Dog Days of Summer

I had occasion recently to look up the definition of The Dog Days of Summer. It turns out that it refers to a 40 day period from July 3 and August 11 when the weather is warmest.

This has been one of the nicest summers I can remember. Not too hot, lots of golf, fun adventures with wonderful people, quality time on boats, and the stock market has even been cooperating.

But as the Dog Days are coming to an end and the days are getting shorter, it is difficult to not see changes on the horizon.

Some of these changes we have been planning for. Knowing that the Federal Reserve has been raising interest rates to keep inflation at bay caused our team to hedge portfolios over the past two years. The good news is that the Fed’s strategy seems to be working. That has two effects: markets are rising, while bond yields are going up. As such, we are rebalancing portfolios, as we do as market conditions shift.

Speaking of changes, there are some new rules with 529 plans and Roth IRAs that are exciting.

If you would like to come in and talk about these changes, we would love to see you.

But that leads to a change for which we didn’t plan.  Our good friend, Mo Parisian, is moving on from the firm. We will miss her infectious laugh, wonderful organizational skills, and big personality around the office. She is fantastic and will immediately add value to a wonderful organization just down the road. If you haven’t already, be sure to wish her well.

We are taking this opportunity to reflect on the significant growth of the firm and look at each of our service areas to see how we can strategically add to the team. Not only do we provide asset management and financial planning for families, we also manage portfolios for institutions, as well as provide qualified retirement plans for businesses and associations. As we continue to grow, we are assessing how best to provide outstanding client service and to make each interaction and experience a positive one. That is and always will be our number one priority. We have been interviewing top candidates and hope to make some exciting announcements in the near future.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. Ryan, Kendra, and I are just a phone call away.

So with today being the official ending of the Dog Days of Summer, I truly hope you and your loved ones enjoy the end of a wonderful season. I look forward to catching up with you soon.

Joe Smalley