The stock market had a strong start in the first half of 2024. Figure 1 compares the S&P 500’s year-to-date return against its average annual return path since 1931. It shows returns for the first half of the year were above average, with the S&P 500 already surpassing its average full-year return. In Q1, the S&P 500 set 22 new all-time highs after not setting a new high since January 2022. There was a -5% sell-off in April, but the S&P 500 recovered by mid-May and set new highs in late Q2. By the end of June, the S&P 500’s +15% return ranked as the 16th strongest first-half return since 1931. It was also more than 7% above the average full-year return, despite only being at the mid-year mark.

The topic of interest rate cuts continues to dominate the financial markets. Investors are focused on when the Federal Reserve will lower rates, all while keeping a close eye on corporate earnings and valuations. Economists are analyzing inflation and labor market data to determine their impact on the probability and timing of rate cuts. Speeches by Fed members and minutes of recent Fed meetings have received greater scrutiny as investors search for clues about the central bank's next steps. This letter recaps the second quarter, discusses investors’ focus on the Federal Reserve, and looks ahead to the remainder of 2024.

Choosing a fee-only fiduciary financial advisor means selecting someone who is legally and ethically committed to putting your financial interests first. This trust-based relationship ensures that the advice you receive is designed to help you achieve your financial goals, free from hidden conflicts of interest.

The S&P 500 Index is a well-known stock market index that tracks the performance of 500 of the largest U.S. companies. Many large-cap ETFs passively track the broad index, and investors use it as a benchmark to gauge the relative performance of their portfolios. This year, a unique phenomenon is impacting the S&P 500. A single stock has contributed over one-third of the S&P 500’s total return, which means its inclusion or exclusion in different market indices has made a big difference.

We help people at the top of their game define wealth, articulate a vision for their future, identify their values and goals, create a plan to achieve their objectives, and hold them accountable for the actions required to achieve what they have defined as “success.” We refer to this process as living out one’s “financial purpose.”

When asked, “What is the biggest mistake we make in life?” the Buddha replied, “The biggest mistake is you think you have time.”

The S&P 500 set a new all-time high in May after trading lower in April. The technology-heavy Nasdaq 100 Index gained +6.2% and set a new all-time high, with mega-cap stocks like Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, and Facebook-parent Meta leading the recovery.

You have likely seen headlines and news reports discussing artificial intelligence as a major technological advancement. AI’s potential to transform everyday life has people talking about its use cases and the stock market buzzing about new investment opportunities.

Tell me a story about your first memory of money and the role it plays in life. When I crafted this question for the Walden Roots intake survey, I had no idea of depths it would reveal.

When I started Walden I had a clear vision for the firm. I want Walden to be more than a Financial Advisory firm. As the mission of the firm states, I want to inspire my clients to live with intention and purpose, and I truly mean that.

I launched Walden Financial in 2020 with this mission statement: to enrich our clients lives by inspiring them to live with intention and purpose. I worked hard on curating that statement. It was important to me to capture exactly the kind of financial practice I wanted to create and what it would mean to my clients to do so.

Many tax planning opportunities have passed for 2023, but now is a great time to look ahead and prepare for 2024. Here, we outline key strategies that may improve your financial well-being and tax efficiency in the year to come.

A cornerstone of the Walden Roots process is identifying and defining a client’s two core values. Brene Brown defines core values as “the beliefs that are most important to you, that help you find your way in the dark, that fill you with a feeling of purpose.”

It’s probably no surprise to you that I’m a big fan of goal setting, which is one of the reasons we launched the Walden Roots: Discovering Your Financial Purpose process in the first place. When you are crystal clear on the life you want and the person you wish to become, we can help you to define the financial actions that will begin to add up to your new identity.

At the end of each year, I like to pause and reflect on the past 12 months of successes, failures, challenges, and opportunities.

Our investment philosophy is centered around one fundamental truth; we do not know what the market is going to do. So, if we can’t predict what the market is going to do, how do we manage investments effectively?

As a father of four, I think about my children’s future constantly. Thoughts range from simple things like how well they will drive their first car, to more complex issues such as whether they’ll make personal and professional decisions that allow them to live a fulfilled life. If you have children of your own, I’m sure you can relate.

If you’ve ever tried to create a new habit and failed, this is for you. For years my habits worked against me, holding me back from becoming the person I wanted to be. My mind was filled with stories that all started the same; “I’m not the type of person that [insert unattainable habit here]”.

I enjoy creating goals; it gives me energy. It creates a fresh start and often serves as a source of motivation when striving for more.

Focus on what you can control, surrender to everything else.