The success rate for active managers has not been very good. In fact, it has been downright awful. It is really hard to beat an index. If you or your advisor are pursuing traditional active management, you’ll need to depend on some serious luck. The decisions you or your financial advisor make around the types of managers and investment strategies you invest in can make a big difference in your long-term returns.

How do we plan when we cannot know? There are always an array of tax breaks to encourage us to save toward our major life goals. However, it remains up to us to make the best use of these “tools of the trade.”

Have you been wondering, “When should I start taking my Social Security?”

The “right” answer to this common question depends on a wide array of personal variables. It depends on how Congress acts. It depends on how the unknowable future plays out.

Let’s take a closer look at how to find the right balance for you.

2022 served as a helpful reminder to many as to why international stocks typically belong in a well-diversified and well-designed investment solution. While international markets were still down in 2022, thankfully they were down less. We don’t know what will happen as we enter 2023. Thankfully, we are not in the business of guessing what will happen in the short term. We are in the business of building efficient portfolios in line with client goals, and for most individuals, this should include the diversification benefits that come from international markets.

2022… It was a rough year with lots of ups and downs. The S&P 500 was down 18.1% on the year. Here are some of the highlights and surprises of the year. Could you have predicted these surprises?

It’s the time of year when all the major banks make their forecasts for the coming year. Are they really worthy of use for your investment strategy? Before you react to the 2023 forecasts, let’s look back at their previous years’ outlooks to see just how reliable (or unreliable) these one-year forecasts really are.

2023’s tax changes are more significant than in years past due to the IRS’s response to the rise in inflation. It’s important to think about your income, giving, saving, and estate planning expectations for the upcoming year so that you can make decisions early to help optimize your tax bill and investable assets. Learn about 2023 tax changes here.

The SECURE 2.0 Act, was similarly enacted at year-end on December 29th, 2022. The legislation seeks to reform how Americans prepare for retirement while juggling current spending needs. Following is an overview of its key components.

There are many planning strategies you can take before the year ends to help potentially reduce your 2022 tax liability and maximize your financial plan as we move into 2023. Most investment-related strategies must be complete by December 31, 2022, so it is important to act now.

As the end of the year approaches, investors over the age of 72 need to ensure they have taken their 2022 Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).

Each meeting, the FOMC creates an outlook for the Fed Funds rate called the “Dot Plot” denoting their projection for future interest rates in subsequent years. Over the past year, their forecasts for the future have changed dramatically. Even the best and brightest can't predict the market. What do we make of this?

US stock market data suggests that making investment decisions based on which party controls Congress is unlikely to lead to better investment outcomes. Investors should remain focused on the long-term.

The IRS's Rule 72(t) allows for penalty-free withdrawals from an IRA or other specified tax-advantaged accounts. If you need to access retirement funds early, here's how you can do so without facing the 10% withdrawal penalty and income tax.

On August 24th, the Biden administration announced their plan to provide student loan relief through an executive order. According to the Federal Reserve, there is about $1.75 trillion in outstanding student loans, and it is estimated that one in seven Americans are borrowers. Here we provide a summary of the provisions and eligibilities included in the plan

There were so many big events competing for our attention this summer. It is important to remember that we are inherently biased to pay more attention to recent alarms than long-term trends. As an investor, if you overemphasize the news that looms the largest, you’re far more likely to damage your investments than do them any favors.

It has been 7 years since I left a great role with a great company to start Kings Path Partners. I often get asked why I did this. Why did I take the risk to start a new company? I had many reasons but the largest was my desire to serve people directly.

529 College Savings Plans are a popular way to provide for your child’s college education. However, myths about these plans exist and prevent families from understanding the full value of this tool. If you’re seeking to be more prepared for your child’s college costs, don’t let these myths stop you.

When the final GDP numbers are published, and assuming they are as negative as forecasted, the headlines will ring out – “We are in a recession!” There will be a lot of debate about the definition of a recession, when it officially begins, how credible the numbers are, etc. For us as investors, however, it is more important to ask, “So what? If we are in a recession, what do we do?”

With rising housing costs and rising mortgage rates, the overall cost of housing is increasing significantly. We found that from 2021 to 2022, the total cost of home ownership increased from 39% of gross household income to 46%! Before buying a new home, consider ALL the costs involved and how those have increased in the past year.

Any good business has a plan and strategy. Yet most Americans have no personal retirement plan in place. A good plan will focus you on what you need to do today and help you understand risks so you have a better chance of achieving your goals tomorrow.