Blog

What does the first Fed rate hike in three years mean for investors?

Arland Kelly

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

At its September meeting, the Fed unanimously decided to raise its benchmark interest rate by 0.25%, to a range of 3.75% to 4.0%. This is the first rate increase since 2023 and is in response to higher inflation, primarily due to oil...

What’s Driving Stocks and Bond Yields to New Highs

Arland Kelly

Monday, September 14, 2026

With the summer coming to an end and kids back in school, I wanted to share some perspectives on where financial markets stand and what’s currently driving portfolios. In recent months, the stock market has climbed to new record levels...

When IPOs Dominate the Conversation When a company that most people recognize goes public, suddenly it's everywhere. Media coverage spikes. Everyone is talking about the opportunity, and that conversation itself becomes part of the...

There is usually no single moment when the roles begin to shift. It may be a confusing medical bill. A missed payment. A scam text they almost clicked. A question about an account they have had for years. A conversation where they...

The Midterm Election and Long-Term Investing

Arland Kelly

Monday, August 24, 2026

With the November midterm elections now just a few months away, campaign activity and political coverage is intensifying. As your advisor, I want to share some market perspective based on history. My goal is to help you understand the...

Studying abroad is one of the most formative investments a family can make. The financial side, however, often gets less attention than it deserves. In the most recent academic year, 298,180 U.S. students studied abroad for academic...

Understanding the AI Investment Landscape

Arland Kelly

Thursday, August 6, 2026

You have no doubt seen all of the headlines about AI investments, new large language models, and the companies behind them. As your advisor, I want to help you step back from the daily news and understand the bigger picture of what AI...

Why are tech stocks reacting to earnings and new AI models?

Arland Kelly

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Why are tech stocks reacting to earnings and new AI models? Tech stocks are sensitive to market and economic factors because investors price them based on high expectations of growth. Here are some key factors driving tech and AI...

The federal estate tax exemption remains at an all-time high. For some families, that is genuinely good news. But it may also be creating a false sense of security, especially if you live in one of the states that sets its own rules...

A Cybersecurity Awareness Month guide: 6 common scams, warning signs, and simple verification habits to protect your accounts.

A new federally created savings account for American children launched on July 4, 2026, when Trump Accounts began accepting contributions. The accounts were formally established under Section 530A of the Internal Revenue Code as part...

Mid-Year Outlook 2026: Key Lessons for the Seventh Year of the Cycle

Arland Kelly

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

As we begin the second half of the year, I wanted to share a mid-year market update with our current perspectives. This includes the key themes shaping markets and what they mean for your portfolio. Markets Were Strong in the First...

With a well-known aerospace company recently making its public market debut, IPOs have been getting a lot of attention lately. It felt like a good moment to share some perspective on how the IPO process actually works, because there...

As financial professionals, we spend much of our time helping our clients prepare for retirement. By the time most of our clients are within a few years of retirement, their savings are there, their investment accounts are in order,...

Making Sense of Markets: Inflation and IPOs

Arland Kelly

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

I wanted to share some perspectives on current developments driving markets and what they mean for your portfolio, since there are many moving parts. Overall, the stock market has performed well, reaching new all-time highs, with...

After years of walking clients through inheritances, business sales, bonuses, and liquidity events, we have seen how these moments unfold in remarkably consistent ways. There is almost always a boat, or something like one. A vacation...

Fed Leaders

Arland Kelly

Thursday, May 28, 2026

It has been a positive year so far for investors, so I wanted to share thoughts on the Federal Reserve and how it affects markets. The goal is to help you understand the role of the Fed, where monetary policy may go from here, and the...

Why Does Graduation Matter to Parents' Finances? Graduation season is one of the most emotionally charged times of the year for families. But beneath the caps, gowns, and celebrations, something happens financially that often goes...

Portfolio Lessons During Strong Market Conditions

Arland Kelly

Thursday, May 14, 2026

Financial markets have had a positive, yet eventful year so far, so I wanted to take a moment to share some perspective on what it means for your long-term financial plan. Many asset classes have performed well, despite a turbulent...

Why Is This Conversation So Important Right Now? The U.S. is in the middle of a sustained demographic shift. More than 61 million adults are aged 65 and older as of 2025, and that number is projected to reach approximately 82 million...

It has been an eventful period for financial markets and geopolitics, so I want to take a moment to share some perspective on what it means for your long-term financial plan.In good news, the stock market has reached several new...

Social Security decisions are often framed as a single question: “When should I start drawing benefits?” That question matters, but it can also be limiting. The better question is: how does Social Security fit into my overall...

Global events have been at the center of financial market activity, with high oil prices, geopolitics, and new tariff rules capturing investor attention. Behind many of these trends, however, is the level of the U.S. dollar. While...

As you may have seen in the news, a two-week ceasefire was recently announced between the U.S. and Iran, with a key focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil supply. This is an important development...

How has the war in Iran affected the economy?

Arland Kelly

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

The main way that geopolitics affects consumers and businesses is via the energy market. For instance, gasoline and diesel are key inputs for transportation, manufacturing, and everyday consumer spending, so price swings can ripple...

If you are a parent of a teen or young adult, how do you teach them to make confident money decisions before the stakes are high? Teaching teens and young adults about money is less about formal instruction and more about repeated...

Market Pullbacks and Achieving Portfolio Balance

Arland Kelly

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

As we look at markets and the economy, our goal is always to provide perspective. News headlines on Iran, oil prices, and stock market swings can send mixed messages, so we want to make sure you're informed on what matters most to your...

Key TakeawaysHere are some questions this blog aims to answer:How can parents or grandparents help with a down payment for adult children?What are ways to gift a down payment, and how do the annual gift tax exclusion and lifetime...

Key TakeawaysHow much wealth are women on track to control in the next decade, and why does that matter?What does the life expectancy gap between women and men mean for how long money needs to last?How common is it for women to be...