The Role of Technology in Modern Enterprise Risk Management
In today’s rapidly changing business world, risks are becoming more complex and harder to ...
Government Shutdown
The U.S. government has shut down
The U.S. government has shut down for the f...
Keeping Your Estate Plan Current
Why, when and how to update client estate plans due to life changes.
An estat...
Any Time Is Tax-Loss Harvesting Time
Here’s what you need to know about tax-loss harvesting
For some reason, human...
The Case For Calm – Rethinking Risk
Does Volatility Equal Risk?
Rethinking Risk
Wall Street often defines ris...
The Increasing Necessity of Long-term Care Insurance
In the next 25 years, global life expectancy is projected to increase to 78.1 years from 7...
2025 Q2 Thoughts
Halfway Done With 2025
Market Recap
In the second quarter of 2025, global ma...
Align Risk In Your Comprehensive Financial Plan
In bull markets, conversations about risk tend to take a backseat.
In bull ma...
The Case for Calm: Keep a Long View
Investors Face Difficult Decisions
Investors were faced with a difficult choi...
The Case for Calm: Why “Playing it Safe” Can Be Dangerous
Harken back to the good old days
Harken back to the good old days. There were...
Portfolio Update: Adding Back Some Duration
The measure of a bond's sensitivity to changes in interest rates.
The Gardner...
Why You Need a Power of Attorney
Life is unpredictable.
Why You Might Need a Power of Attorney
Life is unpr...
Turning Savings Into Income
Humorist Gene Perret once said, “Retirement: it’s nice to get out of the rat race, but you...
The Case for Calm: You Control What Matters
Market uncertainty is inevitable, but in some circumstances, the biggest determinant of in...
Paying for Health Care in Retirement
With retirement comes new freedoms
With retirement comes new freedoms. But it...
Is a Roth Conversion Right for You?
The (IRA) Grass Is Green
If the grass looks greener on the tax-free side of t...
Changing Times, Changing Needs
Why Review?
What's In A Risk Management Review?
When you purchased your li...
When Taking Social Security Early Might Make More Sense Than Waiting
When To Take Social Security Benefits
For years, conventional wisdom has enco...
2025 Q1 Thoughts
Global stock markets displayed wide performance dispersion
Market Recap
Gl...
Peak Trade Pessimism?
Where Do We Stand Today?
Here are some quick thoughts on the recent economic ...
Bond Are Back……Now What?
Risk Is Everywhere......It's How You Define It.
Opportunities and risk exist ...
Q1 2023 Thoughts
Despite the stress in the banking system, including the failure of Silicon Valley Bank, gl...
Thoughts On Recent Market Volatility
Crisis Or Opporunity
The Gardner Group takes losses seriously. The frustratio...
New Year’s Resolutions, Saving Money A Bad Mix
Americans are big on making New Year’s resolutions, and saving money is quite often on the...
7 Steps to Navigating Finances as a Couple
Love and Money
February is historically known as the month of love.
Author...
Assessing the Impacts of Tariffs
Overview of Recent Tariff Announcement
This past weekend, President Trump ann...
2024 Q4 Final Thoughts
The U.S. economy and the stock market proved much stronger than many had anticipated in 20...
Living Trusts And Your Financial Plan
A living trust is a legal document that allows you to designate how your assets will be di...
FRA, Social Security, And Other Fun Facts
Full retirement age (FRA) refers to the age at which a person is eligible to receive their...
Should I Be Worried? An Investor Litmus Test
The Serenity Prayer has a simple but profound message.
As a child, I remember...
Tax-Loss Harvesting And Your Financial Plan
Tax-loss harvesting is a strategy where investors sell securities at a loss to offset capi...
From Crisis To Opportunity……To Tax-Loss Selling
There is nothing pleasant about the current state of our lives and the coronavirus epidemi...
2024 Q3 Thoughts
It was far from a quiet summer for the financial markets
Market Recap
It w...
2024 Q2 Thoughts
In the second quarter of 2024, the U.S. economy remained resilient.
In the se...
Tax Allocation And Your Financial Plan
You might be able to save yourself tens of thousands of dollars by reshuffling positions b...
There’s Never A Good Time To Invest
Consider something you’ve always wanted to do but you’ve put off doing because it scares y...
2024 Q1 Thoughts
REBALANCE........Rebalance........rebalance
Market Recap
In the first thre...
Portfolio Update: Managing Risk
The Gardner Group is eliminating the tactical overweight to emerging-market stocks
...
The Retirement Planning Eras Tour With The Gardner Group
Would you wear the same clothes you wore in your 20s in your 60s?
Whether you...
What the heck is a HELOC?
HELOCs are a type of loan that allows homeowners to borrow against the equity in their hom...
Tax Planning Strategies
3 Tax Planning Strategies You Can Still Implement Before Filing Taxes
3 Tax P...
The Most Important New Year’s Resolution
The Most Important New Year’s Resolution
The start of a New Year usually insp...
Q4 2023 Final Thoughts
What a difference a year makes.
Market Recap
What a difference a year make...
From Panic to Rally: A Week That Reminds Us ‘This Too Shall Pass’
This too shall pass
Just a few days ago, investors were despondent. Markets w...
Tax-Loss Harvesting And Lemonade
When the economy gives us lemons, The Gardner Group makes lemonade.
When the ...
2023 Q3 Thoughts
2023 Q3 Thoughts
Market Recap
The S&P 500 reached a 2023 high at the e...
2023 Q2 Thoughts
Global equities continued to rally in the second quarter.
Market Recap
Globa...
Thoughts on The Debt Ceiling Impasse
SPOILER ALERT.......there is no such thing as a Money Tree.
Not a week goes b...
Long Live Tax Season
Tax Planning Year-Round
Just because we just wrapped up another painful tax s...
This Time, Is It Different?
According to Reuters, The Dow Jones Industrial Average has lost 12% since hitting a record...
2022 Q4 Thoughts
A difficult year ended with a thud for U.S. stocks
Market Recap
A difficult ...
Our Views On Inflation
Up, Up, And Away
Investors have been concerned about inflation. But while yea...
2022 Q3 Thoughts
It was a challenging quarter for traditional stock and bond investments
Marke...
Portfolio Update: Reducing Risk
Mitigating potential losses through more of a staggered approach.
Summary
...
September is College Savings Month
September is College Savings Month
September is College Savings Month and acc...
Living in a Higher Inflation World
It doesn't appear that the word 'transitory' is the best way to describe the current econo...
2022 Q2 Thoughts
It’s been a rough year, with equity markets down more than 20% and “low-risk” bond markets...
Actions to Take in Uncertain Times
When markets are down sharply the action desired is to sell stocks.
During a ...
The Power of Investing
Thinking about investing? Unsure whether it's a good option for you? The Gardner Group wan...
2022 Q1 Thoughts
A lot has happened since our year-end letter just three months ago.
Market Re...
Market Volatility And Russia
The Gardner Group strives to keep our clients fully informed on the impact of market volat...
Six Basic Tax Planning Techniques
Don't Volunteer Money To The IRS
There are no great secrets where tax plannin...
Six Benefits Of Your Donor Advised Fund With The Gardner Group
DAF’s allow our clients a wider range of experiences in the joy of giving, while enabling ...
Have You Factored Inflation Into Your Future?
Your retirement portfolio might be up, but inflation is crushing your returns.
...
Update: Increased Return Expectations for U.S. Stocks
A Deeper Dive........just in time for summer
Increased Return Expectations fo...
Cryptocurrency Speculation: A Case of FOMO?
Fear Of Missing Out And Prudent Financial Planning
Cryptocurrencies were back...
Model Updates
Adding to U.S. Stocks, Rebalancing Treasuries And Core Bonds
Shifting the Sto...
2021 Q1 Thoughts
The Gardner Group's first quarter 2021 thoughts are now available
Market Reca...
Is Your Retirement-Ship Stuck in the Suez Canal?
A list of must-dos for 40 and 50 year old captains that have run aground
On M...
2020 Year-End Thoughts
After the first quarter of 2020, we wrote in our letter last April that we were living thr...
2 Ways To Allocate Assets
The two dominant philosophies of asset allocating assets are strategic and tactical. The f...
Tax Planning Opportunities For 2020
2020 has just been squirrely all the way around! This year, we’ve even got some one-off ch...
Come On In!
If it's been awhile since you checked us out, come on in!
Single-Sign On (SSO...
Answers On The Run
Your personal financial mobile website provides you with anywhere access to view your inve...
Year-End Tax Planning Strategies
Waiting until just before April 15 to start thinking about your taxes may prove to be a co...
SEP-IRA FAQs
A simplified employee pension (SEP) IRA is a retirement savings plan established by employ...
Are Volatile Stock Markets Good for Investors?
When the ups and downs of stock markets leave you stressed and wondering whether stocks re...
2020 Q2 Thoughts
For most of the second quarter, financial markets seemed to defy grim economic news, the c...
Asset Allocation
Every investment decision involves both risk and reward. Learn how an asset allocation str...
Life, Liberty, and Tax-Advantaged Opportunities
Americans are passionate about taxes.
In recent years, Americans have spent m...
What Do You Really Know About Bear Markets?
What clients and friends need to know!
A “bear market” occurs when stock pric...
Plan Your Future
Goal Planning starts today!!!
However you see your tomorrow, the best time to...
A Checklist for Your Retirement Planning
Remember, it is never too early to start planning for your future
The time to...
Living Your Retirement Lives
Three Questions to Explore with your Family and Friends
Retirement is defined...
Tax Rules When Selling Your Home
How the gains from the sale of a primary residence are taxed has changed in recent years. ...
Why Don’t We Save More Money?
Saving, Spending, and Paying Down Your Debts
Americans used to save a reasona...
What’s Your Risk Number?
The Gardner Group uses the Risk Number to better serve our clients and empower fearless in...
Why Is The Market Going Up?
Many of our clients, and investors broadly, are asking this important question: How do we ...
What’s In A Number?
Financial planning in accordance with your unique goals will allow you to keep your finger...
What Is a Roth 401(k)?
While many people are familiar with the benefits of traditional 401(k) plans, others are n...
Be Smart……Be Bold
The Gardner Group sees the light at the end of the tunnel.
The Gardner Group ...
The Coronavirus Bear Market and Its Place in History
The pace with which the Coronavirus bear market toppled the longest-running bull market in...
Changes To Portfolios
The Federal Reserve acted in unprecedented ways by dropping its benchmark interest rate to...
Investment Policy Statements
Find out how an Investment Policy Statement can help you manage your portfolios and help y...
The SECURE Act Changed Retirement, Estate, and College Plans
There was a little something for everyone in the ‘Setting Every Community Up for Retiremen...
2019 Year-End Report
As I enter my fourth decade of financial planning, I am more excited than ever about deliv...
Our Beliefs
What The Gardner Group believes in and how we implement it into our clients' financial pla...
More Year-End Tax Planning For 2019
As we move closer to year-end, The Gardner Group starts to focus on what we can do to opti...
Financial Tips for Generation Xers
Young adults—so-called “post boomers” or “Generation Xers”—face a variety of challenges in...
The True Cost of Being Healthy
I often asks my healthy clients what they spend on healthcare. Not many of them realize it...
Here’s How Much GenY Is Saving?
All of us need to sock away some serious cash to accomplish our financial goals, especiall...
Act Before Year End To Minimize Your Tax Burden
Advice this year is a little different, as no one is quite sure what next year will bring ...
Why Should You Start Saving for Retirement Now?
You are busy dealing with life’s day-to-day issues. To you, retirement may seem like a lon...
3 Mistakes to Avoid Before Taking Required Minimum Distributions
Uncle Sam wants your money. He has bills to pay, just like you. And he's been waiting pati...
Thanks Coach Gregg
Thanks Coach.....we owe you everything!! #9/2/89
With another football season...
Yield Curve Inversions Explained
For those of you that are having trouble sleeping, The Gardner Group wanted to share some ...
The Nuts & Bolts of Required Minimum Distributions
Your required minimum distribution is the minimum amount you must withdraw from your accou...
2019 Half-Time Report
2019 has been an exciting year. Please read our thoughts on the first six months of the ye...
Are We Ready For The Baby Boom Retirement?
Fifteen years ago, a Health Services Research report described the challenges ahead for th...
529 College Savings Plan
529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to encourage saving for future educatio...
2019 Q1 Thoughts
These are The Gardner Group's thoughts as we close the door on the first quarter of 2019.
...
It’s The Contribution, Stupid!
iPhones, avocado toast, and other money distractions.
It's the contribution, stupid...
9 Facts About Retirement
Nearly 70% of workers expect to work for pay in retirement, but only 26% of retirees actua...