Blog
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
September 6, 2023
Markets took a step back in August as sentiment shifted surrounding Fed policy Key Observations Fitch downgraded the United States’ credit rating to AA+ from AAA at the start of the month. Market volatility continued through the month and most major asset classes experienced negative returns. Higher interest rates due […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
August 21, 2023
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
August 10, 2023
Favorable economic data fuels risk assets as markets post solid gains during July. Key Observations Markets posted favorable returns in July as investors found renewed optimism in economic data being reported, even in the face of year-over-year earnings declines. The Federal Reserve raised rates in July, now targeting 5.25-5.5% for […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
July 7, 2023
In 2022, consumer financial fraud reached alarming levels. Reported losses totaled nearly $8.8 billion,[1] which represented an increase of more than 30% over the previous year. Unfortunately, this frightening increase in fraud has been a consistent trend over the last five years. Source: Federal Trade Commission. As of February 2018 […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
June 13, 2023
All eyes remain on Congress as the June “x-date” approaches. Key Observations Market volatility persisted in May as investors tried to digest potential Fed policy action in June and the possibility of a U.S. default which was averted with a last minute deal. Most market indexes posted negative returns, with […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
May 10, 2023
Key Observations Muted returns of broad market indexes for the month of April hide the churn underneath as the lagged and variable impact from higher rates take hold. Leading Economic Indicators (LEI) show more ardent anticipation of economic contraction. History would suggest four months or more of declining indicators is […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
April 27, 2023
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin Yes, you’ve probably heard this quote before, and no, we don’t think that you don’t understand the importance of preparation. However, context is key. For example, consider someone who’s studying for an exam. As long as it’s not […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
March 10, 2023
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
February 15, 2023
Filter out the noise and stay the course. Key Observations Broad asset classes rose higher off 2022 lows on cooling pricing pressures and the possibility of a Fed pause Equities abroad outperformed amid a declining U.S. dollar and higher than expected growth The U.S. debt ceiling has sparked conversation, however […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
January 11, 2023
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
December 12, 2022
Signs of peaking inflation and the potential for central bank moderation in 2023 pushed equity markets higher in November. Key Observations Risk assets rallied on the back of softening inflation data and “Fed pause” mentality The Federal Reserve reiterated its commitment to combat inflation, but a pivoting tone hinted at […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
November 30, 2022
Year-end is fast approaching, with the December holidays just around the corner. While the market malaise may be front-and-center on the minds of many, individuals should not overlook year-end planning opportunities which may provide meaningful benefits. We invite you to skim the topics below to see if any may be […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
November 10, 2022
Kyle Playford, CFP®
October 13, 2022
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
September 15, 2022
A firm stance on fighting inflation from Jackson Hole pushed markets lower as investors wrestle with the impact on the global economy. Key Observations Markets turned negative for the month following the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium. The Federal Reserve reiterated its commitment to combat inflation “until the job is done.” […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
August 15, 2022
Markets eye earnings reports for forward guidance in a challenging environment Key Observations July provided solid respite after a difficult first half of 2022, with investors buying the dip. Investors looked to corporate earnings and guidance to set expectations for the second half of 2022 and beyond, assessing the position […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
July 26, 2022
For anyone in need of yet another example of the benefits of routine, consistent saving and investing, this is it. Retirement plan participants who did so accumulated sizable 401k plan account balances in the last decade, according to a new joint study from ICI and the Employee Benefit Research Institute […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
July 7, 2022
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
June 21, 2022
We recently shared a newsletter with clients titled “Recession vs. Inflation: The Main Event”. The content supported the causes of the S&P 500 approaching bear market territory being ‘severe inflation, and the extent to which the economy might be driven into recession by the Federal Reserve’s somewhat belated efforts to […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
May 12, 2022
The primary function of financial journalism seems to be terrifying us out of ever achieving our financial goals by shrieking about the market’s volatility. We’ve been reminded of this almost hourly as the S&P 500 approached “official bear market territory,” defined as closing 20% below its January all-time high. Every […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
May 3, 2022
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
April 12, 2022
According to the calendar, spring is here! Not unlike the weather changes that we’re experiencing, legislative and market changes appear to be following suit. To keep you up to date with the most relevant information, we have highlighted two areas of focus. The first is a brief overview of pending […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
March 9, 2022
Key Observations Positive macroeconomic news in early February was overshadowed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during the last week of the month. Markets were broadly lower, with real assets being the exception. Economic sanctions on Russia continue to pressure commodity prices and inflation globally which, paired with escalating uncertainty, will […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
February 25, 2022
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
February 17, 2022
KEY OBSERVATIONS Many markets entered a technical correction (defined as a 10 percent pull back or more) in January as headline inflation reached levels not seen since the 1980s[1] and the Federal Reserve continued to shift its stance, becoming less accommodative. It is worth noting the level and pace of […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
January 20, 2022
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
December 16, 2021
Recently, there has been an abundance of news circulating, which may be having an impact on financial markets and you. To reduce the number of email we send, we compiled a comprehensive update and will monitor these situations moving forward. Should there be any large financial planning or market impacts, […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
December 13, 2021
Year-end planning could prove more challenging for our FFP clients in 2021, given continued uncertainty over tax reform. The social safety net and climate bill known as the “Build Back Better Act” (BBBA) has been tied up in negotiations for months, given competing priorities on when to pass the infrastructure […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
November 10, 2021
Equities overcome inflationary pressures and prospects of tighter monetary policy Key Observations Equity markets rebounded in October to new all-time highs. Treasury yields trended higher, leading to modest declines across most fixed income asset classes. US. and global central banks took initial steps toward tightening monetary policy (for historical perspective, […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
November 8, 2021
IR-2021-216, November 4, 2021 WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that the amount individuals can contribute to their 401(k) plans in 2022 has increased to $20,500, up from $19,500 for 2021 and 2020. The IRS today also issued technical guidance regarding all of the cost‑of‑living adjustments affecting dollar […]
John S. Schwalbach, CFP®, CLU, AIF®, CEPA
September 28, 2021
We have been receiving a lot of questions here at Freedom Financial regarding China and changes to the regulatory environment. Many of you have been reading articles about the Chinese company, Evergrande, as they navigate a potential debt restructuring. While the situation with Evergrande is still playing out, we wanted […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
September 15, 2021
SUMMER RAIN FEEDS THE EQUITY MARKET Key Observations Equity markets largely shrugged off headline risks through the month and posted positive The S&P 500 Index has returned over 20 percent year-to-date The Federal Reserve will likely begin tapering its asset purchase program later this year or early in 2022 with […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
September 1, 2021
‘Normalcy’ Moves Markets Higher, but Concerns Rise Key Observations Many broad market indexes posted positive returns for the month of July with some U.S. indexes hitting all-time highs. However, recent trends favoring the ‘vaccine trade’ areas of the market have reversed for the month with energy taking a step back, […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
August 25, 2021
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
August 12, 2021
FAQs Relating to Fiducient Who is Fiducient? Fiducient is an independent consulting firm that provides investment consulting to a select group of firms within our industry. Their focus, similar to Freedom Financial Partners, is to provide conflict free, client first advice. They have no relationships with large financial institutions, custodians […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
August 12, 2021
Jon Holmgren, MBA
July 29, 2021
We are pleased to announce the promotion of Tambra Ray to Office & Marketing Manager. Since she started with FFP, Tambra has worked tirelessly behind the scenes in a variety of different capacities as the business has grown. Most recently, she has been instrumental in the launch of our newsletter, […]
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
July 21, 2021
Economic recovery, updated vaccine and portfolio considerations Key Observations Financial market returns year-to-date coincide closely with the premise of an expanding global economic recovery. Economic momentum and a robust earnings backdrop have fostered uniformly positive global equity returns while this same strength has been the impetus for elevated interest rates, […]
Trever T. Christian, CRPS®, AIF®, PPC
June 22, 2021
An analysis of the cryptocurrency’s merits and risks following its recent rally Key Observations Recent returns, greater accessibility and broader backing of Bitcoin have led to broader adoption by investors, custodians and developers. While recent returns, low correlations and significant network growth are promising, significant risks from other cryptocurrencies, regulators […]
Trever T. Christian, CRPS®, AIF®, PPC
June 22, 2021
Key Observations Global capital markets generally posted modest gains during May with value stocks outpacing their growth counterparts and international markets topping U.S. stocks. Declining interest rates and persistent appetite for yield supported fixed income. Coming off a low base in 2020, U.S. inflation (CPI) jumped noticeably in April. Supply […]
John S. Schwalbach, CFP®, CLU, AIF®, CEPA
June 18, 2021
A big focus for Freedom Financial this year has been following potential estate tax law changes under the new Biden administration and anticipating how they could impact our clients. We will continue to focus on this topic with clients as we follow potential estate tax legislation and changes. Estate tax […]
Jon Holmgren, MBA
March 24, 2021
Trever Christian and John Schwalbach, Partners
February 25, 2021
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