Open Window's Insight Articles

Trade wars, tariffs, and economic uncertainty, while unsettling, are unfortunately nothing new. History shows that disruptive events often cause short-term market declines. Fortunately, they don’t necessarily spell disaster for long-term investors. Despite sharp "intra-year" drops, markets have finished in positive territory 17 of the last 20 years. The key? A disciplined, well-structured investment strategy that anticipates bumps before they appear. Ensure your portfolio is built to weather uncertainty. Need guidance? We’re here to help.

Tax savings can be significant by targeting the “Valley of Opportunity” that appears during lower-income tax years. Life tends to present these valleys as predictable opportunities, occurring at certain times and even at specific ages. Make sure you’re prepared to act by “filling up the valley” to avoid leaving your future self, or your beneficiaries, with higher effective tax rates.

An electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) of someone experiencing heart trouble looks eerily similar to the stock market from month to month. With so much volatility - up one day, down the next - and with the average individual investor’s portfolio declining 27% last year, it's no wonder investing in the stock market is viewed as risky. However, with the right investment approach, positive results are still the expectation rather than the exception, as we show within.

An illustrated world review of capital market results in 2022. Stocks had their worst year since 2008, and bond prices fell as inflation reached a four-decade high. Markets may have been down, but history suggests there are brighter days ahead.

Believe it or not, another year has rounded third base and is dashing toward home plate. That said, there’s still time to make a few good plays in 2022, while positioning yourself to score in the year ahead. Here are a few of the base hits and home runs that we're sharing with clients.

Some investors worry about the stock market sinking after a recession is officially announced. But history shows that markets incorporate expectations ahead of economic reports. Investors who look beyond headlines may be better positioned for long-term success.

Heightened levels of market uncertainty across stock and bond markets alike may have left you once again wondering whether this time is different. Let's examine the severity of current events and consider what causes them to loom so large, while also recognizing how easy it is to rewrite memories of past challenges.

Six ways a recession resembles a bad mood. For example, they're both difficult to define, best seen in retrospect, and part of life. Although we can't control the world around us, we can control how we react to it. As your advisor, we can assist with that.

History supports an expectation of investment growth, especially for those that can accept periods of uncertainty. Which periods of pronounced uncertainty do you remember? Can you spot the -34% bear market related to the COVID-19 Pandemic?

If you've been reading the daily headlines—watching markets stall, recover, and dip once again, you may be wondering whether there’s anything you can do to avoid the motion sickness. Surprisingly, when it comes to your life savings, "unpredictability" isn’t usually your biggest threat… attempting to avoid it is.

Over the last 50 years, the average "bear market" lasted 11 months and declined more than -30%. But, the average experience is far from typical, as the enclosed image shows.

Without a solid investment approach and a commitment to staying the course, investors might find it difficult to remain on track, especially in challenging times.

For better or worse, many of us have had more time than usual to engage in new or different pursuits in 2020. Even if you’re as busy as ever, you may well be revisiting routines you have long taken for granted. Let’s cover eight of the most and least effective ways to spend your time shoring up your financial well-being in the time of the coronavirus.

You've achieved retirement. You put your plan into action without regret, then the world darkens in an economic recession. Are your holdings, hopes, and dreams at risk?

Recessions understandably trigger worries. But a history of positive average performance following a recession can be a comfort for investors wondering about sticking with their plan.

Scary days have arrived. Here is an updated version of our “fire drill" list of 10 things you can do right now while markets are (at least temporarily) tanking.

Unravel the mystery of “the Fed” in this back-to-basics post. Explore its purpose, how it functions, why its meetings matter, and how its decisions impact your personal finances.

"Markets tend to lose their dominance right around the time it seems most irresistible."

This actually is a good time to talk about scary markets, since we haven’t experienced a severe one in a while.