When an athlete is performing at their highest level, it is often said that they are “in the zone” or “in the flow.” This state of complete focus and harmony—where…
Key Takeaways: Most Americans experience an event that causes their income and/or net worth to drop significantly. After a financial shock, review your situation and plan with a trusted professional.…
On May 20, Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson signed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5813, reshaping parts of Washington's capital gains and estate tax regimes. The new tax law affects families…
Every day—all day, it seems—we make decisions. Many are minor and made almost automatically. Some are far more important. And a select few may be crucial to the outcomes that…
“The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.” – William James When I first started out as a credit analyst, one of my mentors counseled…
Introductory note from Anthony Baruffi, Founder, Baruffi Private Wealth... Over the past year, I’ve reviewed and utilized generative AI tools to assist me with tasks ranging from portfolio research to…
Market data through the week ending May 30 2025 (unless noted otherwise) Equities – Stocks finished May decisively higher. The S&P 500 rallied 6.3 % for the month, erasing earlier…
The first quarter of 2025 has ended, and while I usually take a few days to review the quarter, gather my thoughts and gaze into my ever cloudy crystal ball,…
Key Takeaways: Currently, some big estate tax provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are set to expire at the end of this year. Strategies to consider include…
Key Takeaways: Making New Year's resolutions, and then soon falling short on them, is a very human practice. (One that dates back millennia, in fact.) The human brain craves habit—and…
At the end of 2024, investors had good reason to pop the confetti. Last year was the second consecutive year with S&P 500 gains of over 20%, the first time…
My experience as a bond trader and fixed-income portfolio manager during the Asian currency crisis, the Worldcom and Enron bankruptcies, as well as the Great Recession has given me a…
Key Takeaways: Bring your end goal back to the present day and envision yourself doing the necessary work in the moment to ensure your vision actually comes into being. Set…
Key Takeaways Financial criminals have their sights set on the affluent. Their methods include email phishing, fraudulent investments, tax scams and beyond. Some of the best moves you can make…
Equity markets have been falling over the last week as disappointing earnings from technology companies and concerns regarding slowing job growth have caused investors to sell many of the securities…
Key Takeaways: • Qualified retirement plans are a smart tax-mitigation strategy for many entrepreneurs. • Advanced solutions like captive insurance companies and freezing the value of a business are often…
Key Takeaways: Longevity has become a hot-button issue, particularly as so many of us enter our 60s, 70s and beyond. Improvements in technology can potentially help us adopt and stick…
Key Takeaways: Don’t “set and forget” your estate plan—revisit it regularly and revise it if necessary. Be sure you’re getting advice from someone with superior technical expertise. Revise an estate…