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Insights from Griffin Black

Market wisdom and financial perspective for those who seek clarity. Read our latest analysis on wealth building, investment strategy, and planning for what matters most.
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  • Young Investors
4 min read

Tax Time! What to know about Capital Gains & Losses

It's everyone’s favorite time of year: tax time! As you're filing your taxes this year, you will undoubtedly be faced with a lot of tax lingo. It can be overwhelming if you are not familiar with the terminology. A common tax question is “did you buy or sell any assets this year?”. This question is really getting at the treatment of a capital gain or capital loss. Now, you may prefer to turn over the documents showing this information to your tax software or CPA, but understanding how a capital asset is taxed can help you make smart decisions during the tax year.
A straight road with "2024" and an arrow painted on it, surrounded by greenery under a cloudy sky with sunlight in the distance.
  • Current & Economic Events
6 min read

5 Insights for Your Investment Program in 2024

In 2023 markets reversed their 2022 performance with strong gains across both stocks and bonds. The S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq all generated exceptional returns last year: 26.3%, 16.2%, and 44.7% respectively (with reinvested dividends). The S&P has come full circle and is now only a fraction of a percentage point below the all-time high from exactly two years ago. The US 10-Year Treasury yield climbed as high as 5% in October before falling to end the year around 3.9%, pushing bond prices higher in the process.
A person inserts a block labeled "INFLATION" into a stack of wooden blocks labeled with terms like BUSINESS, ECONOMY, and BUDGET, illustrating the impact of inflation on various economic aspects.
  • Young Investors
5 min read

The Dollars & Sense of Inflation

Inflation has been one of the hottest topics in economic news throughout 2023. Maybe you have read about inflation in the news or talked about the most recent data at the proverbial water cooler. If you have not heard about the recent bout of inflation, you have certainly felt its effects. Maybe that’s led you to ask questions like “why do we have inflation?” It is a good question, and one that has a very meaningful impact on your financial goals.
Stacks of coins with letter tiles on top spelling "INFLATION" in front of a jar labeled "PENSION" filled with paper currency, spilling out onto a surface.
  • Financial Planning, Taxes
4 min read

How Inflation Impacts Taxes and Retirement Benefits

While the holiday season is ideally a time for family and friends, it is also a good time to review tax strategies for the current as well as the coming year. Tax planning includes possibilities such as tax-loss harvesting, choices of investment vehicles, order withdrawal optimization, and many others. Given the complexity of these considerations, it’s important to work with a trusted financial professional to best understand each approach and its implications. It’s also important to understand the economic climate's effect on taxes, especially the impact of inflation. What should investors know as they plan for 2024?
An older man is teaching a group of students in a classroom, standing in front of a chalkboard filled with complex mathematical equations.
  • My Money & Me
8 min read

Are You Looking for The Perfect Career (or Life) Plan? Forget It.

You’ve probably done it all your life. First you (or your parents) enrolled you in a good kindergarten. From there, you ‘graduated’ to a solid grade school. Then came an excellent high school, after which you were lucky (and hard-working) enough to be admitted to a top-notch university. It’s been a step-by-step – and well laid-out – progression your whole life. Isn’t that how careers (and lives) are supposed to work? All nicely laid out with one pre-ordained step after the other?
People sorting and organizing clothes at a donation center. A person with short grey hair is holding a red and grey piece of clothing.
  • Financial Planning, Retirement Planning
3 min read

Using Qualified Charitable Distributions to Benefit both Yourself and Others

For many individuals, financial planning extends beyond managing their investments with the goal of a comfortable retirement in mind. It can also include the desire to make a positive impact through charitable giving. Charitable Gift Annuities (CGAs) have long been a popular way for individuals to address both their retirement goals as well as their philanthropic interests.
A large crowd of people standing together outdoors. One person in the center holds up a small American flag.
  • Current & Economic Events, Recent Events
5 min read

What Washington Politics and the National Debt Mean for Long-Term Investors

While war escalates in the Middle East, a political battle is also heating up in Washington. As of this writing, there is still no House speaker in Congress after Kevin McCarthy's exit and Steve Scalise's withdrawal. While a number of Republican and House votes are scheduled to attempt to resolve this leadership vacuum, there are more political hurdles on the horizon. This only complicates the market and economic environment for investors who are already navigating higher interest rates, Fed uncertainty, stock market volatility, and more.
A pocket watch and small figurines of two older people stand on a document titled "Last Will and Testament".
  • Estate Planning
5 min read

Navigating Trustee Choices: Who to Trust with Your Trust

Trusts are powerful legal tools that enable individuals to manage and distribute their assets according to their wishes, even beyond their lifetime. Selecting a successor trustee — the individual or entity responsible for administering the trust in the event of your death or incapacitation— is a pivotal decision in the trust creation process. The successor trustee is responsible for managing and eventually distributing the trust's assets to beneficiaries.
Five colorful piggy banks face an orange, five-way arrow on a white background, suggesting different financial choices or savings paths.
  • Young Investors
5 min read

Decoding Retirement Saving: Learning the Lingo of Retirement Planning

Picture this scenario: You have finished a grueling interview process. After days of studying and fielding questions in front of the mirror, you finally get the offer. The job is a perfect fit for you, the salary looks great, and you even get some nice benefits! On your first day, your HR representative asks if you want to take advantage of the company’s 401(k) plan.
Gold-plated seal of the United States Department of the Treasury on a stone wall, featuring scales, a key, and stars with the year 1789 inscribed.
  • Current & Economic Events
5 min read

How the Highest Real Yields Since 2009 Affect Investors

Interest rates have swung wildly over the past two years in response to inflation, economic concerns, and market volatility. After falling as low as 3.3% earlier this year, the 10-year U.S. Treasury is now yielding around 4.2%, back to where it was roughly a year ago. However, while today's long-term yields look similar to last year's on paper, they are quite different from an economic and market perspective. What are interest rates telling us today and how does this impact long-term investors?
A smiling family of four, including two children, are sitting at a table placing coins into a gray piggy bank.
  • My Money & Me
8 min read

Do You Know What Your “Money Culture” Is?

Yes, investment returns matter. But your basic assumptions about and behavior toward money will probably impact your finances – and your eventual wealth – more than you currently imagine.
A child with glasses sits cross-legged on the floor, raising both arms in excitement, with a laptop in front and a sofa in the background.
  • Financial Planning
5 min read

Why Investing Early Is the Key to Achieving Financial Goals

For long-term investors, knowing the difference between what can and cannot be controlled is the key to both financial success and peace of mind. While all investors would like to believe they can predict the direction of the market, experience teaches us that this is difficult to do.

Griffin Black, LLC is an SEC registered investment adviser; registration does not imply skill or training. Content is for informational purposes only and is not investment, legal, tax, or accounting advice. No client relationship is created by viewing this site. Information is believed reliable but not guaranteed. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal; past performance does not guarantee future results. Any testimonials or ratings may not reflect all experiences and are not indicative of future outcomes. Additional information, including fees and services, is available in our Form ADV Part 2A.

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