Articles
Is the Stock Market in a Bubble? Maybe. But That’s Not the Most Important Question.
There are some pretty compelling reasons to believe parts of the U.S. stock market have become expensive. By several commonly followed measures, valuations are at or near levels we’ve seen during some of history’s biggest market booms. The Shiller P/E ratio is around 41, compared with a long-term average closer
Will Social Security still be there when I retire?
Separating Fact from Fiction “The sky is NOT falling – BUT it is time to pay attention” If you watched the news, spoken to friends and family, and listened to the political hype during recent election campaigns, you’ve probably heard alarming headlines such as: Those statements grab attention—but they don’t
Annuity Audit: Is Your Contract Still Working as Hard as You Are?
If you own an annuity, there is a good chance nobody has reviewed it in years. That’s not necessarily anyone’s fault. Many annuities are purchased for long-term purposes such as income guarantees, principal protection, or tax-deferred growth. Once the contract is in place, it often gets filed away and forgotten.
The Financial Shockwave After Losing a Spouse
One of the most difficult conversations I have with clients isn’t about investing, taxes, or retirement. It’s the conversation that follows the loss of a spouse. Most people understand there will be emotional challenges. What often comes as a surprise is how many financial changes begin almost immediately. The surviving
10 Things You Should Know About Millionaires
At some point, most people ask themselves how millionaires arrive at their high net worth. Statistically, most don’t arrive there automatically or from inheritance. Most arrive through hard work, consistent investments, and a diversity of both investment and income streams. Maybe your mother told you that we shouldn’t be idolizing
Trump Accounts: What Families and Grandparents Should Know
“Only a fool turns down free money” A new savings vehicle called a “Trump Account” is scheduled to officially launch in July 2026 and is already generating significant interest among parents, grandparents, and financial professionals.1 These accounts were created under federal law as a new tax-advantaged savings option for children,
The Hidden Danger of “Broke Planning”
Lately, I’ve been hearing a version of the same story from a lot of people. And not just online—this has been coming up in real conversations with families here in Pittsburgh and throughout Western Pennsylvania: On the surface, that sounds responsible. And sometimes, it is. But underneath that behavior, there’s
Should You Be Sitting in Cash Right Now?
If you’ve looked at savings account rates recently, you’ve probably had the same thought many people are having right now. And honestly, it’s something we’ve been hearing quite a bit from families here in Western Pennsylvania and around Pittsburgh: “Why not just sit in cash for a while?” With interest
Spring Cleaning
For me, the beginning of the new year represents a time to start afresh, set goals, and check off items that you should do on a regular basis but may not have time to always do. I struggle sometimes because it can also be a time of setting yourself up
“Big Oil” and Highway Robbery?
Americans are tired of paying more for items they need to live on. Most of us would put the price of gasoline in that category. We can’t escape it – we deal with this every time that we go to fill up our car with gasoline – especially over the
The Retirement “Gap” No One Talks About
A friend of mine is in the process of selling a business. On paper, it’s exciting. A liquidity event. A milestone. A reward for years of work. In reality? It’s complicated. He has retirement accounts in multiple places. Old 401(k)s. An IRA from years ago. A brokerage account managed by
The Meeting That Wasn’t About Investments
I sat down recently with a prospective client to review her portfolio. We were going to talk about allocation. Risk tolerance. Long-term planning. Instead, we talked about public Wi-Fi at Panera. She casually mentioned wanting to connect her old iPad to the public network so we could pull up some
Is the Stock Market in a Bubble? Maybe. But That’s Not the Most Important Question.
There are some pretty compelling reasons to believe parts of the U.S. stock market have become expensive. By several commonly followed measures, valuations are at or near levels we’ve seen during some of history’s biggest market booms. The Shiller P/E ratio is around 41, compared with a long-term average closer
Will Social Security still be there when I retire?
Separating Fact from Fiction “The sky is NOT falling – BUT it is time to pay attention” If you watched the news, spoken to friends and family, and listened to the political hype during recent election campaigns, you’ve probably heard alarming headlines such as: Those statements grab attention—but they don’t
Annuity Audit: Is Your Contract Still Working as Hard as You Are?
If you own an annuity, there is a good chance nobody has reviewed it in years. That’s not necessarily anyone’s fault. Many annuities are purchased for long-term purposes such as income guarantees, principal protection, or tax-deferred growth. Once the contract is in place, it often gets filed away and forgotten.
The Financial Shockwave After Losing a Spouse
One of the most difficult conversations I have with clients isn’t about investing, taxes, or retirement. It’s the conversation that follows the loss of a spouse. Most people understand there will be emotional challenges. What often comes as a surprise is how many financial changes begin almost immediately. The surviving
10 Things You Should Know About Millionaires
At some point, most people ask themselves how millionaires arrive at their high net worth. Statistically, most don’t arrive there automatically or from inheritance. Most arrive through hard work, consistent investments, and a diversity of both investment and income streams. Maybe your mother told you that we shouldn’t be idolizing
Trump Accounts: What Families and Grandparents Should Know
“Only a fool turns down free money” A new savings vehicle called a “Trump Account” is scheduled to officially launch in July 2026 and is already generating significant interest among parents, grandparents, and financial professionals.1 These accounts were created under federal law as a new tax-advantaged savings option for children,
The Hidden Danger of “Broke Planning”
Lately, I’ve been hearing a version of the same story from a lot of people. And not just online—this has been coming up in real conversations with families here in Pittsburgh and throughout Western Pennsylvania: On the surface, that sounds responsible. And sometimes, it is. But underneath that behavior, there’s
Should You Be Sitting in Cash Right Now?
If you’ve looked at savings account rates recently, you’ve probably had the same thought many people are having right now. And honestly, it’s something we’ve been hearing quite a bit from families here in Western Pennsylvania and around Pittsburgh: “Why not just sit in cash for a while?” With interest
Spring Cleaning
For me, the beginning of the new year represents a time to start afresh, set goals, and check off items that you should do on a regular basis but may not have time to always do. I struggle sometimes because it can also be a time of setting yourself up
“Big Oil” and Highway Robbery?
Americans are tired of paying more for items they need to live on. Most of us would put the price of gasoline in that category. We can’t escape it – we deal with this every time that we go to fill up our car with gasoline – especially over the
The Retirement “Gap” No One Talks About
A friend of mine is in the process of selling a business. On paper, it’s exciting. A liquidity event. A milestone. A reward for years of work. In reality? It’s complicated. He has retirement accounts in multiple places. Old 401(k)s. An IRA from years ago. A brokerage account managed by
The Meeting That Wasn’t About Investments
I sat down recently with a prospective client to review her portfolio. We were going to talk about allocation. Risk tolerance. Long-term planning. Instead, we talked about public Wi-Fi at Panera. She casually mentioned wanting to connect her old iPad to the public network so we could pull up some