2025 Midyear Review: Volatile Markets Reward Disciplined Investors
US equity markets took investors on a wild roller coaster ride in the first half of 2025 amid notable swings and upheavals precipitated by global trade tariffs and geopolitical tensions. But by the end of the second quarter, investors were rewarded for their patience and discipline with stock market indices
How Does the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” Impact Your Financial Plan?
On July 4th one of the most anticipated pieces of tax legislation in recent years was signed into law by President Trump. Approaching 900 pages in length the legislation includes a host of tax law reforms and makes the tax cuts in 2017’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) permanent,
Q1 2025 Market Review
In a reversal of a trend in recent years, more investors sought opportunities outside of the US and moved to International Equities in the first quarter of 2025. Overall global equity markets lost -1.6% in the first quarter as measured by the MSCI All Country World IMI Index. US Equity markets led
Markets Look Forward. Investors Should Too.
Recent tariff announcements and activities have sent shockwaves through global investment markets, unnerving many investors and prompting sharp selloffs in equity markets around the world. Volatility, as measured by the VIX index, has spiked to levels not seen since the Coronavirus Pandemic five years ago.1 But when conditions change and economic uncertainty emerges, volatility is
Phil Bollin Earns CPWA® Certification
Bollin Wealth Management LLC is pleased to announce that Phil Bollin recently earned the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) designation. The CPWA® designation is the premier advanced certification designed for planners working with high net worth clients in all phases of their financial lives. The CPWA® program delivers a comprehensive educational curriculum on advanced wealth management strategies
Understanding The Social Security Fairness Act
One of the cornerstones of American retirement got a slight facelift recently when Congress passed the Social Security Fairness Act and President Biden signed the act into law on January 5th of this year. The Social Security Fairness Act benefits nearly 3 million public sector employees who previously received
Looking Back On 2024 And Ahead to 2025
As one year ends and another begins, it is natural for investors to reflect on the events of the past year and look forward to what awaits in the new year. There was a lot to digest and discuss in 2024, and 2025 promises to reveal its own twists and
Republicans Or Democrats? Who Is Better For The Stock Market?
The eyes of the nation are focused on November 5th, 2024, as another Presidential Election draws near. Between now and election day, you are likely to encounter dozens of opinions and predictions about the outcome of the election and its impact on the economy, financial markets, and other important matters.
What Does the Federal Reserve’s Rate Cut Mean for You?
On September 18th the Federal Reserve lowered its overnight borrowing rate by 0.50% signaling that the Fed believes that inflation is moderating, and the labor market is cooling. Many investors and economists alike were anticipating the Federal Reserve’s first rate cut since 2020, but many were surprised with the size
Are You Ready For Tax Armageddon?
“This is going to be Tax Armageddon. It’s time to suit up,” Virginia Democratic Senator Mark Werner recently told Bloomberg News. “The main goal here is this can’t just be a debate about the 2017 tax cuts.” Other Senate Democrats have echoed similar sentiments. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said
Active Managers Fail Again
The narrative for fund managers has been that 2024 is a stock-picker’s market. The traditional school of thought has been that active managers should excel when the gap beteen winners and loser is wide like we have seen in the early months of 2024. Either the narrative is wrong, or