As advisors who regularly review retirement plans with business owners, we've seen countless plans that fall short of their potential. Common issues include business owners missing valuable tax advantages, plans failing to meet ERISA compliance guidelines, serious fiduciary oversights, poor participant communication leading to reduced contribution rates, and advisors lacking [...]

High valuations come with high expectations. U.S. equity markets step back on growth concerns. Key Observations Growth Scare Hits Risk Assets – Weaker economic data, a patient Fed and shifting policy dynamics fueled slowdown fears triggering a broad selloff of U.S. equities, with defensive sectors outperforming. Growth Puts Spotlight on [...]

As financial advisors working with business owners, we're often asked crucial questions about protecting, growing, and eventually transitioning from their businesses. Here are the six most common questions we encounter, along with insights gained from helping numerous owners navigate these important decisions. How Do I Protect Everything I've Built? This [...]

Key Observations Full valuations, concentrated U.S. large-cap indexes and the risk of reigniting inflation are shaping the key themes we believe will drive markets and portfolio positioning in 2025. Recent market successes have pushed our 2025 10-year forecasts lower across most major asset classes. Long-term return premium for equities over [...]

Key Observations The end of election season fueled a rally in the U.S. equity markets in anticipation of pro-business policies such as potential deregulation and tax cuts. The U.S. dollar appreciated, reflecting expectations of inflationary fiscal policies and potential shifts in Federal Reserve actions. The Federal Reserve and Bank of [...]

October leaves markets in the red amid an otherwise upbeat year   Key Observations Despite a Federal Reserve rate cut in September, rising inflation concerns and a cooling labor market overshadowed optimism, leading to a cautious market environment in October. While October brought challenges, year-to-date returns remain strong, highlighting underlying [...]

If you're a business owner, the pursuit of freedom likely inspired you to forge your own path. Instead of opting for a traditional corporate job with a steady salary and benefits, you chose to build something uniquely yours. However, owning a business doesn't always equate to the freedom you envisioned. [...]

Inflation improvement and weaker economic data shift Fed sentiment Key Observations Markets were generally positive in August, despite a tough start to the month as investors wrestled with weakening economic data, geopolitical unrest and global growth. Shifting language at the Federal Reserve’s Jackson Hole summit indicated a renewed focus on [...]

Falling rates and softer inflation contribute to a reversal in market leadership   Key Observations Softer inflation data released in July pushed interest rates lower and market expectations for a September Fed rate cut are almost fully priced in. More rate-sensitive assets fared well. Market leadership shifted on the back [...]