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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.
An elderly couple with glasses smiles at a toddler wearing a graduation cap. The child is near a jar of coins and a rolled-up diploma tied with a red ribbon.
  • College Planning, Financial Planning, Saving & Budgeting
5 min read

Why College Planning Is a Core Part of Any Financial Plan 

Celebrating as a family member graduates from high school and attends college is the culmination of years of hard work and a joyous event. Paying for college, however, remains a significant source of stress for many households.
Three wicker baskets filled with brown eggs are arranged on a wooden surface, alongside a rolled-up paper and scattered coins.
  • Young Investors
3 min read

Different Baskets: How Diversification Helps You Grow Wealth

It’s not an uncommon scenario for a young professional: you go to work for a company that is growing rapidly – maybe a high-tech startup or some other enterprise that is expanding aggressively into a well-defined business niche. The company does well, and the profits start rolling in. Before too long,
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  • Investing
3 min read

Down, but Not Out: The Case for Future Growth

The year 2022 is one that most investors might wish to forget. In addition to the bear market in equities caused largely by rising inflation and related economic uncertainties, we saw steep losses in bonds due to similar factors. In related news, though the 60/40 portfolio (60% stocks/equities, 40% bonds/fixed income) has been the mainstay of moderate-growth investors for decades, the poor recent returns in both asset classes may be causing some to wonder if it can be expected to deliver in the future as it has in the past.
A diverse group of eight smiling professionals, both men and women, standing indoors in a well-lit office environment.
  • Financial Planning, Saving & Budgeting
9 min read

5 Reasons Your “Middle Years” Are Different, and What That Means for Your Finances

If you’re just starting out, financial advice is easy to find. Fast forward to nearing 60 and thinking about wrapping up your career, and suddenly just about every financial pitch you’ll hear screams “retirement.”
A digital representation of artificial intelligence with a central "AI" symbol surrounded by interconnecting circuit-like lines and numbers, set on a dark background.
  • Current & Economic Events
6 min read

How Artificial Intelligence, Tech, and Productivity Impact Portfolios

The world has been abuzz over artificial intelligence and its possible benefits and threats. These range from the practical, such as better tools for knowledge workers and ways for students to avoid writing papers, to the philosophical, including what it means to be sentient and how such an emergent phenomenon could impact human civilization. In between, there are more mundane questions around the economy and markets, especially for technology-related sectors. Given the promises and hyperbole around AI, what makes sense for long-term investors?
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  • Investing, My Money & Me
3 min read

Quick! Don’t Do Anything!

We’ve written recently about the relationship between personality and financial behavior. And it’s a well-known fact that wealth accumulation and investment management is affected as much, if not more, by non-financial factors as by financial ones. Because financial outcomes depend so heavily on behavior, how you manage your emotions in connection with your finances plays a huge role in the type of investing and financial management experiences you have. In particular, the emotional urge to “do something” in response to short-term changes in market conditions often delays or derails many investors’ progress toward their long-term financial goals.
A colorful word cloud centered on "PERSONALITY" with words like "LOYAL," "MODEST," "ENTHUSIASTIC," "CLEVER," and "ELEGANT" in different sizes, surrounded by related terms in varying colors.
  • My Money & Me
4 min read

Does Your Personality Predict Your Wealth?

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal explores an intriguing proposition: “How Your Personality Can Affect Your Portfolio.” It’s worth paying attention to, especially given the effort that so many of us expend to improve our financial outcomes.
Illustration of hands holding insurance symbols: a car, family, and house under green umbrellas with words "Protection" and "Security.
  • Young Investors
8 min read

Risk Management: Protect What Matters Most

I have heard it before, ‘Insurance is a scam. I pay for it every month and yet I may never even use it!’ Buying insurance can often seem like an “extra” or a “nice to have” type of expense. After all, the only time most insurance pays is if something bad happens, right?
A smartphone displaying the U.S. Department of the Treasury website with the "Debt Limit" section open, against a background of hundred-dollar bills.
  • Current & Economic Events, Investing
5 min read

What the Looming Debt Ceiling Deadline Means for Investors

The federal debt limit is once again in the news as the country rapidly approaches a critical deadline on June 1st. Investors are understandably nervous about Washington failing to reach an agreement, a possibility that both sides agree would be self-inflicted damage. And while it's unclear how this will play out in the coming weeks, the fortunate news is that financial markets are mostly taking these events in stride. How can investors maintain the right perspective around political and fiscal uncertainty?
An elderly couple sits on a couch, looking concernedly at a smartphone and documents on the table in front of them, next to a laptop. They seem to be discussing something important.
  • My Money & Me
3 min read

The High Cost of Bad Financial Decisions

There is a good reason why money frustrates so many people. It frequently works in ways that are simply unnatural for our hunter-gatherer brains to grasp.
The facade of a building with "Federal Reserve" engraved on its wall. The structure is made of light-colored stone with decorative elements.
  • Current & Economic Events
5 min read

Why Oil, the Fed and Jobs Are Surprising Markets

There is an old saying that happiness equals reality minus expectations. This is particularly relevant when it comes to financial planning and investing during times of great uncertainty.
A stethoscope rests on top of several hundred-dollar bills placed on a wooden surface.
  • Financial Planning, My Money & Me
4 min read

Some Pro Tips for Your HSA and FSA Contributions in 2023

For 2023, the Internal Revenue Service has increased the allowable maximum contributions to health savings accounts (HSAs) and flexible spending accounts (FSAs). For HSAs, the new limit is $3,850 for single-individual plans and $7,750 for family plans. For FSAs, the new limit is $3,050 for healthcare plans, while the limit for dependent care plans remains unchanged at $5,000 per household. In addition to the new, higher limits for contributions, there are some points to consider for those using or considering the use of either an HSA or an FSA. Let’s take a look.

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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