Today the Yakel kids start SAT testing…only Ben is excited—he likes filling in all of the bubbles with his number two pencil.  The older kids dread it…probably because they are facing a day full of questions like this:   For all you math people, you can check your answer at the end of this post…for

Other than the Oscars, the failure of Silicon Valley Bank has been dominating the headlines. However, the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve have moved swiftly to address potential risks to the financial system. We also believe the turmoil will relieve some pressure on the Federal Reserve, possibly leading to a

My daughter Melanie and I spent the weekend in Charlottesville, soaking in the atmosphere of the University of Virginia.  We went to a women’s basketball game, enjoyed a lovely dinner, and spent time on campus, touring and learning about the school… Melanie blending into the straw on the Lawn… UVA women’s

Happy Valentine’s Day! To mix things up this week and in honor of the holiday of love, we went around Meridian asking about everyone’s favorite financial & personal loves:   Sarah Yakel, Partner Dr. David Kelly’s Guide to the Markets & pour over coffee from Doppio Bunny Coffee in The Plains. Sarah

Every year I’m on it in terms of shopping for big gifts. Typically taking advantage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. I do however leave the “stocking stuffers” until the last minute. There’s the traditional oranges and candies, but after that I get lost. Another pair of socks? Chapstick? Gift cards? In

As we approach the end of the year, a lot of our clients are asking what they should be doing before 2022 comes to a close. There are plenty of things-to-consider-before-the-end-of-the-year lists out there, but if you have investments in taxable (non-retirement) accounts, you may want to consider tax loss harvesting.

If you are an avid reader of our blogs (if avid readers of our blogs even exist!), you may recognize this blog’s title from a previous post years ago. For those who aren’t aware, it refers to the song Changes by David Bowie. One of my favorite lyrics in that song is “turn and face […]

One of the historical realities of the stock market is that it typically has performed poorest during the month of September. The September Effect is a worldwide phenomenon; it doesn’t only affect U.S. markets. A reason could be that most mutual funds cash in their holdings to harvest tax losses. Another particular

This summer has been a challenging one, with quite a few family members, friends, and clients of ours all struggling with care challenges for aging parents, spouses, or friends.  We’ve watched the struggle of figuring out how to let someone age in place with dignity, and it is a huge burden for family or friends