Lions & Tigers & Fed, oh my.

This past weekend up north, as I drove around the bend, a view of a dozen trees in full bloom almost took my breath away. We live in such a beautiful state and this time of year makes me grateful for so many things.

But as a sports fan, it is hard not to be excited about what is going on in Detroit. A late push by the Tigers to make the playoffs is super exciting, and so are the Lions as they try to break through to the next level. And down the street from the Motor City, two D1 football schools are rebuilding with some amazing talent and more than a few exciting wins.

With all eyes on the upcoming election, it is hard to not think that politics could play a role in the economy and stock market.

Perhaps even more importantly, the Federal Reserve has finally started the easing of interest rates. Their dual mandate of keeping inflation at bay and providing for a strong employment backdrop has them cutting rates for the foreseeable future.

And then there are the global conflicts in the Ukraine and the Middle East.

Over the last 18 months, markets have powered through racking up healthy returns. Our forecast is for long term growth, but short term volatility. As such, we continue to hedge equity exposure and lock in high quality fixed income rates at this time.

And as the calendar officially flips to fall, we begin the process of performing tax loss harvesting to help minimize taxation. We are also ensuring that all Required Minimum Distributions are scheduled. We are helping maximize retirement contributions by the end of the year, and starting new retirement plans for the new year. And for our charitably-inclined clients, we are organizing gifting strategies.

If you would like to schedule some time to review your portfolio prior to the election, or discuss your tax situation or retirement strategy, please reach out, we would love to see you.

While you probably know I am a die-hard Sparty fan, it is hard not to steal a line from Coach Harbaugh: who has it better than us? Nobody. And Let’s Go Tigers!