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The Retirement Conversation Couples Keep Avoiding
As financial professionals, we spend much of our time helping our clients prepare for retirement. By the time most of our clients are within a few years of retirement, their savings are there, their investment accounts are in order,...
Read MoreGood News Is Everywhere. So Why Am I Becoming More Cautious?
Timestamp: June 22, 2026 | 7:10 PM EST The Bull Market Is Still Alive. The Fed Just Changed the Rules. Stocks rallied again last week. The S&P 500 has now risen in 11 of the last 12 weeks, helped by the ceasefire agreement with Iran...
Read MoreWhy Good Financial Decisions Require More Than Good Financial Information
Financial planning has traditionally focused on numbers: investment returns, taxes, cash flow, insurance, estate planning, retirement projections, and business valuations. Those numbers matter. But after decades of working with...
Read MoreThe Market Rotation Has Begun. Don't Mistake It for Weakness.
Over the last two weeks, many investors have started asking the same question: Has the AI trade finally broken? Not so fast. While technology stocks have stumbled, the broader market has held up remarkably well. Small-cap stocks...
Read MoreWhat Would You Do With a Windfall?
After years of walking clients through inheritances, business sales, bonuses, and liquidity events, we have seen how these moments unfold in remarkably consistent ways. There is almost always a boat, or something like one. A vacation...
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The Rally Finally Paused. The Risks Didn't.
After nine consecutive weeks of gains, the market finally took a breather. The S&P 500 fell 2.6%, led by weakness in the Magnificent Seven and large-cap technology stocks. Yet beneath the headlines, the damage wasn't nearly as severe...
Read MoreStocks Keep Breaking Records. The Real Risk May Be Inflation.
The S&P 500 just completed its ninth consecutive week of gains, one of the strongest stretches in market history. That alone would be impressive. What’s more impressive is that it’s happening despite: Rising inflation Slowing consumer...
Read MoreInvestment Challenges of the Affluent Investor
Investment Challenges of the Affluent InvestorHigh net worth investors face investment challenges that some would consider unique to their financial status. The fundamental tenets of investing apply equally to them as with any other...
Read MoreStocks Keep Rising. Bonds Are Starting to Disagree.
Markets just extended the rally again. The S&P 500 has now risen for eight consecutive weeks—its longest streak in years. On the surface, that sounds bullish. But underneath, something important is changing: Interest rates are...
Read MoreRecord Highs Are Hiding a More Dangerous Market
Markets Keep Making New Highs—But Underneath, Things Are Tightening The S&P 500 just posted another record high. But here’s the interesting part: While the indexes continue climbing, many individual stocks are no longer participating....
Read MoreWhat is the Value of Your Business?
What is the Value of Your Business?In the first quarter of 2025, more than 2,300 small businesses were sold. The median sale price was roughly $349,000, up 4% from the same time last year.1As a business owner, ascertaining the value of...
Read MoreMarkets Are Acting Like the Crisis Is Ending
Markets Are Acting Like the Crisis Is Ending Stocks just posted their sixth straight weekly gain, with the S&P 500 now up roughly 16% during that stretch—one of the strongest six-week runs in over a decade. The message from the market...
Read MoreMarkets Keep Hitting Highs—But This Is Getting Fully Priced
Markets just did it again. The S&P 500 and NASDAQ have now posted five straight weekly gains, both sitting at fresh highs. At this point, the message from the market is clear: Investors believe the economy is strong enough—and the...
Read MoreMarkets Keep Climbing—But They’re Betting on One Outcome
Markets just hit new highs again.The S&P 500 is now up for four straight weeks, and the NASDAQ continues to push higher as if the path forward is clear.But it isn’t.This rally is built on one core assumption:The war ends, oil falls,...
Read MoreMarkets Are Ripping Higher—Here’s What Could Go Wrong
Markets didn’t just move up last week—they surged.The S&P 500 jumped more than 4.5%, the NASDAQ nearly 7%, and in just three weeks, stocks have rallied roughly 15%.That’s not normal. That’s a market making a very specific bet:The war...
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A Strong Bounce—But Know Why
Market Outlook 2026: Ceasefire Rally, But Risks Haven’t DisappearedA Strong Bounce—But Know WhyMarkets moved higher for the second straight week, with the S&P 500 up roughly 3.6%, as optimism around a ceasefire in the Middle East...
Read MoreQuarter-End Reality Check: Strong Earnings, Rising Risks
As we close out the first quarter of 2026, the message from the markets is becoming clearer.Stocks and bonds both pulled back, with the S&P 500 down roughly 4.6% for the quarter and the NASDAQ off more than 7%. At the same time,...
Read MoreHelping Adult Children Buy a Home: How to Gift a Down Payment The Smart Way
Key TakeawaysHere are some questions this blog aims to answer:How can parents or grandparents help with a down payment for adult children?What are ways to gift a down payment, and how do the annual gift tax exclusion and lifetime...
Read MoreMarkets Slide—Then Snap Back on Headlines Out of Iran
Gary Hager’s Weekly Market PerspectiveMarkets Slide—Then Snap Back on Headlines Out of IranMarket Update (Midday – March 23, 2026)As of late Monday morning, markets are moving sharply higher following weekend developments suggesting...
Read MoreInflation Pressures Build While Markets Try to Find Direction
Inflation Pressures Build While Markets Try to Find DirectionMarkets continued to drift lower last week, marking the third consecutive week of declines. The S&P 500 was essentially flat (down slightly), but that doesn’t tell the full...
Read MoreWhat Business Owners and Investors Should Be Watching
Gary Hager’s Weekly Market PerspectiveWhat Business Owners and Investors Should Be WatchingMarkets moved lower again this week, extending the recent pullback in U.S. equities. The S&P 500 declined roughly 2%, while the Dow fell close...
Read MoreThree Numbers Every Woman Should Know
Key TakeawaysHow much wealth are women on track to control in the next decade, and why does that matter?What does the life expectancy gap between women and men mean for how long money needs to last?How common is it for women to be...
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The Myth of Free Time: Why Starting Something New Requires Stopping Something Old
The Myth of Free Time: Why Starting Something New Requires Stopping Something OldThere is a phrase that circulates quietly but carries real weight:“In order to start something new, you have to stop something old.”Most people nod when...
Read MoreSmart Ownership of Investment Real Estate: Why an LLC Alone Is Not a Complete Strategy
Smart Ownership of Investment Real Estate: Why an LLC Alone Is Not a Complete StrategyMost real estate investors are told the same thing early on:“Put the property in an LLC.”That advice is sound. It addresses liability at the property...
Read MoreTax Prep vs. Tax Strategy: The Difference Matters More Than You Think
Key TakeawaysTreat tax strategy as a continuous process, not a once-a-year filing exercise.Coordinate with financial and tax professionals throughout the year to identify opportunities for efficiency.Review contribution limits,...
Read MoreUnderstanding the Emotions Behind Financial Decisions
Key TakeawaysEmotions and biases might influence financial choices more often than most people realize.Behavioral patterns, such as loss aversion, familiarity bias, and herd mentality, can impact long-term results.Recognizing emotional...
Read MoreAI and the New Face of Fraud: How to Protect Your Identity and Finances in 2026
Artificial intelligence (AI) may be the most revolutionary technology of our time, with industries scrambling to embrace its possibilities. AI’s early influence seems similar to the positive disruptions brought about by past...
Read MoreCash Balance Plans: How High Earners Cut Taxes and Supercharge Retirement Savings
If you’re a profitable business owner, chances are you’re facing two frustrations at the same time: high taxes and limited retirement plan deductions.Traditional retirement plans—401(k)s, profit-sharing plans, and IRAs—often cap out...
Read More2025 in Review and What You Should Know
As we begin a new year and consider the opportunities ahead, reflecting on the past year helps put today’s financial landscape into perspective and informs the strategies that can move us closer to our goals. 2025 was a year marked by...
Read MoreGoal Setting That Sticks: Simple Ways to Turn January Motivation into Lasting Wins
Key Takeaways and Suggestions for Successful Goal Setting Use SMART Goals for Clarity and FocusSet goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This proven method helps break big ambitions into manageable...
Read MoreProtect the Business Value You’ve Worked a Lifetime to Build
If you’re like most business owners, there are very few days when the thought of increasing the value of your company doesn’t cross your mind. Growth is always on your mind because growth is how you’ve survived, competed, and thrived....
Read MoreYear-End Giving Strategies: Tax-Smart and Impactful
Key Takeaways A third of annual donations: About one-third of all charitable contributions are made in December. Donating before December 31 may offer tax advantages. New rules starting in 2026 (via the OBBB Act) may affect deductions...
Read MoreThe Business Owner’s Guide to a Successful Exit: What Every Owner Should Know Before Stepping Away
Exiting your business isn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. It’s a process—one that smart owners start years before they plan to leave. And while every business is different, the path to a successful exit follows a clear, proven...
Read MoreSix Basics of Life Settlement Literacy Every Senior — and Every Advisor — Should Know
By Gary K. Hager, CEO, CFP®, CBEC®, CTFA® Founder, Integrated Wealth Management Serving Business Owners, Families & Professionals Since 1990 Most people spend decades paying life insurance premiums, only to walk away from the policy...
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The Federal Reserve and Stagflation Risks
The Federal Reserve’s Policy Shift, Stagflation Risks, and Portfolio Positioning for 2026 Executive Summary The Federal Reserve is widely expected to initiate an additional 25-basis-point interest rate cut at its December 2025 meeting....
Read MoreA Strategic Risk-Management and Wealth-Preservation Tool for High-Earning Medical Practices
A Strategic Risk-Management and Wealth-Preservation Tool for High-Earning Medical Practices Executive Summary Captive insurance companies formed under Internal Revenue Code §831(b) allow high- income professionals—such as...
Read MoreMoney Talks: How to Use Holiday Gatherings to Start Family Financial Conversations
Key Takeaways Year-end holidays may be a good time to initiate a discussion about financial matters that may impact your family. If you have adult children, you may want to discuss your financial situation, estate strategy, and legal...
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