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Monday, May 4, 2026

Monthly Recap Market Indices At-A-Glance The S&P 500 returned nearly 10.5% last month, erasing its war-related losses to turn positive for the year, up 5.7%. The index ended April at 7,209, capping its 11th 2026 all-time high and...

Monday, March 9, 2026

Although the IRS started accepting tax returns on January 26, 2026, some “soon-to-be” filers may have lingering questions about how to identify the new Trump accounts on their federal tax return. Here’s a recap of what’s known about...

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Monthly RecapMarket IndicesAt-A-GlanceDespite volatile swings during the second half of the month, the S&P 500 gained nearly 1.5% in January, closing at 6,939. That’s just 0.57% below its most recent all-time high set on January 27 at...

Saturday, January 31, 2026

As retirement gets closer, most people go into full “less is more” mode: Less work. Less stress. Less junk in the garage.And obviously… less taxes, right?Well—not always.If you’re retired or nearing retirement and sitting in the 22% or...

Thursday, January 22, 2026

1099 Forms: Explaining the many types of 1099 forms and their uses. What is a 1099 form?

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Thursday, December 11, 2025

I wanted to bring to your attention recent important changes to 529 plans that may impact your college savings strategy. Leftover funds in 529s can now be moved to Roth IRAs. However, there are many requirements and restrictions to...

Monday, December 1, 2025

Monthly Recap Market Indices At-A-Glance Despite ending November with a fractional gain, the S&P 500 more than fully recovered from intra-month lows to end the month just 0.61% below its most recent record high. The Dow Jones...

Friday, November 7, 2025

Monthly Recap Market Indices At-A-Glance The S&P 500 gained over 2.3% last month, finishing just 0.74% below its 35th YTD record high set on October 28. The broad index ended October up 38.21% from its April 8 correction low. The Dow...

Friday, November 7, 2025

The Social Security Administration has announced a 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026, impacting approximately 75 million Americans receiving Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. The...

Monday, October 13, 2025

As we approach the end of the year, it’s a great time to pause and look for opportunities that can strengthen your retirement plan—one of which might be a Roth conversion. This strategy allows you to move funds from a pre-tax IRA into...

Friday, October 10, 2025

Cetera Investment Management is pleased to release its 2025 Q4 Outlook titled, “Are We Entering a Jobless Expansion?" In this outlook, they explore how the Fed’s next move, rising tariff risks, and a weakening labor market.

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Watching a parent age can be one of the most emotionally complex experiences we face. As their needs change, many adult children wrestle with the difficult question: Is it time for mom or dad to move into a care facility?

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Quarterly Recap Market Indices At-A-Glance The S&P 500 ended the second quarter at 6,204.95, its fifth record high of the year. The index surged 24.92% to more than fully recover all losses from its April 8 low at 4,982. The Dow Jones...

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

In this commentary the Cetera Investment Management Team discusses the recent market volatility and reasons why this market selloff may be close to being over and may prove to be another buying opportunity. CLICK TO READ  As...

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

In this commentary the Cetera Investment Management Team discusses Monday’s market selloff fueled by news around tariffs and weakening economic data. Risks continue to rise as uncertainty about economic growth increases. These worries...

Monday, March 3, 2025

Monthly Recap Market Indices At-A-Glance The S&P 500 backpedaled 1.30% in February, trimming its January gain nearly in half. The index ended February 3.09% below its record high set on February 19. The Dow Jones Industrial Average...

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Monthly market recap for January 2025

Friday, June 9, 2023

Market timing must be exhausting. Always moving in and out of the markets based on economic analysis or business headlines must be so challenging.

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Here are a few interesting articles on Social Security that I hope you find helpful!Americans Lose Trillions in Social Security3 Ways to raise SSI BenefitsSocial Security Quick Reference GuideSSI, Medicare and HSAWhat COLA...

Saturday, November 12, 2022

A simple checklist that covers only those areas that need attention at year-end – taxes, retirement savings, investments, insurance, and medical. It might take you five minutes, tops.

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Long-term care includes a list of services you may require to meet various personal needs. And eventually, around 60% of us will need assistance with things many take for granted. Know your options.

Tuesday, August 30, 2022

Would you go on vacation and leave your front door open? You may be leaving the door open to your financial home and not even know.

Friday, July 1, 2022

"How should a person's investing, retirement, and personal savings strategy change to prepare for a potential recession?" Here are a few quick tips:

Monday, May 30, 2022

Social security is a good supplement, but it is not nor was it ever designed to fully meet your financial needs in retirement.Saving for retirement is a deliberate choice. Unfortunately, women face greater challenges than men when it...

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Since the beginning of the year, the markets have been rattled by persistently high inflation and the question of how the Federal Reserve might respond. In March, it began with a simple 25 bp (bp = basis points, 1 bp = 0.01%) rate hike...

Friday, March 4, 2022

How the war affects the U.S. and global economy will ultimately have the biggest impact on investors. What will happen to oil prices? How might sanctions play out? Could we see cyberattacks or a wider war that involves NATO?

Friday, March 4, 2022

The executor of the will makes sure the wishes of the deceased are carried out. The executor is the fiduciary for the estate, acts in the best interests of the estate, and executes the provisions of the will. Here's what to expect.

Thursday, September 16, 2021

AND LEARN HOW THEY CAN IMPACT YOU If you have a retirement account set up and you're making regular contributions, that's great! There may come a time when you need to move these retirement savings from one account to another, and...

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

As you travel on the journey of life, you’ll inevitably build up an estate that one day your loved ones will inherit. These details are all handled in your estate plan. An estate plan acts like a roadmap for your heirs by...

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

6 Questions to Ask When Planning for Retirement Financial security in retirement doesn’t happen by accident. Planning for a financially independent retirement involves more than just putting money away into a savings account and...

Saturday, August 14, 2021

Many employers offer a small life insurance policy as part of their benefits package. Employees are often able to increase the initial coverage provided at an additional cost and with minimal underwriting. The low cost of this...

Thursday, August 12, 2021

Permanent Life Insurance? Whole Life Insurance? What’s the difference? There are definitely differing opinions when it comes to who should buy a permanent policy, and who should buy a term policy. Our Life Insurance Basics post...

Monday, July 12, 2021

Are you considering life insurance for the first time? Then it’s good to start with the basics. I’m going to take a quick dive into the fundamentals of life insurance and some of the common questions I’m asked. In...

Thursday, July 8, 2021

The rapidly increasing costs of assisted living, or long-term care, and the recent legislative action in Washington State have many people looking at their long-term care (LTC) coverage options. It is currently estimated that 7 out of...

Thursday, June 17, 2021

WA Cares Fund – Washington’s New Payroll Tax Washington State is rolling out a new long-term care program in the form of a payroll tax. There is a short window for you to decide if you would like to automatically enroll in...

Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Inflation is a constant. It’s also an important consideration in retirement planning, but what is it? In this article, we will briefly cover; What is Inflation? What is Stagflation? Is this Normal? What Should I Do About It?

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

“It’s going to be a three-hour hike in full waders and gear, wading through knee-deep water about half the time, but I think there will be fish there.” My good friend Mike was trying to convince me to try a new fishing spot on the river.

Friday, April 10, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has affected virtually every facet of American life and severely impacted the markets and economy. Congress and the federal government have acted to help individuals and businesses get through this difficult...

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

Most portfolios are constructed based on an individual's investment objective, risk tolerance, and time horizon. Using these inputs and sophisticated portfolio-optimization calculations, most investors can feel confident that they own...