Posts by Catherine Buck
Narrowing the Gap Between Sentiment and Reality
Written by: Ryan Bouchey, CFP® Chief Investment Officer & Chief Strategic Officer One of the themes we’ve been discussing all year—especially since what we’ve referred to as “Liberation Day” on April 2nd—is the disconnect between soft data (consumer sentiment) and hard data (economic reality). For much of the year, what consumers were feeling didn’t…
Read MoreThe Big Beautiful Breakdown: What’s In the New Tax Bill?
Written by: Vincenzo G. Testa, CPA, CFP®, ECA On July 4th, 2025, the “One Big Beautiful Bill” was signed into law, bringing with it the biggest changes to the U.S. tax code in nearly a decade. While the news coverage has focused on the politics, our priority is helping you understand what…
Read MoreQ2 2025 Market Update
What a Ride It’s Been Written by: Ryan Bouchey, Chief Investment Officer Download Report Here Market Update What a ride 2025 has been so far – and to think we’re only halfway through it! Truth be told, I feel much better about where we stand today than I did three months ago when I wrote…
Read MoreParadigm Shift – The Goal of Life is NOT to Maximize Your Finances
Written by: Martin Shields, CFP®, AIF® For the first 13 years of my career, I worked in corporate finance for publicly traded companies. In this role, the primary goal was to maximize the productivity of the company’s assets to provide the highest level of future cash flow. When I started as a personal wealth…
Read MoreRecognizing Marty Shields for Years of Dedication to the Ronald McDonald House Charities
Picture Left to Right: Dan Miller (Current RMHC Board Chair), Marty Shields, Kimmy Ventner (RMHC CEO) Our Chief Wealth Advisor, Marty Shields, CFP®, was recently honored at the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of the Capital Region annual dinner for his 9 years of board service with two of those as board chair. Marty…
Read MoreFinancial Planning in a Forecast of Rain: Finding Stability Amid Weekly Storms
Written by: Scott Strohecker, CFP®, EA If you’ve felt like the weekends have been a wash – literally since last November, you’re not alone. From soggy Saturdays to damp Sundays, the near-constant weekend rain has affected everything from BBQ plans to local events. But there’s a silver lining hidden in the storm…
Read MoreUnderstanding Series-I Savings Bonds
Written by: Catherine Buck, CFP® When inflation peaked in June 2022, many investors turned to Series I Bonds, commonly known as I-Bonds, as a safe haven offering government-backed returns tied to rising inflation. At the time, they provided an appealing combination of low risk and inflation protection. But now that inflation has begun…
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