Here’s the twist nobody saw coming. Kevin Warsh was confirmed as the new Chairman of the Federal Reserve on May 15th — widely expected to be the guy who finally brought interest rates down. Markets were anticipating it. Borrowers were hoping for it. Now? There’s serious talk of rates
So – if a floundering shoe company sells its entire business and reinvents itself as an Artificial Intelligence company – would you invest? I’m going to assume you said no. But someone said yes. Allbirds was a trendy and successful footwear company. In 2021, it went public at a $4
Have you ever wondered what the oddest job on Wall Street is? I just discovered that one of the most exclusive jobs on Wall Street belongs to a group of roughly three dozen people who spend their days sniffing coffee! It turns out, Wall Street has a job for
Several years ago, my neighbor Judy and I were walking home from a book club meeting. I was a bit miffed that the women barely talked about the book. She looked at me, smiled, and said, “this was your first book club meeting, wasn’t it?” Her response filled me
For the past several weeks, I’ve been having some meaningful conversations with clients. The theme that keeps coming up: they feel like they’re losing money, and they’re worried. That concern is real and completely understandable. Yet, when we look at the returns over the past one, three, and five
The Washington Post recently reported that the number of millionaires in the U.S. has reached a record high — with 1 in 6 families now holding a net worth of over $1 million. I was encouraged by this news for about two sentences. The article went on to say
Several years ago, I was listening to an economic update with Schwab’s Chief Investment Strategist, Liz Ann Sonders. Someone asked: “What keeps you up at night?” Her answer surprised me and I have never forgotten it. She didn’t mention current events or market volatility — she said it was
I think we’ve all read the scary headline: “Social Security is running out of money.” It’s been running out of money — officially, on paper — since the early 1980s. The projected date just keeps moving. Today’s best guess? 2032. But before you panic, keep reading. Does that mean Social Security
The stock market was closed on Friday. This is a long-standing tradition honoring Good Friday, when – according to the Christian tradition – darkness fell for three hours. Ominous? We can wonder. Yet here we are – 2,000+ years later, still shutting down markets. Which raises a fun question:
Would you ever pay for a dinner without an itemized check? Buy a pair of shoes without knowing the price — or whether they’d wreck your feet long-term? Of course not. That would be insane. So why do we accept exactly that when it comes to retirement advice? After
It’s the weekend! The markets are closed for 2 days, and my nerves and my investments are enjoying a much-needed break. I’ll take it — and I hope you’ll do the same. Gas prices are making headlines and markets are reacting. It all hurts. But can we just take a
In my memo last week, I committed to addressing the question: “Is war good for the economy?” From the moment I wrote it, I’ve regretted framing this as an interesting economic question. Real people are losing homes, loved ones, and their semblance of security and peace of mind. I
What went through your mind when the U.S. and Israel struck Iran last weekend? I confess, I started checking account balances like a meteorologist during hurricane season! Here’s how markets fared this week: Oil surged 35% on the week — the biggest weekly gain since futures trading began
They could. According to The Economist, the U.S. stock market has generated a massive $24 trillion in gains over the past five years — and nearly half of it has gone to Americans over 70. Even more surprising? They’re still buying stocks at a brisk pace. That flips traditional advice
The Supreme Court decision to strike down the administration’s tariffs was undeniably big news. While social media feeds are throwing their conjectural ticker parades and people are speculating about their tariff refunds, I’m also left wondering if this is a moment for true celebration. What does the ruling truly
I’m hoping you’ll be doing a happy dance when you file your tax return this year. I usually do – but mostly because it’s done – and not because I’m happy about paying taxes. Does anyone really get excited about paying taxes? It’s just that this year, the lower tax
Tax season is officially underway. Erin Collins, the National Taxpayer Advocate, explains that the IRS is beginning this tax season under significant strain and filing taxes this year could be a little more chaotic than usual. Taxpayers should be extra careful. Why this season is different The IRS
When you were a kid, did you ever play Chutes and Ladders? Land on a ladder—up you climbed! But hit a chute and… whoosh—back down you went. The stock market can feel exactly like that. One headline hits and stocks jump. Another surprise shows up and—yep—down they slide. So let’s play
What could possibly go wrong if your neighbor won the lottery? A 2018 Philadelphia Fed study found that when someone wins the lottery, their neighbors often start spending more, borrowing more, and bankruptcies rise! Turns out “keeping up with the Joneses” isn’t just a joke—it’s a financial hazard. Ouch. You’d hope
What crossed your mind last weekend after news broke that Venezuela’s Maduro had been captured? Did you wonder how markets might react? The S&P 500 didn’t hesitate. It rose 1.07% for the week, closing at 6,966.28 — another record high. I expected markets to shrug. I didn’t expect them to respond
