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Capital gains can have a bigger impact on your tax bill than you might expect. In this week’s Educational Insights, Ty Miller breaks down how capital gains are taxed, the differences between short-term and long-term gains, and how capital losses and collectibles can factor into your overall tax picture. Understanding these distinctions could help you […] The post Capital Gains: The Tax Rules...

Midterm Elections and Historical Market Performance With the midterm elections finally here, investors are understandably interested in what history can tell us about market performance following an election. While markets have historically performed well in the 12 months after midterm elections, another important consideration is how the makeup of Congress has influenced returns. Historically, S&...

Retirement expenses can add up in unexpected ways, and nearly half of retirees say their costs are higher than anticipated. In this week’s episode of Educational Insights, Ashley Page explores five commonly underestimated retirement expenses, from healthcare and long-term care to inflation, home maintenance, and supporting adult children. Understanding how these costs can change over […] The...

Midterm Elections and Market Volatility As we approach the 2026 midterm elections, market volatility has become a key concern for investors. Higher interest rates, rising oil prices, and political uncertainty have contributed to market fluctuations, while international developments, including protests in France and ongoing uncertainty in the Middle East, have added to the broader concerns […...

Housing Market Faces Continued Pressure from Higher Rates Higher interest rates continue to weigh on the housing market, creating challenges for buyers, sellers, and the broader economy. As of October 19, 2026, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate stood at approximately 7.25%, after rising above 7% in mid-September. While that remains below the 8.1% peak reached […] The post Rates Up, NASDAQ Down...

As the end of the year approaches, a few important financial items deserve a spot on your checklist. In this week’s episode of Educational Insights, Adam Vansant and Sonja McGittigan cover IRA contributions, required minimum distributions (RMDs), charitable giving opportunities, and simple ways to organize your financial documents before tax season. Watch to learn more. […] The post Preparin...

Assessing Recession Risks and Federal Reserve Rate Increases Are Higher Interest Rates and Oil Prices Signaling a Recession? The short answer is that a recession is not our base-case expectation at this time. Our current recession checklist suggests approximately a 25% chance of a significant economic downturn as we close out 2026 and head into […] The post Answering Client Questions first a...

Financial rules of thumb can be helpful starting points, but they are not one-size-fits-all answers. In this week’s episode of Educational Insights, Ty Miller breaks down four common financial rules, including the Rule of 72, the 4% retirement rule, the three-to-six-month emergency fund guideline, and the 100-minus-your-age rule, exploring where they can provide useful perspective […] The po...

Higher Yields and the Economic Outlook Treasury yields are rising amid higher oil prices and stronger expectations for economic growth. The current sell-off closely resembles the move higher in rates during the fall of 2023. While that period does not necessarily serve as a base case for today’s market, historical comparisons suggest the 10-year Treasury […] The post Interest Rates on...

Retirement income can come from several different sources, each with its own tax considerations and role in a retirement strategy. In this week’s episode of Educational Insights, Mark Hume walks through seven potential sources of retirement income, from non-retirement and Roth assets to Social Security, pensions, and deferred compensation. Understanding how these pieces fit together […] The...

Election Volatility Comes Into Focus With 36 days remaining until the midterm elections, the market is entering a period that has historically been associated with increased volatility. Midterm election years have traditionally been the most volatile portion of the four-year presidential cycle. The first year following a presidential election is often characterized by optimism surrounding […...

Financial markets around the world are more connected to the U.S. economy than you may realize. In this week’s episode of Educational Insights, Ashley Page explores how foreign capital flows, currency fluctuations, global market stress and international investing can influence everything from U.S. interest rates and inflation to market volatility and portfolio diversification. As global […]...

Understanding the Supply Shock The Federal Reserve recently raised interest rates in line with market expectations. Because interest rates had already moved higher ahead of the decision, the increase itself was largely anticipated and had already been reflected in financial markets. The move also followed rate increases from other major central banks, including the European […] The post Shoc...

Financial independence comes with plenty of new financial decisions, and a few common missteps can make managing money more challenging than it needs to be. In this week’s episode of Educational Insights, Robert Moody breaks down five money mistakes young adults often encounter, from skipping a budget to misusing credit and putting off saving. He […] The post Five Money Mistakes Young People...

How Higher Rates Are Affecting Bonds The Federal Reserve has taken a measured approach to communicating its policy intentions, allowing the market to lead rather than trying to guide it with specific forecasts. That dynamic appears to be playing out as the market has already priced in much of the expected rate increase. Over the […] The post How Will Stocks React? first appeared on Fi Plan P...

Saving even a modest amount each month can add up over time, with the potential impact shaped by consistency, time, and investment returns. In this week’s episode of Educational Insights, Bobby Norman explores how starting early and allowing compounded growth to work over the long term can influence the value of regular savings. Watch to […] The post The Importance of Saving Early first appe...

AI is no longer just transforming manufacturing and technology. From banking and healthcare to customer service and accounting, AI is reshaping the “back office” jobs that have long provided a path to the middle class, creating both challenges and new opportunities along the way. In this week’s Educational Insights, Ashley Page explores which roles are […] The post Is AI Replacing America’s...

The Fed’s Next Move Two developments that have been building over the past several months came together over the weekend to put upward pressure on interest rates. The first was Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh’s speech at Jackson Hole. Warsh emphasized his commitment to discipline rather than making a specific policy decision. While the statement […] The post Changing Seasons first appea...

Aging skilled trades workers could become an unexpected economic bottleneck, with five workers leaving the trades for every one worker entering. In this week’s Educational Insights, Ashley Page explores the growing workforce gap, its potential impact on construction and manufacturing, and why the demand for skilled trades is rising at the same time. Watch to […] The post The Aging of America...

Employment Remains on Solid Ground Employment continues to be one of the most important indicators for both the economy and the stock market. A healthy labor market means more people are earning income, saving, investing, and contributing to overall economic growth. Those factors typically create greater demand for investment assets and provide support for stock […] The post Reports Are In f...

Employment Remains a Key Market Driver Although the week is shortened by the holiday, one of the most important economic reports of the month arrives before the weekend. The latest payroll report provides an updated snapshot of the labor market, one of the Federal Reserve’s primary measures of economic health. Because the Fed’s dual mandate […] The post Market Fireworks first app...

For decades, the United States relied on imported natural gas, but a surge in domestic production has transformed the country into the world’s leading exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG). In this week’s episode of Educational Insights, Ashley Page explores how LNG exports are strengthening global energy security, reducing Europe’s dependence on Russian energy, and […] T...

Earnings Continue to Lead the Way June is traditionally known as wedding season, and in many ways the market’s relationship with the Federal Reserve feels a bit like a honeymoon period. A new Federal Reserve Chairman has taken the helm, corporate earnings remain strong, and investors continue to push markets higher despite several reasons for […] The post Honeymoon with the Fed first a...

A Critical Week for Global Markets and the Federal Reserve Markets entered the week focused on two major developments: ongoing diplomatic discussions involving the United States and Iran, and the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting. Reports of progress toward a potential agreement between the United States and Iran have been welcomed by investors. News of […] The post Deal or No De...

Market Strength Remains Concentrated One of the most important developments in the market this year has been the concentration of returns within a relatively small portion of the S&P 500. An analysis of sector performance reveals that technology stocks have once again emerged as the primary driver of market gains over the past several weeks, […] The post The Fed’s Influence on the Market...