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Insights & answers

Clear answers to the questions clients actually ask.

Plain-language guides, timely perspectives, and our quarterly newsletter.

Questions clients ask.

Perspectives.

Timely thoughts from our team on markets, the economy, and the news that may affect you.

All perspectives

  • Seven decisions to make before December 31

    Most planning can wait until next year. A few decisions can’t. Here are the ones with a December 31 deadline, plus one due December…

    Russell Lundenberg

Past newsletters.

Published after the close of every quarter and emailed to subscribers.

  • Markets and the economy are not the same

    Markets posted a strong quarter even as inflation rose and consumer confidence fell. This issue explains why the stock market and the economy aren’t the same thing, how confusing the two can lead investors astray, and why a sharp divergence is a reason to ask whether prices reflect fundamentals or hype.

    Read: Markets and the economy are not the same

  • Preparing for what we can

    Looks past the headline numbers to what drove a volatile quarter: shifting expectations around AI spending, pressure in private credit and why its limited liquidity matters, a softer labor market, and the conflict with Iran. The lesson: no one can predict the next surprise, but sound financial planning prepares for what we do know.

    Read: Preparing for what we can

  • 2025 in review: valuing what’s real

    Using 2025’s “words of the year” (slop, ragebait, and six-seven) as a lens, this review traces a year of tariff fears, a sharp spring decline, and a recovery as uncertainty faded. The takeaway: focus on what’s real — your goals, a disciplined investment process, and the people who matter most.

    Read: 2025 in review: valuing what’s real

  • Preparing, not predicting

    Instead of a recap, this issue looks ahead to the storylines that could move markets in the second half of 2025: tariffs, inflation, interest rates, and questions about the Federal Reserve’s independence. The message: prepare for possibilities, and don’t overreact to storylines that last weeks when we invest for years.

    Read: Preparing, not predicting

  • If you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute

    A quarter defined by volatility, driven by AI developments, shifting tariffs, and sticky inflation. Drawing on Mark Twain’s take on New England weather, it explains why volatility, while frustrating, can also create opportunity for patient investors.

    Read: If you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute

  • 2024 in review: operating under uncertainty

    Looks back at 2024’s big question marks (inflation, the timing of rate cuts, recession fears, and the election) and argues that making sound decisions under uncertainty, rather than waiting for clarity, is what financial planning is about.

    Read: 2024 in review: operating under uncertainty

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