Build Your Wealth: Personal Finance & Investing Insights

Asset Management Diversification Forbes Investing Managing Risk

Reasons to Include International Investments in Your Portfolio

The United States currently represents 60% of the global equity market.¹ This means investors with an extreme home bias are ignoring 40% of the equity universe. In truth, doing so over the last 14.5 years would have worked out for you, but markets are cyclical, so it's unlikely this lasts…

Kristin McKennaJune 27, 2022

Bonds Forbes Interest rates

Should You Buy Treasuries?

With interest rates going up, Americans are rushing into U.S. Treasuries at a record pace. Wondering if you should buy Treasury notes or bills in your portfolio? Here's how a Treasury strategy can add value to your investments in certain situations and some caveats to be aware of. (more…)

Kristin McKennaJune 15, 2022

Stock options

What a Down Round Means for Employees with Stock Options

Quite simply, a down round is when a company raises money at a lower valuation per share relative to earlier financing rounds. A simple example: a startup raises a Series B at a $30M post-money valuation and a Series C at a $20M post-money valuation. Working for a startup involves…

Kristin McKennaJune 2, 2022

Forbes Home buying Interest rates Mortgages

Considering an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) When Rates Rise

Interest rates are rising, and that's bad news for homebuyers. The national average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage is now over 5%. After being in the 2% range for much of the Covid era, buyers are now facing a one-two punch: a red-hot housing market and rapidly rising rates.…

Kristin McKennaMay 16, 2022

Current events Forbes Interest rates

When Will Inflation Return to Normal? It Might Be a While.

After many years of stubbornly low inflation, we are now in an environment we haven't seen for 40 years. Prices are going up - fast. The Federal Reserve initially believed rising inflation would be transitory (i.e. fleeting) but has since changed their tune. Trying to get inflation to return to…

Kristin McKennaApril 25, 2022

Current events Interest rates

2 Reasons Taming Inflation Won’t Be Easy

Inflation is at 40-year highs. The Federal Reserve has started raising interest rates to cool the economy and tame inflation. But it won't be easy. Given the strength of household balance sheets and that the Fed is raising rates from zero, prepare for inflation to stick around. (more…)

Kristin McKennaApril 20, 2022

Forbes Investing During a Crisis

How Stocks Perform Before, During, and After Recessions May Surprise You

No one knows when the U.S. will enter a recession again. And this is precisely why it's important to always be prepared for an economic or market downturn rather than try and predict it. Investors may be surprised to learn that in the last 69 years, on average, stocks did…

Kristin McKennaApril 11, 2022

Financial Planning Investing During a Crisis Managing Risk

Ways to Prepare Your Finances for Unknowns, Including Recessions or Market Downturns

“Far more money has been lost by investors preparing for corrections or trying to anticipate corrections than has been lost in corrections themselves.” - Peter Lynch Talking heads in the media and permabears love doomsday scenarios. They sky is always about to fall. Sometimes they're right, most times they're wrong.…

Kristin McKennaMarch 28, 2022

Current events Forbes Investing

It’s Been One of the Top 5 Worst Starts to a Year for Stocks and Bonds

We all know 2022 hasn't been kind to investors so far. But according to BlackRock, it's been one of the worst two months to start a year on record. The S&P 500 had its fifth worst January - February in history and bonds wrapped the second worst ever start to…

Kristin McKennaMarch 21, 2022

Bonds Interest rates

Does the Fed Funds Rate Affect Mortgage Rates and Interest on Cash Savings?

What does it mean for investors, homebuyers, and individuals with short-term cash deposits when the Federal Reserve raises interest rates? While rates don't move in lockstep with the Federal Funds rate, they do tend to take a similar path. The magnitude of moves will differ and in many cases, mortgage…

Kristin McKennaMarch 16, 2022

Wealth Management Insights