Not too long ago, I attended the funeral of a good friend who was taken way too early from our lives. Her family was having difficulty figuring out how to access a Shutterfly account that she had been using to store photos of her children. It took them a few weeks, but they were finally … Continued
On the one hand, we have an unemployment rate of 4.7%. On the other hand, we have essentially record low work force participation of less than 63%. There are a number of suggested explanations, usually with little or no definitive substantiation. Employers tend to focus on the lack of potential employees with the appropriate skills. … Continued
It is generally accepted that politics and religion are not suitable topics for discussion in polite company. That is probably good advice, but media coverage of politics and the election is going to intensify over the next three months. This is normal, although this election cycle is generally considered to be unusual. Both candidates have … Continued
Keep Calm and Carry On was a motivational poster produced by the British government in 1939 in preparation for WWII. Considering the short lived furor over Brexit, and all of the disquieting news from around the world, this may still be good advice. Prior to the actual Brexit vote, nearly all of the pundits, pollsters, … Continued
On several occasions over my career providing wealth management counseling to clients, I have run across the phrase from new clients that, “My broker doesn’t charge me.” I usually ask, “Do you work for free too?” The confusion comes in when one does not explicitly “write a check” for services, but instead, has fees that … Continued
For those of us who live in Cleveland, the Republican National Convention (RNC) this week is yet another exciting event for our city. For two+ years Cleveland has been hurriedly preparing for this coming week. New hotels, new freeways, a new public square, endless rerouting of traffic etc., etc. The only hiccup so far has … Continued
According to Freddie Mac, the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage is currently 3.41%, while the average rate on a 15-year fixed mortgage is 2.74%. Both of these numbers are close to all-time lows, after the ‘Brexit’ vote caused a flight to U.S. Treasury bonds in the face of global uncertainty. When investors flock … Continued
Adjusting prices to reflect shifts in demand is hardly a new concept. However, the concept seems to have gained an increase in visibility with Uber’s introduction of “surge pricing”, an effort to match demand with the availability of drivers. Unlike traditional enterprises, Uber depends on their driver’s making themselves available. Presumably, surge pricing would encourage … Continued
How much does it cost you to live? This is one of the first and most important questions that I ask a potential client when we start to build out a financial plan together. Surprisingly, many people don’t really know their all-in cost of living. For most people, their top priority when it comes to … Continued
Historically, uncertainty has led to increased market volatility. Even though the Brexit vote is now behind us, the uncertainty surrounding the exit process is likely to continue to contribute to market volatility. If that’s not enough, remember, the US has a presidential election coming this November that may prove to be one of the most … Continued
When gathering information from new clients one of my first topics of discussion is their IRA beneficiaries. In general, most couples name each other as primary beneficiaries and then their children as contingent beneficiaries with an equal split. If a spouse inherits an IRA they can roll it over and treat it as their own, … Continued
The most recent jobs report was clearly disappointing, with a dismal 38,000 net new jobs in May. Never-the-less, the unemployment rate fell again to 4.7%. At the same time, labor force participation fell to 62.6%. Throughout the “recovery”, the unemployment rate has been declining, as has labor force participation. In December 2007, labor force participation … Continued
Copyright © 2026 - Sigma Investment Counselors