Financial Planning
Protected: Investing with Intention: Aligning Your Wealth with Your Personal Values
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Read MoreBeyond Tax Day: Mid-Year Tax Planning Opportunities
By Michele Hammann, CPA, PFS™, CVA, Regional Vice President, Partner, Merit Financial Advisors Many investors think tax planning happens only once a year, but the reality is that mid-year check-ins are just as important. Without multiple touch bases with your accountant and financial advisor throughout the year, it can be easy to overlook things like…
Read MoreCease-Fire – Pause Or More?
By Brian Andrew, CFA®, Chief Investment Officer Summary: The U.S. and Israel have agreed to a two-week cease-fire with Iran. This comes on the heels of an announcement by the President that if the Strait of Hormuz wasn’t opened by 8pm ET Tuesday, the U.S. would increase hostilities toward power and transportation infrastructure. Markets have…
Read MoreMarch 2026 Market Update
In our March 2026 market update, Merit Financial Advisors’ Chief Investment Officer Brian Andrew, CFA®, examines a month shaped by rising geopolitical tensions, increased energy prices, and shifting expectations around inflation and interest rates. While markets remain modestly positive year-to-date, new risks tied to global conflict and economic moderation are influencing the stock market outlook…
Read MoreIncreasing 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 More