Index concentration is at a 50-year high, and the newest listings are making it worse. A record-setting debut When SpaceX launched its initial public offering (IPO) on June 12th it raised $75 billion and was valued at more than $2 trillion within a week. This made it one of the largest companies in the world, and Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire. The size of the offering is remarkable on…
A new tax-advantaged savings option for children opens for funding on July 4. Here’s how it works and what to consider. Starting July 4, a new type of retirement account for children created under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and formally known as a “Section 530A account” (and informally as a “Trump Account”) will be open for contributions. Parents and guardians can already open accounts ahead of that date,…
How Retirement Plan Loans Work Most retirement plans that allow loans follow similar guidelines. Participants may typically borrow the lesser of: – 50% of their vested account balance, or – $50,000 The loan is repaid through payroll deductions with interest, usually over five years, although loans used for a primary residence purchase may have longer repayment periods. Some retirement plans allow you to make payments via ACH from your bank…
Strong market performance driven by artificial intelligence has prompted many investors to ask whether current enthusiasm reflects durable, long-term opportunity—or a familiar cycle of overvaluation. It is a reasonable question, particularly after several years of strong returns concentrated in a relatively small group of technology and AI-related companies. Why investors are asking about an AI bubble One of the most common questions we hear from clients is, “Are we in…
Saving enough each year for retirement is the most important thing you can do towards becoming retirement ready, followed by investing consistently with your life stage and other goals. Not everyone needs to save up to the IRS maximum retirement plan savings limits, but some should save up to the limits (or more, outside of a retirement plan) in order to meet their retirement readiness goals. Most people need to…
As the Federal Reserve hikes interest rates ten times to a notable 5.25% in just over a year, holding cash is generating a lot of buzz. Many view cash as the safe haven, especially when money market funds and similar instruments offer returns over 5% annually with minimal volatility. While these returns are enticing, it’s essential to take a deeper look surrounding cash in today’s financial landscape. Where the buzz…
View the 2025 market volatility review, to help you stay the course, by understanding more about market cycles, what’s driving current market fluctuations, how common volatility is, what the pitfalls are of changing strategies due to investor emotion, and how to think differently about long-term investing vs. short-term spending needs.
Experienced investors know that periods of significant market volatility, just like airplane turbulence, although unwelcome and uncommon, are normal. And until recently, overdue, as we’ve communicated a number of times in Quarterly Context webinars posted here in this blog. Market fluctuations are primarily driven by uncertainty and are unpredictably cyclical. While the reasons change, the most important question to ask is not why volatility is happening, but whether it…
