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You likely heard about Silicon Valley Bank (“SVB”) this past weekend, and by now, you’ve probably also heard that the government took actions to quell fears that SVB’s failure might lead to a broader “contagion” effect. It seems as though the bank will, in fact, “fail” in the sense that its debt and equity will suffer or be wiped out…but customers will not lose their deposits, even temporarily.
What follows is a brief recap of what happened, and what it means for investors who don’t bank with SVB, but who are concerned about the downstream effects of its failure on their portfolios.

Protecting yourself from identity theft is like playing a game of whack-a-mole. As soon as you take steps to safeguard yourself from one issue, up pops another. And you aren’t alone in this struggle; this is an unfortunate reality of the modern world that we all must manage.
It seems that the latest threat involves checking accounts. In the last few months, an alarming number of friends, clients, and relatives have reported that their checking accounts have been hacked and funds have disappeared. For one friend, it happened twice within two weeks.

When I first saw this chart below from our industry peer, Charlie Bilello, I thought, “well of course, stocks would outperform cash long-term.” However, after my initial hasty reaction, I realized there were some meaningful lessons here.

Milwaukee, Wi. — Strategic Wealth Partners Group, LLC, an independent wealth management firm with offices in Chicago and Milwaukee, announced today that Ruben Rivas has joined the firm as a…

In addition to the needs and demands of their personal financial affairs, many people accept the responsibility of managing financial affairs on behalf of a loved one. The situation may arise either as the result of a sudden incapacity, like a car accident, or as a part of a long-term transition plan as we age, like a progressing illness such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
You may be very experienced in managing your own money, but the person you are helping could be in a different part of their financial life, have different financial complexities, or have different goals and objectives. You want to be comfortable that you have the knowledge and experience necessary to be an effective fiduciary. In this article, I will share some steps that we take with clients to help prepare them to make financial decisions for their loved ones as their power of attorney.

Deerfield, Ill. — Strategic Wealth Partners Group, LLC, an independent wealth management firm with offices in Chicago and Milwaukee, announced today that Michael Tuber has joined the firm as a…

Many high-net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals have accumulated significant pre-tax assets in tax-deferred accounts such as IRAs and 401(k)s.  While these types of accounts offer the benefit of tax-deferred growth, they also come with unique considerations when it comes to wealth management.

There are countless articles that address the basics of IRAs, 401(k)s, and other types of tax-advantaged accounts – this article is geared specifically towards those individuals who have already amassed high six-figure or seven-figure balances in pre-tax retirement accounts. For that reason, I will skip over the basics, except to mention that since pre-tax IRAs and 401(k)s are funded with (you guessed it) pre-tax dollars, distributions are taxed as ordinary income. This is important to remember throughout the article.

SWP Principal Mike Karmin doesn’t know whether or not the economy is heading for a recession in 2023. He does, though, feel strongly that investors should maintain their allocation to the stock market regardless of whether they believe that the Federal Reserve can successfully execute a soft landing.

In this short video, Mike shares some historical data that supports long-term investment in equities, even if a recession does come to fruition.

As we start the new year, especially after a challenging 2022, the most frequent question we are asked is: What is your prediction for 2023?

Admittedly, our crystal ball is cloudy. It always has been and always will be when it comes to short-term predictions. Still, there is no shortage of “experts” – supported by research, sophisticated models, and persuasive reasoning – that routinely broadcast what’s in store for the next twelve months. The harsh reality: it’s fool’s gold – entertaining but rarely actionable.