It was only a few years ago that inflation reports would go virtually unnoticed. Nowadays, they receive “breaking news” headlines, live news coverage, and follow-up press conferences at the White House. July’s inflation report (published August 10, 2022) was yet another hotly awaited release. The key question at hand – are things getting worse or […]

July 2022’s CPI print brought some relief, showing a 0% increase since June. A big reason of that change was the decline in gas prices month over month. The data published on August 11th, 2022 by AAA helped to reiterate this development. As shown in the graphic below, the national average per gallon of regular […]

August will always remind me of back to school season. Even though I am years (check that, decades!) removed from having to buy school supplies, pick out a locker, and review my class schedule, this month always puts me right back in that mode. Time to say goodbye to summer fun and get back to […]

Another month has come to and end. This one was far kinder to asset class returns. See for yourself – a summary of several index returns is provided below. In two words.. Much Better!

While it may seem like we just went thru a major election cycle, it is almost that time again. A client recently inquired about ways to keep track of what’s happening in our nation’s capital and the related impact on markets/portfolios. I have just the sources! In the interest of keeping things simple, I’m sharing […]

One thing you have to love about the world of finance is all the acronyms! It can be hard to keep track of them all. A recent headline made me laugh when I read it – “Forget TINA, get reacquainted with CINDY.” No, the article was not talking about long lost friends. It was referring […]

A client asked for a debrief on the Federal Reserve’s actions. Here we go! What happened at the meeting? On July 27, 2022, the US Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) once again raised the Fed Funds Rate by 75 basis points. The Federal Funds Rate now ranges from 2.25-2.5%, up from near zero in March. This […]

It’s easy to get stuck on the headlines these days – especially when it comes to inflation. Turn on the tv, listen to a podcast, open your email – and odds are you will see some sort of jarring financial headline concerning inflation. Even a drive past the gas station can bring the topic front […]

Inflation impacts all of us – especially those on a fixed income. A client recently asked me if social security benefits would see a meaningful increase in the near future. Great question! Ever since 1975, social security benefits have been increase annually via Cost of Living Adjustments (or COLAs). Here is a chart of COLAs […]

If you’ve read the wildly popular book Atomic Habits, you may already be familiar with the work of its author, James Clear. James publishes a weekly newsletter called 3-2-1, in which he shares 3 ideas, 2 quotes, and 1 question to consider. (It’s a must read for me – feel free to subscribe here and […]