The Signature Blog

Practical tips and resources on building your ideal life.

Choose a topic you need help with or scroll through the posts below and explore our approach to money and life.

Signature Wealth Market Update

June 2023 Market Update

I hope you all had a fantastic Memorial Day weekend and are excited about the summer season ahead. I, for one, am looking forward to longer days and maybe a couple of vacations. I hope you get to enjoy some…

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Retirement doesn’t have to mean leaving your career behind

RETIREMENT & LONGEVITY More and more Americans are incorporating work into their retirement years. The traditional image of retirement as a time of purely leisurely pursuits is no longer the norm for many Americans. A growing number of people over…

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Market Update

May 2023 Market Update

The month of April saw little change in the major stock indices as volatility fell to the lowest levels since November 2021. This occurred even though money supply, as measured by M2, is in the midst of its steepest decline…

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10 things your kids don’t want when you downsize

FAMILY & LIFESTYLE Among the list of least-wanted heirlooms? Fancy dinnerware, dark brown furniture and sewing machines. With spring in the air, now is a popular time to organize and declutter. But if you’re making a list of items for…

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Signature Wealth Market Update

April 2023 Market Update

A lot has changed in the last month, so I wanted to provide you with an update on recent events in the financial markets. Notably, there have been failures of some regional and international banks, which, combined with ongoing uncertainty…

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Pay off debt with a plan in mind

FAMILY & LIFESTYLE Strategies for minimizing interest payments and eliminating debt. If you’ve accumulated more credit card debt than you can pay off in a few months, how can you quickly eliminate that debt while minimizing your interest payments? The…

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Market Update

March 2023 Market Update

The month of February brought a reality check for investors hoping for a “soft landing” for the economy. Sticky inflationary readings over the past few weeks have resulted in higher interest rates and rising bond yields, which often lead to…

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Refresh and renew your portfolio this spring

RETIREMENT & LONGEVITY Review your cash flow and tend to your RMDs as tax season approaches. Market Closures April 7: Good Friday May 29: Memorial Day Dates To Remember For deadlines that fall on a weekend, action may need to be…

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Signature Wealth Market Update

February 2023 Market Update

As expected, the Federal Reserve raised the Federal Funds rate by 25 bps in early February, the smallest increase since the beginning of the rate hike cycle. The market saw this as positive, with the S&P 500 rallying despite Chairman…

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Relaunching your career with a returnship

FAMILY & LIFESTYLE These internship-like programs are gaining popularity for women re-entering the workforce. Learn what they’re all about. With more than eight years of experience in project management, business analysis and quality assurance, Richa Chaturvedi decided to trade her…

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market update

January 2023 Market Update

Happy New year!  I hope that your holidays were great and that 2023 is off to a great start for you.  I just caught myself signing a document “2022,” so I think it’s going to take me a while to…

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How does SECURE Act 2.0 change saving for retirement?

Washington Policy Analyst Ed Mills outlines key components of the new legislation. The year-end fiscal 2023 government funding bill contained legislation that makes the most significant changes to the U.S. retirement savings system in decades. The SECURE Act 2.0 legislation…

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Signature Wealth Market Update

December 2022 Market Update

We’re about to ring the final closing bell for 2022, and what a year it’s been.  Given the number of drastically bad events this year, like the war in Europe and near-record inflation, we’re lucky that it wasn’t worse for…

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sws blog_homes smart enough to save

Homes smart enough to save you money

FAMILY & LIFESTYLE When it comes to smart home technologies, there is an abundance of options. Here are some we think are worthy investments. It’s been reported that Oprah Winfrey has a high-tech ski home in Telluride, Colorado, that boasts…

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Market Update

November 2022 Market Update

As I write this on the morning after Election Day, the results are undetermined, as suspected.  I think all of us want to make sure the final tally is correct, but I hope that the outcomes are determined soon.  The…

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sws blog_helping a loved one buy a home

Helping a loved one buy a home? Review strategies and risks

FAMILY & LIFESTYLE Approaches range from offering a straightforward monetary gift to making the purchase yourself and becoming a landlord. Explore various strategies and their tradeoffs. Real estate has long been one of the foundational pieces for an investment portfolio.…

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market update

October 2022 Market Update

In late September, we did breach the old low on the S&P 500 of 3636 (set in June), which leads me to believe that new money should be patient when buying stocks.  I certainly would recommend dollar cost averaging, whereby…

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medicare-blog

Making the most of Medicare’s open enrollment period

RETIREMENT & LONGEVITY Ask yourself a few questions to make sure you’re getting the most from Medicare. Mark your calendar for Medicare’s open enrollment season: between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7, you are able to make changes to your Medicare…

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