The conversation about hospice care is not an easy one, and because of that, physicians, healthcare professionals, and families wait too long, missing the opportunity to experience how profoundly it can enhance quality of life when a cure is no…
By David Ashby, CFP®, CPA, Mustard Seed Wealth Management To paraphrase that old Led Zeppelin classic, if there’s a bustle in your bond fund, don’t be alarmed now. It’s just the Treasury interfering in free markets! Last week Treasury Secretary…
By David Ashby, CFP®, CPA, Mustard Seed Wealth Management On June 12, the much-anticipated space company developed by Elon Musk did an initial public offering (IPO) of stock. SpaceX was the largest IPO in history to date. The stock was…
By David Ashby, CFP®, CPA, Mustard Seed Wealth Management In the recent Kentucky Derby, a long shot horse named Golden Tempo (GT) was the winner. Prior to the race, GT’s odds of winning were 23 to 1. To compound matters,…
Reliable records for U.S. stock market returns began in 1926. 1926 was a good year for the S&P 500, with a return of 11.6%. 1927 was even better at 37.5%. The 1928 return was 43.6%. You’ve heard that phrase “the…
The recent Kentucky Derby was won by a horse named Golden Tempo (GT). One of the big headlines was that GT was trained by a lady, the first female trainer to ever win the Derby. But consider a few other…
You may be one of those Americans who has quit watching the news. But even if you don’t watch or read any news, you still know something’s going on. You’re reminded each time you gas up. Oil prices in early…
For starters, let’s define what we mean by “emerging markets”. Emerging markets are developing economies (e.g., China, India, Brazil) as opposed to developed economies (e.g., Canada, Japan, the UK). Emerging markets are known for having cheap labor and producing products…
As I logged onto my computer the first workday of the new year, I immediately saw the following headline: Every Wall Street Analyst Now Predicts a Wall Street Rally in 2026. The last time I recall such a consensus was…
It’s that time of the year again when the economists and other financial professionals offer their forecasts for the coming year. The forecasts range from the direction of interest rates to how fast (or slow) the economy will grow to…
On September 24, we finally got a long-awaited rate cut of 25 basis points (one fourth of one percent). That was good news for investors and businesses. The idea is that the rate cut will filter through to lower interest…
Feeling confused about tariffs? Are they good or bad for America? Depending on your news source, you probably either love ‘em or hate ‘em. President Trump sees tariffs as a source of revenue as well as a job-creating mechanism for…
You’ve heard some rumblings that we’re in danger of falling into a recession. Comments on this issue are coming from legitimate financial professionals. These comments stem for the most part due to the current trade war the U.S. initiated against…
Look around your home and you’ll likely find products that were made in at least a dozen different countries. Some items you purchase on a regular basis, such as food. Some are a one-time purchase like furniture. You buy these…
The year 2024 was a good year for stock markets, especially for the U.S market. The three major indicators for the U.S. market (Dow, S&P 500, and NASDAQ) all registered healthy returns. You might think it was virtually impossible to…
