May is an eventful month on Wall Street, with the release of first-quarter earnings reports and a Federal Reserve meeting scheduled for tomorrow. Investors are anticipating a 25 basis point rate hike as the Core PCE Index, the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, was recently reported at 4.6% - well above the Fed's target of 2%.

We spend a lot of time in this space and with our clients describing the concept of “risk.” Nevertheless, it needs to be revisited constantly.

A few weeks ago, the financial world seemed to be unraveling faster than an old sweater. Silicon Valley Bank (SIVB)...

2022 was an unprecedented year for the stock and bond markets, and nobody expected an easy 2023 to follow. The dichotomy between the market fundamentals and the economic data is enough to make anyone reevaluate their investment strategy. When was the last time you took a second look at your portfolio?  

The technology sector is going through another reset. I think we can officially call 2022 the end of the second era of the modern technology boom, the first being the internet/dotcom hysteria that ended at the turn of the century, the second was the movement into social media and the “everyone gets their 15 minutes of fame” era.

Stocks closed out 2022 with a whimper, as major indexes suffered their worst year since 2008. Is Santa real? The stock market doesn’t seem to think so. The infamous “Santa Claus Rally” never came, but that didn’t stop the Arctic temperatures from freezing Denver. On December 22nd, Denver temperatures were the coldest it has been since 1990.

I started my career in 1999 in the finance industry in Denver. As a young man in the early part of the 2000s, I would proudly tell everyone in the older generation how easy their lives were because it was sooooo much easier (it least in my mind) for them to buy a house and start a family than it was going to be for me.

I hope everyone enjoyed Halloween! My son dressed up as a dragon and went trick-or-treating for the first time. Someone asked me if he knew what it all meant? I remember thinking, I don’t even know why people trick-or-treat or dress up for Halloween! If you are like me, maybe you will enjoy learning the concept of trick-or-treating has roots…

This fall, we took my oldest son to college and dropped him off. As I’ve told everyone who asks, it was the hardest thing that I’ve ever had to do as a parent. He may be 18 years old, but leaving him somewhere to fend for himself feels…unnatural. On the outside, I told people how excited I was for him to be starting this new adventure in his life…

The Autumn Equinox will be observed on September 22nd this year. Of course, this marks the first day of fall. September is a month when temperatures and leaves begin falling. Coincidentally, the month of September has also been the worst month for the U.S. stock market with an average loss of 1% going back to 1928.

Why do we enjoy being miserable so much? I’m not asking in a tongue-in-cheek sort of way but in a more serious, psychological way.

You can’t go a day without hearing a news story, reading a headline, or even engaging in casual conversation about how “we’ve never been more divided…

The city of Denver is on top of the world, and the mountain of euphoria is 5,280 feet high. For the first time in fifty years, both the Stanley Cup Champion (Colorado Avalanche) and the NCAA Men's Hockey Champion (Denver Pioneers) reside in the same city. As Denver celebrates historic victories during the Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup Parade…

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: nobody knows what’s going to happen with the stock market or the economy in the future because nobody can predict the future, as much as we would like them to. The only state we operate in is one of perpetual uncertainty. Tomorrow is always uncertain and believing that someone out…

So many things on my mind…where do we even start? War in Ukraine? Will Smith and Chris Rock? Whatever anyone on either end of the political spectrum is upset about today? So many things and so little time! And to top it off, it’s April Fool’s Day, which gives me the option of writing something that doesn’t even have to be true.

Instead, I’m going to hit on a few things I think I think in this month’s newsletter…

The world is watching the news like a hawk as Russia embarks on a quest to subjugate its western neighbor. Russian troops march into Ukraine, Russian protesters march all over the country to denounce the incursion of Ukraine. Russia’s seemingly pointless invasion faces global condemnation as leaders worldwide unify to chastise…

The word RISK, defined by the American Heritage Dictionary…

1. The possibility of suffering harm or loss; danger.

2. A factor, thing, element, or course involving uncertain danger; a hazard

3. The danger or probability of loss (to an insurance company).

Perhaps you define RISK differently in your head, even if you don’t know you’re doing it. How do you picture someone in your head that you consider a “risk-taker”? Do find them brave? Crazy? Out of control?

Happy New Year to our dear readers and clients. It’s a very sad time here in Colorado…tragically sad. The area near Boulder, specifically the towns of Superior/Louisville/Lafayette to the east of Boulder, is devastated. As of this writing, over 500 homes have burned to the ground and 35,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes at a moment’s notice as a grass fire swept across a very densely populated part of our home state. The fire was allegedly started by a downed power line onto an extraordinarily dry field of grass on Thursday, December 30th.

Last month I had the opportunity to reflect upon all the things in my life I should be grateful for. This year, topping the list is all the loving, kind-hearted people around me that make life special. If you live in Denver and don’t like shoveling snow, celebrate the wonderful weather. In November, the average temperature in Denver is around 44…

For many of our clients, friends, and family, it’s no surprise that retirement is on their minds. Our conversations on retirement run the gamut- from the young clients that want to retire as early as possible because they’re stressed out and hate their jobs, to the older clients that love their jobs and don’t ever want to leave. Truth is, retirement and financial independence are your own journey, and there is little chance it will happen for you right at the tender age of 65.

Foliage is here, and it's magnificent in Colorado. If you're in Colorado, head to Kenosha Pass and spend a day experiencing the season change with spectacular long-range views and a section of the Colorado Trail. Take breathtaking pictures while you immerse yourself in one of the top four seasons in Colorado…

Fall also marks Back to School Mania for us parents. As I embark on my 14th consecutive year of sending at least one of my children to school in the fall (my oldest is a senior in high school), it never ceases to amaze me how August and September calendars are absolutely LOADED with extracurricular meetings and events. Homecoming is right around the corner for my two high schoolers, and it’s yet another reminder of this wonderful time of year, busy as it may be.