Latest Posts

By Bradley J. Rathe
Chief Investment Officer

Interest rates moved higher last week as the US Ten Year treasury approached 3%. Higher rates have taken the market by surprise as there are still nascent signs of inflation.

By Jeremy D. Schares, CFP®, CRPC®
Associate Vice President, Wealth Management

On December 22, 2017 the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed in to law beginning fiscal year 2018 and since that date we have been working to understand just what that means. The majority of the focus has been on what the impact is on income tax rates, deductions, etc. There were other major changes within this act pertaining to the Gift Tax and Estate Tax. These are two major items that have not been given their due that I wanted to share with each of you today. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. Take care!

By Robert A. Mecca, CFP®, MBA
Vice President of Wealth Management

Millennials are classified as persons born between 1981 and 1996. Up until recently, millennials were content living in their parent's basement or attic, using Uber and not purchasing or leasing a car, spending on coffee, eating out, and renting. But now with the economy growing and millennials having good-paying jobs while starting a family, more are seriously looking into buying their own residence as a condo, townhouse, or single dwelling house.

By Bradley J. Rathe
Chief Investment Officer

Geopolitical risks continue to be on the rise. On Friday night the US, along with some of our allies, took action in Syria to take out much of their chemical capabilities. Inflation had a modest rise last month for producers and consumer inflation was lower from the fall in gasoline.

By Colleen M. Henes, CFP®, JD
Happy Tax Day! As tax season comes to an end, so do my weekly tax tips. I hope you have found them helpful and relatable. If you ever have a tax question, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at any time. No question is too small. Now it's time to celebrate!

By Chad E. Hassinger, CFP®
Chief Executive Officer

Stephen J. Barrett recently earned the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® Certification, which is an advanced professional certification for advisors who provide the breadth of specialized skills required to meet the needs of high-net-worth clients. Mr. Barrett is a partner at Strategic Financial Group, LLC and serves as Vice President of Wealth Management.

By Bradley J. Rathe
Chief Investment Officer

The US jobs report reported weaker numbers than expected but many attributed the lower number to extreme weather during the month. In contrast, hourly earnings moved up by a strong .3%.

By Colleen M. Henes, CFP®, JD
Financial Advisor, Advanced Planning

Are you employed and have a home office or significant unreimbursed business expenses such as travel costs, union dues, professional licenses/subscriptions, or continuing education fees?

By Pamela A. Martin, AIF®
Financial Advisor

Increased volatility in the market has brought risk to the forefront of investors’ minds. Have you considered the difference between volatility and risk? Does volatility always equal risk?

By Bradley J. Rathe
Chief Investment Officer

Stocks rallied on the final day of the first quarter, however finished the quarter lower for the first time since 2015. The main concerns are with tariffs and technology.