Federal Reserve Leaves Rates Unchanged
Last week, the Federal Reserve voted to leave the federal funds rate unchanged at 3.75%, where it has remained throughout 2026. While the broader trend since early 2024 has been toward lower interest rates, recent inflation data has led many members of the Federal Open Market Committee to take a more cautious approach before implementing […]
A Tale of Two Chairs
If you tuned in to the most recent Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) press conference in June, you may have noticed the grey-haired man with his customary purple tie did not step up to the podium as he has for the last eight years. Jerome Powell’s term as Chair of the Federal Reserve ended on […]
Upcoming Mega-IPOs: SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI – Index Inclusion and Investor Implications
Upcoming Mega-IPOs: SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI – Index Inclusion and Investor Implications SpaceX had its IPO last week. Anthropic (maker of Claude) has filed for as early as October, and OpenAI (maker of ChatGPT) is preparing a filing targeting Q4 2026. These companies carry enormous valuations. SpaceX is already valued at approximately $2.2 trillion […]
What Are Trump Accounts? Understanding the Proposed 530A Investment Account for Children
With the recent attention surrounding Trump Accounts, we wanted to provide some clarity on how these accounts are structured and where they may or may not fit within a broader financial plan. For those considering ways to start saving and investing for a child early, a Trump Account, formally referred to as a 530A account, […]
May the 4th Be With You
I’ve been serving families at Ballast for over a decade, but this is the first time it’s my turn to write an update on May 4th. If you are high on the nerdiness scale like me, you will know that today is the unofficial holiday to celebrate the Star Wars universe, a play on “may […]
When Oil Prices Drive the Market
For much of modern market history, investors have focused on interest rates as the dominant force shaping equity performance. Yet in recent months, another variable has begun exerting an outsized influence on market behavior: oil prices. Movements in crude are increasingly dictating sector leadership, inflation expectations, and even investor sentiment across global equity markets. At […]
A Narrow Strait, A Wide Impact
With war now underway involving Iran, investors are understandably asking what matters most and what simply makes headlines. While attention naturally gravitates toward military developments, markets are focused on something far more practical: the Strait of Hormuz. This narrow passage connecting the Persian Gulf to global shipping routes carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply […]
WATCH: Q1 Market and Economic Update with Brian Burton and John Boardman
In this quarter’s update, Ballast, Inc. CIO Brian Burton sits down to answer the questions we’ve been hearing most from clients over the last two months. What’s kept markets strong? What’s happening with Bitcoin and gold? Is AI still a real story or just a really expensive one? And why is everyone suddenly talking […]
2026 Retirement Account Contribution Limits & Year-End Tax Planning
As 2025 draws to a close, now is the perfect time to review your retirement planning strategy and prepare for the new 2026 retirement contribution limits. The IRS has announced increased limits for 401(k)s, IRAs, and HSAs, while year-end planning opportunities like tax-loss harvesting, Roth conversions, and Required Minimum Distributions require attention before December 31st. […]
WATCH: Personal Budgeting for Business Owners
NIL Gives a Lesson in Time Value of Money
Most of the families we serve are not NCAA athletes at power conference schools, but many are fans and season ticket holders. They are more likely to be athletic boosters than athletic legends, starting with yours truly! But we all inhabit the same financial landscape and use the same tools to make decisions. I hope our families with […]
WATCH: Fall 2025 Market Update (October)