Friday Reflections

New Frontiers for Energy Resilience

By |2024-11-08T15:16:44-08:00November 8th, 2024|

The future of energy production, especially with the demands of AI and cloud computing, hinges on a balanced and sustainable mix of sources. As established technology companies partner with nuclear startups, new sustainable solutions could help meet the rising demand without further exacerbating climate concerns.

Investing and Elections: What History Tells Us

By |2024-11-08T15:17:23-08:00November 1st, 2024|

Throughout US history, presidents generally receive too much credit or blame for economic conditions during their administration. A larger driver of stock performance is the business cycle, which is influenced by a multitude of factors ranging from technological revolutions to globalization.

Optimizing Your Charitable Giving

By |2024-11-08T15:17:51-08:00October 18th, 2024|

Whether you’re motivated by a passion for a particular cause, a desire to give back to the community, or you want to support a loved one’s passion or cause, charitable giving is a way that many of our clients choose to have an impact in areas that are important to them.

Baby Steps for New Grandparents

By |2024-11-04T13:30:40-08:00October 11th, 2024|

The arrival of a new child is a life transition for grandparents and offers the chance to more broadly assess your own plans for the future. As you think about your new grandchild growing into adulthood well beyond your lifetime, what legacy would you like to leave them?

Market Patterns and Heat Waves

By |2024-10-23T15:18:37-07:00October 4th, 2024|

Q2 2024 Market Commentary
Markets have been experiencing a heat wave recently, with stronger than usual growth over the past twelve months. While that growth continued in the third quarter, patterns shifted and a new array of sectors helped lead the broad market higher. 

Homeowners Insurance: Repricing Risk

By |2024-10-23T15:21:21-07:00August 9th, 2024|

In response to recent years of high payouts, particularly for wildfire losses, insurance companies have declined to renew policies at a rapid clip and stopped underwriting in high-risk areas of California. This has led to much higher rates of enrollment in the FAIR Plan, which is only meant as a bridge until other insurance solutions became available.

Days Are Long, Years Are Short

By |2024-09-06T13:47:42-07:00August 2nd, 2024|

Whether in planning, investing, or parenting, the best outcomes typically arise when you remain focused on the bigger picture rather than the swirl of daily headlines.

Heating Up and Cooling Down

By |2024-07-25T10:49:18-07:00July 12th, 2024|

Q2 2024 Market Commentary
While increases in prices, temperatures, and political headlines have been quite noticeable, we have also been monitoring areas of the market and economy that have been on a cooling trend over recent weeks and months. 

Legacy Planning for Digital Assets

By |2024-07-25T10:50:24-07:00June 21st, 2024|

As we continue to rely on technology to make our lives more convenient, our digital asset landscape is becoming more relevant than ever. Including language in your estate plan that covers digital assets is an increasingly common practice to provide clarity over who has legal authority.  

The Challenges of Powering AI Infrastructure

By |2024-07-25T10:51:00-07:00June 14th, 2024|

The exciting potential growth of artificial intelligence and hyperscale computing capability should account for the logistical and environmental challenges of expanding infrastructure to handle the dramatic increase in energy demanded by powerful chips.

Sell In May and Go Away?

By |2024-07-25T10:51:32-07:00June 7th, 2024|

Even though stocks haven’t traditionally done as well from May through October, they still tend to go up, suggesting that staying fully invested has been more reliable than attempting to time the market. 

Inflation Fatigue

By |2024-07-25T10:52:28-07:00May 10th, 2024|

While overall spending remains strong, early cracks are emerging, suggesting that consumers are feeling the fatigue after four years of inflation pressures.

Measuring What Matters

By |2024-07-25T10:53:27-07:00April 19th, 2024|

Measurement has historically been a catalyst for innovation, and companies concerned with environmental impact know that while measurable change is incremental, progress made is real.

Catastrophe, Resilience, and Growth

By |2024-07-25T10:54:14-07:00April 5th, 2024|

Q1 2024 Market Commentary
The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, while devastating, did not paralyze the nation's economy; similarly, a diversified portfolio is structured to absorb volatility without jeopardizing overall performance.

Artificial Intelligence, Real Companies

By |2024-07-25T10:54:50-07:00March 8th, 2024|

AI has the potential to transform industries and reshape the way we live and work. It also carries significant risks for specific professions and our broader social fabric, presenting challenges for policymakers and regulators.

Student Loans As a Planning Tool

By |2024-07-25T10:55:21-07:00March 1st, 2024|

Even when you have sufficient assets to cover the cost of college, it doesn’t automatically mean that now is the best time to use them. There are still timing considerations that can significantly impact both taxes and liquidity. One strategy to consider in these scenarios is having your child take out student loans.

A New Season Begins

By |2024-07-25T10:56:00-07:00February 16th, 2024|

When building your portfolio and saving for retirement, hitting singles and doubles is the safer, lower-risk route. It's the singles and doubles that win the game. Home runs are exciting, but good defense and strong pitching carry teams deep into the post season.

Illuminating the Next Chapter

By |2024-07-25T10:57:56-07:00February 9th, 2024|

In honor of our team member Ariana Alisjahbana welcoming her first child this week, we are rerunning an article from June 2022 that highlights financial considerations to keep in mind as you celebrate this next phase of life. Congratulations to Ariana and her growing family!  

Companies Get Their Quarterly Report Card

By |2024-02-02T13:17:35-08:00February 2nd, 2024|

Earnings reports include three key financial statements: the balance sheet, the income statement, and the cash flow statement. When a company announces its quarterly results, investors immediately compare the actual results to what financial industry analysts had estimated.