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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.
A family of four poses outdoors; the mother carries one child on her back, while the father carries the other. Everyone is smiling. Trees are in the background.
  • Financial Planning
6 min read

Raising Smart, Confident, and Financially Successful Kids

What is a parent’s role in raising smart, confident, and successful children? What matters? What doesn’t? Though author Margot Bisnow was the mother of two happy and driven entrepreneurial sons, these are questions she once never thought to ask. But then she interviewed 70 successful entrepreneurs – and their Moms – and found that many parents’ approach to ‘helping’ their children is counterproductive.
A group of people wearing blue shirts stand in a close huddle, with their arms around each other's shoulders, outdoors.
  • Taxes
3 min read

Year-End Strategies for Charitable Giving: 2022 Edition 

With the holidays just around the corner, it’s time to consider your year-end charitable giving options. A little advance planning now can save you money when it comes time to write your check to Uncle Sam, next April 15. We offer tips and ideas for maximizing the benefit to your favorite charity while minimizing the tax bite.
An elderly couple paddles a red canoe on a calm forest lake, surrounded by lush greenery.
  • Retirement Planning
4 min read

Retirement: Getting Beyond the Numbers  

The popular image of retirement tends to emphasize numbers: a balance in a 401(k) or IRA; a date on the calendar; a quantity of years with the company; a pension plan vesting schedule. For most of us, the questions we ask ourselves as we approach retirement also tend to focus on concepts of numbers and quantity: Do I have enough saved? How much debt should I pay off? What will my medical costs be? What kind of budget should I set? And on it goes. 
A woven basket filled with brown eggs is hanging beside lush green leaves in bright sunlight.
  • Investing
3 min read

When Concentration Isn’t Good for You 

We’ve all heard the adage: “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” In fact, this concept is the cornerstone of one of the most important concepts for successful long-term investing: diversification. But for a few years now, many investors have taken a different approach: “Put all your eggs in one basket, and watch that basket very carefully.”
A man wearing a plaid shirt and jeans sits on a car seat, fastening his seatbelt with a focused expression.
  • Current & Economic Events, Investing
4 min read

The Importance of Staying in Your Seat When the Roller Coaster is Moving

A key lesson to be learned from challenging market environments like these is that long-term investment success requires steadiness. It’s the price we pay for those 8% - 10% average long-term historical returns. And that’s why it's so important to never focus on or overreact to short-term market movements, especially over a single day.
A person stands in the distance on a large, white chessboard, with stacks of coins increasing in height along one side.
  • My Money & Me, Young Investors
5 min read

The Unmatched Power of Compound Interest

As financial advisors, we often talk about different tools investors can use to earn money, save money, and even protect their money. Some of these tools include access to alternative investment options, some are tax saving strategies, others are legacy protection techniques. But of all the tools we talk about, and of all the benefits different tools can offer, there is one that trumps them all.
An older couple smiles, with the woman leaning her head on the man's shoulder. They are standing outdoors and wearing casual clothing.
  • Retirement Planning
5 min read

Do You Know Your RISA®? Retirement Income Style Awareness 

It’s a well-known fact that people come in all shapes, sizes, and dispositions. Take a close look around at any family reunion and you’ll see it: the crazy aunt who drives too fast and laughs all the time; the bespectacled cousin who always looks like he’s adding a column of numbers, even when he’s talking to you; the grandfather who thinks the sky is always falling; the middle-aged mom who seems to not have a care in the world. And the list goes on.  
A colorful hot air balloon with a checkered pattern floats against a clear blue sky with wispy clouds.
  • Current & Economic Events
3 min read

Light at the End of the Inflation Tunnel?

The latest inflation readings from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, released August 10, came as a relief to both financial markets and consumers, as they appeared to indicate some cooling off in the recent rapid rise in prices. The 8.5% rise in consumer prices came in below analysts’ expectations, largely as a result of lower energy prices. 
A large brown bear stands on grass with a rocky, vegetated backdrop. The bear is looking to the left side of the image.
  • Retirement Planning
4 min read

Waiting Out the Bear: Market Roundup

“How long?” That’s the question on many investors’ mind as we pass the halfway point of 2022. Since its highs last January, the broad equities market in the US, as measured by the S&P 500, fell just over 23% by mid-June, fulfilling the classic definition of a bear market. Since then, the index has clawed back about 6% of the loss, closing (at this writing) a bit below the 4,000 mark.
Illustration of two people tilting a large watering can to nourish a tree growing between two rocky cliffs under a clear blue sky.
  • Current & Economic Events, Saving & Budgeting
7 min read

So What’s Your Plan?

A lot of people are stressed out about a lot of things right now. Markets are down. Prices are up for many of the things we need to buy. News headlines about possible economic turmoil ahead are making it a confusing time to consider major financial decisions. Add to this the lingering stresses of the pandemic, the health of loved ones, and a job situation – and it makes for a pretty unsettling time.
An illustration of a bull and a bear on a seesaw, symbolizing market trends. Rising and falling bar charts with arrows support the background.
  • Current & Economic Events
5 min read

Special Update: How Investors Can Position for Bear Markets

The S&P 500 officially fell to bear market levels this week. Rapid inflation across the economy has affected consumers and businesses, raising questions about spending and corporate profits. These pressures have pushed interest rates higher across the curve, breaking a four-decade pattern of falling yields.
A set of Russian nesting dolls, also known as Matryoshka dolls, arranged with some open to show smaller dolls inside, featuring traditional painted floral designs.
  • My Money & Me
7 min read

Looking for success? Look inside the box inside the box.

Simple is good, right? If you want to get something, the direct approach is best. Yes, simple is good, but simplistic is not. Many times the straightforward approach gets you exactly the opposite of what you actually want. The world we live in is complex, largely unknown (to each individual in it), and full of feedback loops and consequences....

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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