume their will controls everything when they pass away, but that’s not always true. Technically, your will controls everything that passes through it. Accounts like IRAs, 401(k)s, life insurance policies, and transfer-on-death accounts never even make it to the will because they have their own beneficiary. That’s why beneficiary designations are so important.
Weekend Read - Tariff Timeline and Market Reaction Recap
After several months of turmoil, conversations about recession, and apocalyptic predictions, we sit here with the markets ahead of where they started the year and a few percent within their all-time highs. What felt like a freefall has turned into a remarkable rebound. That volatility was largely driven by tariffs. Let's zoom out and revisit how these tariffs unfolded and where we stand today:
Weekend Read - Should You Take Social Security While Still Working?
Thinking about claiming Social Security while you’re still working? You’re not alone. I’ve had this conversation with quite a few clients lately, many of whom are wondering if they should start benefits early to “get something back” after years of paying in. But here’s the catch, if you claim before your full retirement age and you’re still earning a paycheck, part of your benefit could be temporarily withheld.
Weekend Read - 6 Tax Strategies to Revisit Now That You’ve Filed
Now that tax season is officially behind us, it’s the perfect time to pause, reflect, and plan ahead. I know taxes probably aren’t the most exciting thing to think about in late April, but ironically, this is when some of the best tax decisions can be made. Why? Because you’ve just seen your actual numbers, and there’s still plenty of time to adjust course for 2025.
Weekend Read: Trump’s 90-Day Tariff Pause
Wednesday’s announcement by President Trump provided some much-needed clarity and relief to a market that’s been wrestling with uncertainty over tariffs. He announced a 90-day pause on his proposed reciprocal tariff with some exceptions.
Weekend Read: Tariffs, “Liberation Day,” and What Investors Should Know
Yesterday, President Trump announced what he’s calling “Liberation Day,” a sweeping economic initiative that includes a long list of new tariffs aimed at protecting American industries and punishing countries seen as taking unfair advantage of U.S. trade policy.
Weekend Read – What’s Next for Social Security?
Let’s start with the big picture. Every year, Social Security collects money, mostly through payroll taxes, and sends it out in the form benefits. For decades, it collected more than it paid out, allowing the program to build up a surplus in its trust fund.
Weekend Read - Understanding Stock Market Corrections
Lately, markets have been choppy, and headlines may have you wondering how long this will last. What we’re seeing now is what’s known as a market correction, a term that sounds alarming but is actually a normal part of market cycles. Let’s take a step back and put it into perspective.
Weekend Read – Recession Fears, Separating Hype from Reality
Lately, there’s been a lot of talk about whether the U.S. economy is heading for a recession. The media loves to sound the alarm anytime there’s market turbulence and even the president has chimed in, but when you look at the actual data, the picture isn’t nearly as dire. While we may experience some economic slowing, the case for an outright recession seems overblown.
Weekend Read – Tariffs Tariffs Tariffs
A while back, I wrote about tariffs, what they are, how they function, and the economic trade-offs they create. To quickly recap, a tariff is a tax on imported goods, but it’s important to be clear about who actually pays the tax. It is not the foreign country or company exporting the goods. Rather, it’s the American businesses importing them that pays the tax to the U.S. government.
Weekend Read - Is Long-Term Care Insurance Worth It?
None of us like to think about a time when we might need help with basic daily activities, but the reality is, as we get older, the chances of needing some form of long-term care increase. Long-term care (LTC) insurance is designed to help cover the costs of care due when someone is no longer able to perform everyday activities on their own1. Whether it’s assistance at home, in an assisted living facility, or full-time care in a nursing home, a LTC policy helps pay for those services
Weekend Read – NUA, A Tax Break for Company Stock
If you have employer stock inside your 401(k), you may have a tax-saving opportunity that many people overlook: Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) is a tax strategy that can significantly reduce the taxes you pay when withdrawing or rolling over employer stock from your retirement plan. Let’s break it down.
Weekend Read: The Future of the TCJA and Why It Matters
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 introduced significant changes to the tax code, many of which are set to expire after 2025. Trump has indicated he will push to extend and make these provisions permanent.
Weekly Review 12-6-24
The markets delivered a strong performance last week. The NASDAQ rose 2.71%, while the S&P 500 gained 1.18%, with the NASDAQ hitting and the S&P500 extending record levels (FactSet). As we approach the year-end, I’ll focus is on whether these gains can hold steady. It seems that investors remain optimistic, buoyed by lower interest rate expectations, a resilient economy, and a perceived favorable political landscape.