Arnold & Mote Newsletter Archive

What 20+ years of data says about reacting to market headlines. Hi Reader, If your inbox and news feed look anything like ours, the last few weeks have served up plenty of reasons to second-guess your portfolio — tariffs, elections, a new Fed chairman, a war, an AI boom, oil price spike, private credit failures, and more. We are asked regularly whether it represents a good time to change up the portfolio and sell, or buy, because of concerns or optimism about the market. Our answer is almost...

How to do a comprehensive tax review Hi Reader, We know this time of year means many of you have newly filed tax returns in hand, or at least reviewed the numbers before extending. If you feel a little overwhelmed looking at your return, you're not alone. When the 1040 tax form debuted in 1913, the entire form (and all instructions) was just four pages. Today, the form, schedules, and instructions run 148 pages! The good news is you don't have to make sense of all 148 pages on your own. If...

War, private credit crash, our upcoming Roth conversion webinar, and Social Security tax changes. Hi Reader, Welcome to the March edition of our newsletter! As we move into spring and the busiest stretch of tax season, we wanted to share a few timely updates on what's happening in the markets and strategies worth keeping on your radar. In this issue, you'll find updates on: Our Next Webinar: Join us for a deep dive into Roth conversion planning. Timely Update: What you need to know about your...

Smart gifting to grow family wealth and opening "Trump Accounts" Hi Reader, Welcome to our February update! Now that the holiday decorations are finally put away, we’re beginning to settle into the rhythm of the new year. For us, February is the perfect time to look past the day-to-day and shift our focus toward the big picture and ensuring your most important priorities are being looked after. For many of you, family is one of those priorities. In this edition, we want to share how you can...

Why the standard 3-fund portfolio might not be enough + Download our 2026 Tax Reference Guide. Hi Reader, Happy 2026 from Arnold & Mote! Before we say a final goodbye to 2025, and in keeping with tradition for our first newsletter of the year, we wanted to first recognize the reasons our clients had a lot to be grateful for last year. Here are a few important milestones we helped our clients prepare for and celebrate this past year: Arnold & Mote Client Milestones for 2025 Retirements: 9...

Before buying into “downside protection,” see why these complex products often do more harm than good. Hi Reader, With the market sitting near all-time highs, it’s natural to wonder what will happen next, and how to protect the investments you’ve built and seen grow. Periods like this often bring a wave of complex, high-cost products that promise market-like returns with little risk. This month, our webinar takes a closer look at two of the most popular examples, indexed annuities and indexed...

From tax advantages to legacy planning, see why 529s are becoming one of the most versatile wealth tools. Hi Reader, Our goal each month is to keep you informed on topics that can make a meaningful difference in your financial life. With September being College Savings Month, it’s the perfect time to highlight new strategies for making the most of 529 plans, which today offer powerful opportunities for tax-free growth and legacy planning, not just paying for tuition. In this issue, we...

Also In Your Newsletter: The Truth About Direct Indexing Hi Reader, Markets have a way of keeping investors on their toes. Just months after a rocky start to the year, U.S. stocks are once again closing in on all-time highs. Just a few months ago, our newsletter focused on managing investments during market declines. Today, investors face a new “problem”: what to do now that markets have reached record levels. In fact, this is the basis for one of the most common questions we’re hearing now:...

In Your Newsletter: The One Big Beautiful Bill's Impact on Your Retirement Plan Hi Reader, A sound financial plan isn’t something you set once and forget. It's a flexible framework that evolves with your changing goals, market shifts, and, yes, the occasional big piece of tax legislation. The ink is barely dry on the sweeping new tax bill. While it removes some uncertainty by making parts of today’s tax law permanent, it also rewrites many of the rules and strategies we’ve been using over the...

Also in Your Newsletter: Severance Offers and Family Gifting Hi Reader, Travel is one of the most common goals we hear from clients as they prepare for or enter retirement, and summer is often the perfect season to bring those plans to life. If travel is on your mind, you're not alone. A survey from IHG Hotels found that 40% of retirees have taken—or plan take—a trip to celebrate being retired. Nearly 60% say they plan to travel more in retirement than during their working years. Each year,...