With the midterm elections on November 3, the political ads are everywhere, and a familiar question is starting to come up in our client meetings: Should I do anything with my portfolio before the election? Our short answer is no. History shows that midterm years can be bumpy for markets, but it also shows that the results of an election have been a poor guide to what markets do next. Here's what the data says: The midterm pattern: a bumpy ride, then a better year Midterm yea

Highlights of this Special Edition Newsletter: LVM's Year-End Financial Planning Checklist LVM Staff Anniversary State of the Housing Market Clients Giving Back LVM’s Year-End Financial Planning Checklist Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) generally are minimum amounts that a retirement plan account owner must withdraw annually, starting with the year that he or she reaches the age of 73. The RMD is calculated for each IRA or retiremen

In what is normally a fairly quiet corner of the investment universe, the bond market is starting to make some noise. With interest rates and inflation moving higher, investors are questioning what the Federal Reserve will do with interest rates. So, what gives? Interest rates affect nearly everything; they influence mortgage rates, car loans, student loans, business investment decisions, stock valuations, and, as author Edward Chancellor described in his book The Price of Ti

Before you break out into song and sing "absolutely nothing," let's put some data on the table. CapEx, or capital expenditures, is exactly what it sounds like: companies spending money on property, plants, equipment, and infrastructure that, once deployed, should help increase future revenue and earnings. The challenge for investors is that the costs are immediate, while the benefits often take years to materialize. For much of the last decade, the major hyperscalers—the comp

Highlights of this Special Edition Newsletter: After the Filing Deadline: Turning Tax Season Into Strategy Why Mid-Year is the Right Time to Revisit LVM Enters Its 39th Year! Clients Giving Back Supporting Our Community After the Filing Deadline: Turning Tax Season Into Strategy Filing a return can feel like crossing a finish line. We tend to see it as the opposite. The return you just signed is one of the most informative financial documents you will produce all year, and th