Blog

Pro tip: apply for Medicare early.

John Cavanaugh

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

If you’re like most of us, you’ve probably been thinking about your health quite a bit lately — especially if you’re approaching retirement. Trust me, I understand. Anticipating your future medical costs can feel daunting. When it...

Sandwich Generation Survival Strategies & High-Earner Financial Pitfalls

John Cavanaugh

Monday, June 23, 2025

Have you ever felt "sandwiched" between caring for your children and supporting aging parents? If so, you're not alone. This edition of Building Wealth is full of tips for discussing family finances and ways to maintain self-care even...

Big Change: No More Pennies

John Cavanaugh

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

No more passing them by when you see one on the sidewalk. Forget about wasting a couple by putting them in your loafers. And don’t even consider throwing them into a wishing well. The Treasury Department has announced that it is...

When markets fall, it’s easy to forget that downtrends are part of the investing cycle. So when prices slip, it's a good time to review some common terms that you may be hearing that describe today’s financial markets. The first is...

Have you heard the expression, “Watch what people do, not what they say?” That’s important these days when it comes to the economic outlook. Some people are “saying” the word recession like it’s a foregone conclusion. But let’s take a...

As you build your legacy, considering how to leverage your charitable contributions can be a fulfilling endeavor. Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) can offer an opportunity to support your favorite causes and manage your...

When Warren Buffett said, “Be fearful when others are greedy and be greedy when others are fearful,” he wasn’t just talking about investing. He championed contrarian thinking and urged people to capitalize when groupthink can result...

Why So Bearish?

John Cavanaugh

Monday, March 10, 2025

“Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful” is one of my favorite quotes by Warren Buffett. His words of wisdom encourage investors to be contrarian. He challenges investors to “go against the grain” when...

Warren Buffett once said, "If you mix your politics with your investment decisions, you're making a big mistake.” There appears to be some truth in Buffett’s quote following a contentious 2024 election cycle. Check out the chart below...

Invest with a Strategy to Pursue Your Dreams

John Cavanaugh

Monday, February 10, 2025

“A goal without a plan is just a wish,” wrote French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in the 1942 classic, “The Little Prince.” In financial services, we like to say, “Investing without a strategy is just a dream.” At its core, an...

Inflation 2024 in One Chart

John Cavanaugh

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

In 2024, we all experienced inflation in different ways. Some felt it at the grocery store, others while traveling, or when dining out. In large part, that's because our personal economic choices dictated at least part of our...

What is the Social Security Fairness Act?

John Cavanaugh

Friday, January 10, 2025

You may have heard about the recently signed Social Security Fairness Act and wondered what it was and how it might affect you.The Social Security Fairness Act eliminates two longstanding provisions for Social Security: the Windfall...

What will 2025 hold?

John Cavanaugh

Monday, December 30, 2024

With 2024 coming to a close, I want to share my thoughts on America's current fiscal policy, geopolitical elements, and other factors that may help shape 2025's financial landscape. This transition period offers both challenges and...

There are some jobs that I just don’t want. The home plate umpire in the 9th inning of a major league baseball game. Fishing in the Bering Sea during an ice storm. Or a Fed Governor who must decide what to do with short-term interest...

Fed Cuts Rates; Focuses on Dual Mandate

John Cavanaugh

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

The Federal Reserve approved its second consecutive interest rate cut following its November meeting, telling investors that it’s continuing its push to “right-size monetary policy.” The benchmark Fed funds rate has a target range of...

The Internal Revenue Service released the updated income tax brackets, standard deduction, and retirement contribution limits for the 2025 tax year. While these changes won’t impact you for some time, it may benefit you to start...

Social Security Says 2.5% COLA in 2025

John Cavanaugh

Monday, October 14, 2024

Social Security beneficiaries will see a 2.5% increase in their benefit payments in 2025, according to the Social Security Administration. The annual cost of living (COLA) adjustment will affect more than 72.5 million Social Security...

Elvis once sang, “Home is where the heart is.” Well, according to a recent study that parsed U.S. Census data, home is also where a good chunk of the money is. ResiClubAnalytics found that nearly 40 percent of owner-occupied homes...

Election 2024 and The Bottom Line

John Cavanaugh

Monday, September 9, 2024

Election years, particularly presidential elections, traditionally come into focus after Labor Day. This is when many American voters become fully engaged with the process. With that in mind, I often get the question: “Politics aside,...

Rainy-day Money

John Cavanaugh

Thursday, August 22, 2024

When I meet with people, one of the first topics we discuss is "emergency fund" money. I ask a few questions, such as, “Do you have any funds set aside?”, “Where is it located?”, and, most importantly, “What would trigger you to tap...

I watch many economic trends and business issues evolve as a financial professional. The rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) during the past year has been remarkable, and it has spotlighted the fast-paced decision-making in the...

Retirement Confidence Rebounds, But Inflation Looms Large

John Cavanaugh

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

The 2024 Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) Retirement Confidence Survey was recently released, and it provides an illuminating look at the current state of retirement preparations and mindsets across the country. While the...

We get regular updates on the Social Security trust fund. In early May, the Social Security Board of Trustees announced that the trust funds had revenue to pay full benefits until 2035. Generally speaking, the headline's tone is very...

Three Reasons Why I’m Optimistic

John Cavanaugh

Monday, May 20, 2024

As we inch closer to the second half of 2024, I’ll give you three reasons to be optimistic about the outlook for the financial markets. We have an election on the horizon, so you’ll likely hear mixed messages about the economy’s...

As we continue through 2024, I wanted to share some data that many may find positive. Fidelity Investments just announced that 440,000 retirement savers reached an incredible milestone in 2023: $1 million in their 401(k).1 That's...

I recently read that 47 percent of parents provide their adult children with financial support. Termed "parental patronage" by many, some parents even contribute more to their adult children than they do to their retirement accounts....

Cloudy Rate Outlook Invites Volatility

John Cavanaugh

Monday, February 26, 2024

I can't remember the last time there was such a wide divergence in the outlook for short-term interest rates. But, some confusion is to be expected when the Federal Reserve primes the markets for lower rates but provides few details....

Record Number of Americans to Travel Abroad

John Cavanaugh

Saturday, January 13, 2024

In economics, there are lead indicators and lag indicators. But often, the coincident indicators–stats that show the current state of the U.S. economy–tell the best stories. The Conference Board reports that a record-high...

The Social Security Administration has announced a 3.2% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2024. This adjustment means the average Social Security retiree beneficiary will see their monthly check increase by about $57 to $1,849,...

Congress Set for a Busy January

John Cavanaugh

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

The Senate and the House have returned to work but are unlikely to get much done before the Christmas break— which means January is going to be busy. To recap, Congress passed a short-term budget package before the Thanksgiving...

Investors know that the stock market moves in cycles, but few are comfortable when the cycle takes stock prices lower. And since late August, the cycle has been decidedly lower. If you’re looking for reasons to worry, you...

If you're a fan of Warren Buffett, you'll recognize this quote: "Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful." In recent weeks, the investing outlook has become a bit murky, which has led some people to let...

How M1 Money Supply & Inflation Are Related

John Cavanaugh

Monday, September 25, 2023

Sometimes, a picture tells a thousand words, and this chart of the M1 money supply certainly does just that. M1 rose rapidly during the pandemic due to an effort to provide stimulus packages to those who suffered financial loss during...

The stock market rebound has significantly increased the number of workers with $1 million or more in their workplace retirement accounts. According to Fidelity Investments, employees with 401(k) balances exceeding $1 million rose 26...

Powell's Jackson Hole Speech Unsettles Markets

John Cavanaugh

Thursday, August 31, 2023

If it feels like the financial markets are lurching from news event to news event in recent weeks, you’re right. They are. The markets were on pins and needles waiting for Fed Chair Powell to deliver his talk at the Jackson Hole...

Bull Market Leaving Some Behind

John Cavanaugh

Monday, August 14, 2023

Market timing is exhausting. And sometimes, it can be expensive. When you time the markets, you have to be right twice – first when getting out and second when getting back in. In the accompanying chart, you can see individual...

Wasn't There Supposed to be a Recession?

John Cavanaugh

Monday, July 17, 2023

In advance of 2023, the recession drum beats were so loud it was deafening. Market pundits warned that as the Fed raised interest rates, it was just a matter of time before the economy entered a recession. But it’s July now, and...

I wanted to take a moment to update you on the potential changes to Social Security benefits for 2024. As I'm sure you know, the Social Security Administration calculates annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) based on the Consumer...

Supply Chain Issues Appear Resolved. For Now.

John Cavanaugh

Thursday, June 15, 2023

Here’s a riddle. “I’m a two-word phrase that we heard almost every day for two years, but it has dropped from almost all economic talk in 2023?”Answer: Supply chain.As you can see from the accompanying chart,...

Each May is Older Americans Month, a time to celebrate the wisdom of aging people, recognize their many contributions, and facilitate discussions related to older adults. This year’s observance coincides with the 2023 Retirement...

The loss of a spouse has profound emotional and financial consequences. Planning for this possibility is vital for your financial stability— even after your partner is gone. Changes to your income are inevitable after a spouse...

Creating a Values-Based Estate Plan

John Cavanaugh

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Many investors have some understanding of traditional estate plans that specify how you want to distribute your property after you die. A values-based estate plan is different, but the two types can overlap, giving voice to how you...

The après-COVID party is in full swing. Travel is booming. Restaurants are full. Real estate is on a roll. Even used cars are a hot commodity. In 2021, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) recently topped 35,000 and other major...

The green revolution is upon us. Like it or not, the world is shifting away from fossil fuels toward renewables. Solar and wind farms are sprouting up across the globe. The major car companies are phasing out gas-powered vehicles and...

Anyone looking to buy or sell a home lately has probably been hit by sticker shock. Residential real estate prices have gone through the roof, increasing at rates unseen since 2005. According to S&P Case-Shiller, home prices in March...

The global pandemic has taken a grim toll on lives and livelihoods. Many have been laid off, furloughed, or taken on more debt to tide things over. Many others have had to scale back their lifestyle or help support family or friends...

Social Security benefits currently represent approximately 33% of the aggregate total income of Americans aged 65 and older, according to the Social Security Administration. For future generations of retirees, Social Security may...

For growth stock investors, it's been a heady time. Growth stocks recorded a total return of 33.5% for the year ended December 31, 2020, significantly eclipsing value's 1.4% showing. And over the past five years, growth has...

As the new year dawns, most Americans are probably happy to bid good riddance to 2020, a year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns, political brawls, and challenging economic times. Many have had to take on debt to tide them over...