Financial Planning
Increasing Geo-Political Tensions
By Brian Andrew, CFA®, Chief Investment Officer Market Update: Geopolitical Risk and Asset‑Class Reactions The recent military escalation involving Iran has understandably raised concerns among investors. While the human consequences of conflict are always paramount, markets tend to respond quickly by repricing risk, particularly where energy supply and inflation are involved. Below is a snapshot…
Read MoreEstate Planning Conversations High-Net-Worth Families Need to Be Having
By Emily Boothroyd, JD, CFP®, CPWA®, Wealth Manager and Partner 77% of individuals with more than $1 million in household net worth have an estate plan, will, or trust. Having these documents in place is critical, but it doesn’t always mean a plan has been fully thought through or revisited as families, assets, and priorities…
Read MoreSpring Cleaning Your Portfolio: Resetting Risk for the Year Ahead
By Matthew Morzy, MBA, CFP®, Portfolio Strategist, Merit Financial Advisors Spring tends to be when people finally slow down long enough to take stock. Closets get cleaned out, paperwork gets sorted, and projects postponed during the winter move back to the top of the list. With tax season prompting a closer look at last year’s…
Read MoreFebruary 2026 Market Update
In our February 2026 market update, Merit Financial Advisors’ Chief Investment Officer Brian Andrew, CFA®, breaks down the latest shifts in the stock market outlook for 2026, including renewed volatility, moderating inflation, and a significant rotation away from mega-cap technology stocks. Brian analyzes January’s sharp market sell-off, the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data showing…
Read MoreHer Wealth, Her Way: Empowering Women to Take Control of Their Financial Futures
By Baylee Bryant, Wealth Manager, CFP®, CDFA®, Partner Nearly four in five women (79%) made at least one financial change in the past year cutting spending, saving more, or adjusting how they manage their money in response to economic uncertainty. That closely aligns with what I see in my work with clients at Merit. Many…
Read MoreWhat Now? Tariffs, Markets, and Volatility: What Investors Should Know
By Brian Andrew, CFA®, Chief Investment Officer Friday, the 20th of February, the Supreme Court ruled that the tariff infrastructure put in place in 2025 using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) rules was invalid. Because the Court’s ruling only blocked this one method of levying tariffs, the tariff infrastructure in place will not…
Read MoreTax Preparation Checklist: Five Questions to Ask Before You File
By Joe Cilley, CFP® | Vice President of Financial Planning, Partner, Merit Financial Advisors Tax season naturally pulls us into the past. We look at last year’s income, expenses, and forms. But the most productive tax conversations don’t stop there. They use what just happened to shape what comes next. When I sit down with…
Read MorePlanning Beyond Tax Season: Key Considerations for 2026 and Your Long-Term Financial Strategy
By Steve Henderson, CPA, PFS, CFP®, CKA®, Regional Director, Partner, Merit Financial Advisors, and Director, SSC CPAS and Doug Morris, CFP®, Regional Director, Partner, Merit Financial Advisors Tax rules tend to change quite frequently, and while most people catch the big headlines, fewer stop to think about what those shifts mean for their own money.…
Read More2026 Market Outlook
By Brian Andrew, CFA®, Chief Investment Officer After two strong years in financial markets, 2026 begins at a moment of meaningful transition. The economic environment remains constructive, but many forces that propelled returns in 2023 – 2025 are evolving. This year could potentially reward investors who stay balanced, disciplined, and focused on companies and asset…
Read More7 Financial Resolutions for High-Net-Worth Individuals in 2026
By Robyn Jameson, CFP®, CLTC, Managing Director, Partner, Wealth Manager Every January, I hear some version of the same question from clients: “What should we be doing differently with our finances this year?” Each year, my answer is the same. It’s not about chasing the next strategy or reacting to that day’s headline. It’s about…
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