June 2025 Market Summary Equities End 1H 2025 with Positive June, Oil Prices Surge, Treasury Yields Fall Stocks closed out the first half of 2025 with gains across the boardas indices continued a rapid clawback out of correction territory from earlier in the year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 4.5%, the S&P 500 added 5.1%, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced […]

Why No Change Amid Cooling Inflation & Fed Dot Plot Projections Introduction The Federal Reserve’s June 2025 meeting ended with a collective pause, no rate hike or cut, even as inflation has cooled markedly from last year’s highs. Headline CPI has fallen to ~2.4% (core ~2.8%) as of June, a dramatic improvement from 2023’s 6%+ […]

Tips to Help Preserve Your Inheritance According to the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances, taken every three years, slightly more than one in five U.S. households had received an inheritance as of 2022.1 If you expect to receive an inheritance one day, these tips may help you better manage your financial windfall. Wait a while […]

529 Plans: The Ins and Outs of Contributions and Withdrawals 529 plans can be powerful college savings tools, but you need to understand how your plan works before you can take full advantage of it. Among other things, this means becoming familiar with the finer points of contributions and withdrawals. How much can you contribute? […]

Buffett Takes a Bow: 7 Lessons from an Iconic Investor At the age of 94, Warren Buffett recently announced his retirement as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, the massive holding company he has controlled since 1965.1 Buffett is a venerated investor due to his financial success and long track record of stock market outperformance. The value […]

Equity Markets Equities Rally Across the Board, Nasdaq Composite Up Almost 10% in May. Stocks posted strong performances across the board including the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, which both had their best months since November 2023. The Nasdaq Composite surged 9.7%, the S&P 500 increased 6.3%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 4.2%. Several […]

The Roth 401(k) Some employers offer 401(k) plan participants the opportunity to make Roth 401(k) contributions. If you have access to this option, Roth contributions could play an important role in helping enhance your retirement income. What is a Roth 401(k)? A Roth 401(k) is a traditional 401(k) plan that accepts Roth 401(k) contributions. Roth […]

Alternative Asset Classes: An Introduction What are alternative asset classes? Beyond the three primary asset classes–stocks, bonds, and cash– many other types of investments can be used to diversify investment portfolios. The term “alternative assets” is highly flexible. It may include specific physical assets, such as natural resources or real estate, or methods of investing, […]

The Individual 401(k) If you’re self-employed or own a small business, you’ve probably considered establishing a retirement plan. If you’ve done your homework, you likely know about simplified employee pensions (SEPs) and savings incentive match plans for employees (SIMPLE) IRA plans. These plans typically appeal to small business owners because they’re relatively straightforward and inexpensive […]

April 2025 Market Summary Domestic Stock Indices Mixed, Inflation Sets Record Low, Mid-Term Treasury Yields Fall Equities U.S. indices posted mixed results in April largely due to gains in the technology sector with tough quarters for some large-cap blue-chip companies. The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.88%, the S&P 500 slipped 0.68%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 3.08% due to significant losses […]