Freedom is not won by sitting idly and hoping for a miracle. Financial freedom requires vision, courage, and sacrifice for a higher goal. The Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement is a part of that vision.

Adults caring for aging parents and children simultaneously have now become known as the "sandwich generation."  While each generation comes with its own array of financial challenges, the sandwich generation often feels a tight financial squeeze as they juggle the cost of care for their elderly parents with care for their children.

May was another fairly steady month for stocks with some volatility to close out the month as investors watched the ongoing debt ceiling negotiations carefully.  The S&P 500 closed the month slightly higher, and is now up about 9% year to date.   (YCharts) 

Investors have had a number of headwinds to contend with this year including recession risk, hawkish monetary policy, and the risk of a US debt default (debt ceiling).  Despite these factors, we’ve seen markets rally about 16.5% over the last 8 months (since Oct 1^st). 

When your child first started school, you doled out the change for milk and a snack on a daily basis. But now that your kindergartner has grown up, it's time for you to make sure that your child has enough financial knowledge to manage money at college.

Summer is here and with it are fanciful dreams of owning a second, seasonal home. Maybe it’s a beachside bungalow or a mountain cabin or a lakefront cottage with a front porch and a sweeping view of the sunlight on the water. All of them no doubt sound enticing, but fulfilling this dream takes attention to detail and a firm vision of your long-term goals.

Almost half of all adults are part of the "sandwich generation." These are adults in their 40s and 50s who are helping support or care for a parent while also supporting or caring for a child.1

After experiencing some volatility in March, stocks settled down in April as the S&P 500 closed the month about 1.5% higher.  We are now a third of the way through the year and it’s been a good start for stocks as the S&P 500 is up about 8.5% year to date. (YCharts)

This month we’re going to highlight three potential market movers that we’ll be watching closely in the weeks and months to come:

ENZO T. PELLEGRINO, CFP®  RECOGNIZED IN FORBES

AS A 2023 BEST-IN-STATE WEALTH ADVISOR

-- Named the 19th Advisor in Texas--

Those that choose to invest in the education of a family member, friend or acquaintance are investing not only in that individual’s future, but also the future of society. It is an act of generosity, forward-thinking, and love. However, this type of investment can be more complicated than initially thought. Which plan should you choose and how do you decide?