Explore the dynamics of stock buybacks, their impacts on shareholders, and the strategic considerations behind them.

As summer ends and children return to school, consider utilizing 529 plans for education goals. 529 plans offer tax-deferred growth and tax-free withdrawals for Qualified Education Expenses, including tuition and related costs. Eligible for K-12 tuition too, 529 plans offer flexibility, with options like changing beneficiaries or rolling balances. For more tailored advice, reach out to us to discuss your family's education plans.

Uncover the dual nature of stock buybacks as a tool for value creation or destruction. Explore their intricacies and impacts

Many investors are unaware of the true costs associated with their investments. In this blog, we shed light on two significant sources of investment costs: fund management fees and custodian/brokerage costs. By exploring expense ratios, loads, and fee disclosures, readers can gain insights into the impact of these costs on their investment returns and make more informed decisions.

The success rate for active managers has not been very good. In fact, it has been downright awful. It is really hard to beat an index. If you or your advisor are pursuing traditional active management, you’ll need to depend on some serious luck. The decisions you or your financial advisor make around the types of managers and investment strategies you invest in can make a big difference in your long-term returns.

How do we plan when we cannot know? There are always an array of tax breaks to encourage us to save toward our major life goals. However, it remains up to us to make the best use of these “tools of the trade.”

Have you been wondering, “When should I start taking my Social Security?”

The “right” answer to this common question depends on a wide array of personal variables. It depends on how Congress acts. It depends on how the unknowable future plays out.

Let’s take a closer look at how to find the right balance for you.

2022 served as a helpful reminder to many as to why international stocks typically belong in a well-diversified and well-designed investment solution. While international markets were still down in 2022, thankfully they were down less. We don’t know what will happen as we enter 2023. Thankfully, we are not in the business of guessing what will happen in the short term. We are in the business of building efficient portfolios in line with client goals, and for most individuals, this should include the diversification benefits that come from international markets.

2022… It was a rough year with lots of ups and downs. The S&P 500 was down 18.1% on the year. Here are some of the highlights and surprises of the year. Could you have predicted these surprises?

It’s the time of year when all the major banks make their forecasts for the coming year. Are they really worthy of use for your investment strategy? Before you react to the 2023 forecasts, let’s look back at their previous years’ outlooks to see just how reliable (or unreliable) these one-year forecasts really are.

2023’s tax changes are more significant than in years past due to the IRS’s response to the rise in inflation. It’s important to think about your income, giving, saving, and estate planning expectations for the upcoming year so that you can make decisions early to help optimize your tax bill and investable assets. Learn about 2023 tax changes here.