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What’s on our mind? You can read about it in our blog. Whether it’s ideas from the industry or emerging trends, you can read about it here. And once in a while, we may throw in a movie review or some other surprise. So keep checking in. We’re glad to have you reading along.

Friday, March 24, 2023

John and Mary are nearing retirement and they have a lot of items on their bucket list. Longer life expectancies mean John and Mary may need to prepare for two or even three decades of retirement. How should they position their...

Sunday, February 5, 2023

"Is the bear market over?"That's a question I've been asked a number of times in recent weeks. And my answer is the same, "Let's give it a little time."But people are quick to remind me that stocks are off to a good start in 2023,...

Thursday, July 14, 2022

With half the year behind us, now is a great time to consider what the remainder of 2022 may hold. However, with inflation and economic uncertainty causing many of us to delay or cancel vacations, large purchases, and more, it can be...

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Friday, May 7, 2021

What does it mean when two of the most powerful voices in American financial life seem to be saying two different things? In one corner, we have the “Oracle of Omaha,” investor Warren Buffett. As one of the nation’s...

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Thursday, January 21, 2021

As you start out in life, your finances can seem overwhelming. How can you start saving money? Taking out loans? Financing a house? Before you can set attainable goals for yourself, you have to have a solid understanding of some basic...

Friday, December 11, 2020

5 FINANCIAL LESSONS TO OPTIMIZE YOUR PLANNING IN THE NEW YEAR As 2020 draws to a close, its lessons will remain with us for some time. Below, we look at some of the most important financial lessons learned this year, and actions you...

Thursday, November 12, 2020

As a plan sponsor, your company is responsible for meeting minimum employee-education and plan notice requirements. That’s done easily enough; the informational mailings that plan providers send to participants typically suffice...

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

The upcoming election is prompting some people to reconsider their investment strategy. In fact, 45% of consumers with $100,000 or more investable assets expect to make changes to their portfolio due to the upcoming 2020 presidential...

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Retirement should be a time for rest and relaxation. But retiring isn’t always that simple. There are some costs you might not expect. Here are some expenses you might want to look out for when you are planning for retirement....

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Stocks powered to another week of gains as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite set multiple new record highs along the way. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was essentially unchanged while the Standard & Poor’s 500 rose by 0.72%....

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

In our uncertain climate, it’s unsurprising that when American investors are thinking about their financial strategy, that the topic of life insurance comes up. For some, it’s always been front of mind. For younger...

Friday, May 8, 2020

Are you eligible for a stimulus check from the Treasury Department?As of Friday, April 24, the Internal Revenue Service said it had issued 88 million payments to individuals across the country. It plans to send out more than 150...

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

The Week on Wall StreetThe market had a choppy five days, with traders reacting to geopolitical developments and weaker-than-expected jobs data. Even so, the three major U.S. equity indices posted weekly gains and continued their...

Monday, January 6, 2020

The Week on Wall Street Stocks descended from record highs Friday, as traders reacted to a U.S. drone strike that killed Iran's top military officer. Oil prices rose more than 3% following the breaking news.[1] Wall Street benchmarks...

Monday, December 30, 2019

What Drove the Markets? Four factors influenced investment performance in 2019: a shift in U.S. monetary policy, the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and China, earnings, and the economy. Stocks reached record highs in 2019. The...

Monday, December 16, 2019

The Week on Wall Street The U.S. and China announced a limited trade agreement last week. That news lifted U.S. and foreign stocks, leading to weekly gains. Advancing 0.91% on the week, the Nasdaq Composite outperformed the S&P 500...

Monday, December 9, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Key Wall Street benchmarks were up and down last week – or rather down and then up. A Tuesday retreat was offset by a Friday rally spurred by the Department of Labor’s November jobs report. While the S&P 500...

Monday, December 2, 2019

The Week on Wall Street As November wrapped up, U.S. equity benchmarks advanced. Stocks were again aided by a sense of optimism that a preliminary U.S.-China trade deal could be near. For the week, the Nasdaq Composite added 1.87%;...

Monday, November 25, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stocks declined last week as mixed signals emerged about the progress of U.S.-China trade negotiations. The three major Wall Street benchmarks all took weekly losses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0...

Monday, November 18, 2019

The Week on Wall StreetStock benchmarks were little changed for much of last week, but a rally occurred Friday after news broke that the U.S. and China could be closing in on the first phase of a new trade pact. At Friday's close, the...

Monday, November 11, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Domestic and international stocks rose last week. Risk appetite outweighed concerns about the state of U.S.-China trade discussions. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, Nasdaq Composite, S&P 500, and MSCI EAFE...

Monday, November 4, 2019

The Week on Wall Street A better-than-forecast jobs report prompted a stock market rally Friday, two days after traders witnessed another interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve. Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite ended the week...

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

One of the most overlooked and under-reviewed aspects of someone's financial plan is too often their life insurance coverage. This is a critical mistake which can have a massive impact on those left behind. The goal of this blog is...

Monday, October 28, 2019

While skimming through the documentary section of Amazon Video lately, I discovered the movie, The Power of Zero. I had read the book by the same title by David McKnight a while back but had no idea there was a film released. Let me sate fr

Monday, October 28, 2019

The Week on Wall Street The S&P 500 came within 0.1% of a record close Friday. Stocks were lifted last week by positive news on U.S.-China trade negotiations, plus earnings announcements. The Nasdaq Composite posted the largest weekly...

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Earnings helped give the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 a slight lift last week, offsetting investor disappointment over the small scope of the preliminary U.S.-China trade deal reached on October 11. Blue chips...

Monday, October 14, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stock prices pushed higher last week, as investors remained hyper-focused on any new developments with the U.S. trade negotiations with China. The Dow Jones Industrial Average picked up 0.91%, while the...

Monday, October 7, 2019

The Week on Wall Street The fourth quarter started with a mixed week for equities. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.92% for the week; the S&P 500, 0.33%. In contrast, the Nasdaq Composite improved 0.54%. Overseas stocks pulled...

Monday, September 30, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stocks retreated last week. Traders worried that the formal impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump might distract White House officials from their pursuit of a trade deal with China, and shift the focus...

Monday, September 23, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Investors reacted to two major news items last week, one far more of a surprise than the other. The Federal Reserve did indeed make a rate cut, matching Wall Street expectations. Drone strikes on two of the...

Monday, September 16, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stocks edged toward all-time peaks during a relatively calm week marked by easing trade tensions. Friday marked the eighth straight daily advance for the Dow Jones Industrial Average.[1] Small-cap shares, as...

Monday, September 9, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stocks rose last week, with help from two developments: the announcement of further U.S.-China trade talks as well as August hiring and manufacturing numbers that seemed to bolster the argument for a rate cut...

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Fears of an impasse in the U.S.-China trade dispute lessened last week. While additional U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports were scheduled to take effect on September 1, China's government communicated that it...

Monday, August 26, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Traders assumed that the week's biggest news event would be Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's speech at the annual Jackson Hole banking conference. Instead, China seized the headlines by announcing new...

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Week on Wall Street U.S. stock indices saw significant ups and downs last week, with traders looking for economic cues from Treasury yields and also developments in the tariff fight between the U.S. and China. The S&P 500 lost 1...

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Long Term Care. When those three words are spoken, what comes to mind? Many make the common association with a nursing home. Others may mistakenly think that they are already covered for related long term care matters through their...

Monday, August 12, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Stocks spent much of last week rebounding from a Monday drop that reflected nervousness about the U.S.-China trade fight. By Thursday's closing bell, the S&P 500 had regained all its Monday losses - but it...

Monday, August 5, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Last week, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the first time in more than a decade, in line with Wall Street's expectations. Ironically, stocks had their worst week of 2019. The S&P 500 finished the...

Monday, July 29, 2019

The Week on Wall Street Last week, investors assessed earnings and the initial estimate of second-quarter economic growth, while awaiting the Federal Reserve's next announcement about interest rates. Stocks rose for the week;...

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Ryan and I are very excited to announce Walton and Lourcey as the title sponsor of the 2019 Texas A&M Fort Worth Coach's Night. The night will include Coach Fisher giving his thoughts on the upcoming season as well as a few other...

Monday, February 11, 2019

I'm not a very good golfer. As a matter of fact, I have played very few rounds of golf in my life. But in the few rounds I have played, I did learn many things. But as I struggled with the challenges of the sport, I also discovered...