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.
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…
Read MoreRetirement 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…
Read MoreMay 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…
Read More10 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…
Read MoreApril 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…
Read MorePay 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…
Read MoreMarch 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…
Read MoreRefresh 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…
Read MoreFebruary 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…
Read MoreRelaunching 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…
Read MoreJanuary 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…
Read MoreHow 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…
Read MoreDecember 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…
Read MoreHomes 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…
Read MoreNovember 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…
Read MoreHelping 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.…
Read MoreOctober 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…
Read MoreMaking 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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