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The summer months concluded with a weak August for equities while bonds and alternatives were generally positive. Both U.S. and international stocks gave back some of the gains made earlier in the year. Bonds were up across the board in August with international bonds the strongest performers. Alternative assets produced mixed returns as managed futures, […]

Investors generally think of bonds as safe investments that provide a stream of income. It may surprise some to learn that more than one quarter of all government bonds issued globally are trading with negative yields. In monetary terms, that is more than $15 trillion in government debt with a negative yield in addition to […]

When the financial markets are in turmoil and account balances start to fall, there is a strong temptation to ask your financial advisor to “do something” to stem any perceived losses. Yet it is often the case that staying the course—or doing nothing—proves to be the better path.  Here is one recent example: A hypothetical […]

Since the turn of the 20th century, the United States has been a powerhouse when it comes to economic production. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a commonly used statistic to broadly measure economic production. As of 12/31/2018, the U.S. economy accounted for 24.4% of the world’s GDP – giving it the largest economic footprint of […]

Over the past several years there has been more and more focus on education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, often referred to as STEM. It’s no surprise why STEM is important. It’s hard to imagine our lives without technology (Smartphones, we’re looking at you!). STEM fields also span from actuarial science and […]

It is that time of year again when parents find themselves becoming empty nesters as their kids head off to college. It is a time full of important, and not important, decisions to be made. Picking out the right towels, bedding, computer, books, clothes, and mini-fridge can quickly become overwhelming. However, there is a lot […]

Global stocks are up double digits year-to-date (16.1%) with the most strength coming from U.S. stocks and REITs. With a flight to quality taking place, intermediate-term bonds have also rallied in 2019 (+6.1%), driving yields lower. Unemployment is at a half century low (3.6%). The length of current U.S. economic expansion is 120 months — the longest expansion on record. There […]

Many of us are used to seeing the value and price movement of an index quoted in points. Headlines about the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the S&P 500 often reference how many points the index gained or lost during the day. You are not alone if you only vaguely understand what these points mean […]

As summer comes winding to an end, many families are preparing to send their children off to college. For a first year college student this is often a very exciting time in their life with the opportunity and freedom to live on their own for the first time. However, with great freedom comes great financial […]

Less than a year ago, the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) was on a path of raising short-term interest rates, also known as the Fed Funds rate, which is the rate at which banks lend reserves overnight. That came to an end in December 2018 with rates at 2.5%. Last week, the Fed made an “about […]

Kicking off the third quarter, U.S. stocks continued their rally with a slight tick upward, while international stocks gave back some of the gains made in the first half of the year. Bonds were mostly flat in July with the exception of international bonds. Despite mixed returns across asset classes, managed futures led alternatives as […]

With the 2018 tax year closed, most taxpayers saw a decrease in their refunds, and some even owed taxes when they usually receive refunds.  This was due to the adjusted withholding tables that came into effect in February 2018, lowering the amount of taxes taken out of taxpayers’ paychecks.  Since less tax was paid throughout […]