A New Year Update
This past year was, as usual, eventful for investors and beneficial for equity owners. In a Presidential election year, it can often be difficult to measure the true tone of economic optimism within this country. Voters generally feel more optimistic when their party is in power and less so when their candidate is challenging an […]
2024 Year-End Financial Insights: Markets, Taxes, AI & Election Impact from Ballast Advisors
As we wrap up 2024, Ballast is here to clarify the major financial themes shaping this year and what they could mean for the future. Listen to conversations from Ballast advisors John Boardman, Andy Reynolds, Cameron Hamilton, Brian Burton, and Frank Yozwiak as this year-end review offers insights into: 00:00:00 Begin 00:00:38 1️⃣ Markets […]
Latest Data on Inflation and Labor Markets Paving the Way for Fed Rate Cuts
Following the weak jobs report that left many on Wall Street questioning the prospects of a “soft landing,” we’ve seen a bit of unrest in markets over the last few weeks. Remember, a soft landing includes cooling inflation back to the Fed’s 2% target while maintaining a healthy labor market. With a slight crack showing […]
What Happened in the Markets Last Week?
If you have turned on the news or had a conversation around the water cooler over the past week, you have certainly heard that volatility has returned to the stock market. Headlines like “Dow sinks more than 1,000 points in global market sell-off” and “Wall Street Hammered Amid Plunging Global Markets” led on all media […]
The Market’s Breadth Still Stinks but Could Relief Be on the Way?
By: Brian T. Burton, CFP®, CIMA® You’ve probably heard about stock market breadth at this point, it has become quite the talking point amongst financial pundits. But what exactly is it? The term, market breadth, can simply be defined as how many stocks are participating in an index’s rise or fall, helping to assess […]
Magazine & Webinars
The Team Plan for tomorrow. Live for today. We’re here to help. Meet Ballast The Magazine Read the Second Issue. Released quarterly. Read Now The Webinar Personal Budgeting for Business Owners on Tues., Nov. 18 at 4:00 pm. Register for Free The Quiz Find out if you’re on track with our Financial IQ quiz. Take […]
Two Ways to Combat Household Inflation
Inflation is not a one-size-fits-all all phenomenon Inflation is the increase in prices over time Increasing prices means decreasing purchasing power How we choose to spend our money dictates how we experience inflation Inflation has been top of mind for every participant in our economy for three years straight: households, businesses, and policymakers. Inflation […]
Guest Commentary: Jeffrey Gehring on Estate Law and Planning
Jeffrey L. Gehring Dickinson Wright PLLC 300 W. Vine Street, Suite 1700 Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 899-8713 jgehring@dickinson-wright.com Personal & Professional Journey What inspired you to pursue a career in estate law, and what has kept you passionate about it over the years? I really love the intersection of the technical rules related to […]
Ballast Magazine – Issue 1
Introducing Ballast Magazine A new way to explore wealth, purpose, and planning from the Ballast advisory team. We’re proud to share the first issue of Ballast Magazine—a curated collection of insights, strategies, and real-world stories for individuals and families committed to building a meaningful financial legacy. And the best part? Every article was thoughtfully written […]
Who Wants to Talk Politics?
Thanks for taking the bait. Positive stock market performance for 2024 has been celebrated by most investors, but the rationale behind the rally is where we tend to see a spectrum of opinions. I have personally heard clients laud their candidate of choice as the primary tailwind… from both sides of the aisle. It does […]
The Cost of a Spent Dollar – What Could an Investment Have Become Through the Years
As we discuss retirement savings, one aspect that is worthy of consideration is the weighing of alternatives. Hindsight is always 20/20, but let’s consider the cost of a spent dollar throughout the years. Essentially, if you had $X in a given year, what is something that you could have purchased during that year compared to […]
How Much is Enough – An Intro to Monte Carlo Simulations
When it comes to retirement planning, one of the most often asked questions is, “What’s my number?” In other words, how much money do I need to save to retire comfortably? Simple, right? Well, not exactly — it’s far more than just a static number posted on our refrigerators. Although there are quick formulas and […]