Inflation has been an issue the last couple of years, but what particular good seems to be driving that inflation at any point in time seems to be constantly changing. The price of lumber was the... READ MORE

On December 23, 2022, Congress passed a new tax bill that will have a huge impact on Americans’ lives in the upcoming years. At WJ, we have been researching and clarifying all the new 92 provisions... READ MORE

Death is never an easy thing to prepare for or talk about. If you’re in the later stages in life, you may be wondering what you can do to help your loved ones once your time comes. A “When I... READ MORE

The current state of the economy was the hot topic in the first half of 2022. The rapidly rising inflation rate, the lowest returns on bonds in over 200 years, low stock returns, and an increase in... READ MORE

You've probably noticed inflation came in especially hot this week. I'd like to share a quick article by Barry Ritholtz that digs into what goes into that 9.1% number. Long story short, its mostly... READ MORE

Over the past few weeks, there is one story that trumps all in the world, and that’s the Russian war against Ukraine. Like all of you, I have been bombarded with stories from mainstream sources on... READ MORE

January’s CPI (Consumer Price Index) numbers came in last week and inflation was hotter than expected. Prices were up 0.6% in January, which means a year over year (yoy) increase of 7.5%. As you... READ MORE

Brandon wrote a great blog post last week regarding when someone should invest. Click Here for his post. As a follow-up to that post, Visual Capitalist recently published an article that continues... READ MORE

Not too long ago, a client came to me with an interesting idea for a blog. The client asked (paraphrasing), “how does WHEN I get started as an investor in stocks, affect my experience as an... READ MORE

We have written in the past about how to address an upcoming dismal period for bond investors. See here and here . In this blog, I address advice I often hear and read in the financial press and from... READ MORE

Over the years I have run into people that have multiple leaves but separate piles for each leaf. In other words, they have multiple advisors to help them manage their assets. The reasoning they... READ MORE

Below is an excerpt from our latest WJ Notes newsletter. The full piece examines how inflation affects stocks, bonds and alternatives as well as our own positioning in those asset classes.  Stocks... READ MORE

The market (S&P 500) is again reaching all-time highs. Many wonder if now is a good time to invest. As the saying goes, "There's no time like the present." Ben Carlson's video illustrates this... READ MORE

We are often asked, “How am I doing compared to others?” I get the sense that people do not ask this question hoping to be better off than others or in “Keeping up with the Joneses.” I... READ MORE

Inflation is one of the scariest words in finance. It is something people have been especially concerned about ever since the Fed started printing money in 2008. You have all seen the commercials... READ MORE

Recently, we have received several questions regarding cryptocurrencies from our clients. The questions are typically whether or not they are a good buy at the current price or not. Here are some... READ MORE

As a fan and student of the game, I'm excited that baseball season is upon us. Bottom of the 9th, 2 outs, full count, bases loaded, down by 3. As a kid, we constantly played out this scenario in the... READ MORE

Although most of the focus has been on stocks lately, it is bonds that have arguably had the more interesting year. Interest rates (which we will use the 10-year treasury yield to represent) have... READ MORE

The IRS just announced this past week that Texas victims of the recent winter storms now have until June 15, 2021, to file tax returns. Additionally, they may provide tax relief to some depending on... READ MORE

Watching the inauguration in D.C. earlier this month reminded me of the many years I spent living in the D.C. area. Much of that time was spent during my tenure at the United States Naval Academy in... READ MORE

Clients often tell us the stock market makes no sense to them. How can the value of a company fluctuate 10% in a day? How can an entire stock market index, representing hundreds of stocks, move on... READ MORE

One of my favorite events each year is the “CFA Annual Forecast Dinner” that takes place every January. At this dinner, there is an array of professionals in the money management business who get... READ MORE

I came across this article over the weekend in The New York Times , Clueless About 2020, Wall Street Forecasters Are at It Again for 2021 . It hits the nail on the head when it comes to market... READ MORE

As 2020 winds to a close, you will notice the typical barrage of articles being sent out explaining what happened this year and predicting what’s going to happen next year. Typically, it’s best... READ MORE

In almost any portfolio, for investors large and small, there are two primary parts. There is the side that should grow (almost always stocks), and there is the counterbalance that should give the... READ MORE

I ran across an interesting article last week written by Larry Swedroe. Mr. Swedroe is a prolific writer having written eight books and numerous articles explaining, in layman's terms, how to be a... READ MORE

This year has yielded very volatile market conditions, primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the Federal Reserve, interest rates are now very low and there isn't much indication that... READ MORE

I've written several posts about how difficult it is for companies to remain at the pinnacle in terms of market capitalization. It is not likely the current big winners like Apple, Google, Microsoft... READ MORE

In case you have not heard, we have an important election coming up. According to politicians it is the most consequential election in American history. That is a pretty bold claim when considering... READ MORE

As we quickly approach the fourth quarter, year-end tax planning and charitable giving are often discussed with our clients. The CARES Act has expanded charitable giving opportunities for this year.... READ MORE

If Noah had to build his ark today, he'd be in for a shock. Over the course of the past several months, lumber prices have been on a wild ride. Since the beginning of April, lumber prices more than... READ MORE

One of my favorite financial writers is an anonymous researcher who goes by the pseudonym, Jesse Livermore. The real Jesse Livermore was a pioneer of day trading in the early 1900s, whom at one point... READ MORE

I ran across these charts on Twitter recently (@AlbertBridgeCap). The charts compare the enterprise values and sales of the entire auto industry vs. Tesla. Tesla is up over 400% this year and is now... READ MORE

Earlier this week, Hurricane Laura threatened to potentially hit the Houston area. As Laura made it's way across the Gulf of Mexico, it strengthened rapidly into a major Category 4 hurricane and it's... READ MORE

We are often asked about interest rates, the printing of money, taxes and other various levers that can impact the economy. Ray Dalio, Co-CIO and Co-Chairman of Bridgewater Associates, put together a... READ MORE

Last week, my wife and I bought our first house. We initially signed the contract about 3 months ago and have been dying of anticipation ever since. Actually, it wasn’t 3 months, it was about 76... READ MORE

This year the 5 largest stocks in the S&P 500 have added $1.66 trillion in market capitalization while the remaining 495 have lost $1.61 trillion according to the BeSpoke Investment Group.... READ MORE

Lately, the topic of refinancing has come up many times when talking with our clients, given how low interest rates currently are. However, in order to justify the cost of refinancing your mortgage,... READ MORE

We were recently asked by a client about putting together a “Red Book.” This type of document is essentially an “If I die” type of book or checklist. These are great for executors of estates... READ MORE

Twitter Source: Joachim Dressler (@thevolawatcher) You don’t drive looking in the rear-view mirror and you shouldn’t invest looking backwards either. The largest, most valuable stocks now will... READ MORE

In observance of Independence Day, WJ Interests, LLC will be closed on Friday, July 3rd. As you enjoy your fourth of July festivities, we wanted to share an interesting article and visualization... READ MORE

Visual Capitalist posted a great, simplified summary last month on why oil prices went subzero on April 20th. Click the picture to access the link to that article:... READ MORE

On March 27th, the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act,” also known as the “CARES Act,” was signed into law. This is a $2 trillion emergency fiscal stimulus package intended... READ MORE

In the coming weeks, we will be sending out our thoughts on the CARES Act. In the meantime, the following video is a quick overview: Additionally, here's a simple breakdown: $510  billion - Loans to... READ MORE

During periods of volatility, keep your time horizon in mind. Over short periods of time, many asset classes can experience a wide range of returns. However, over longer periods of time, they will... READ MORE

The spread of Coronavirus and its impact on our health and the economy are increasingly becoming a more serious concern. We’ve reached more than 82,000 confirmed cases and the virus is continuing... READ MORE

Back on December 20th, President Trump signed the “Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act” into law, which was part of a larger spending bill to continue funding the... READ MORE

Timing the market is the holy grail of investing. On one hand, traders try to time the market opportunistically to achieve higher returns. On the other, many portfolio managers try to sidestep bad... READ MORE

Another decade came to a close last year. I thought it would be interesting to compare the last decade to the previous four decades. The table below shows returns for 5 primary asset classes and a... READ MORE

As many of you enjoy spending some time traveling, we recommend that you check out this Virtuoso article by Elaine Glusac. It provides insight about the latest travel trends and top destinations to... READ MORE

Happy New Year! Don’t let 2020 pass you by and let hindsight be this year (see what we did there?). Take prudent steps now in order to make the most out of your hard-earned wealth. Here we’ve put... READ MORE

I’ve been reading quite a bit about the FANMAG stocks recently. These stocks are Facebook, Apple, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and Google. These are the hottest stocks of the last decade, due to how... READ MORE

This year we've discussed different types of tax-smart charitable giving strategies with several clients. Click here for a short video from Charles Schwab that discusses some of these strategies. For... READ MORE

The IRS has published the new increased retirement plan contribution limits for next year. However, contribution limits for IRAs are remaining the same. Please click here to check out Forbes '... READ MORE

The previous blog I wrote had some general investing advice for those just starting out . In this blog we’re going to drill one level deeper. A Simple Investing Framework There are two things you... READ MORE

Jason Zweig's latest contribution to the Wall Street Journal is called "Putting the Buy-and-Hold Gospel to the Ultimate Test." Click here to read the full article. In the article, he discusses the... READ MORE

The SECURE Act, assuming it does pass and becomes law, will implement many changes that will affect everyone. It passed in the House back in May, however, it's been held up in the Senate with little... READ MORE

Hartford Funds posted a good article and reminder regarding election cycles and how it impacts investing. Something to keep in mind as we enter this next election cycle. Click here for the article.... READ MORE

“What do I do with my money?” It’s a question I’m starting to get more and more frequently. Most of my peers (late 20s give or take a few years) are at a stage in life where they are starting... READ MORE

We hope everyone remained safe and dry during yesterday's flash flood event here in the Houston area. Some areas in Southeast Texas received substantially more rain, which unfortunately resulted in... READ MORE

As a reminder, open enrollment for Medicare begins on October 15 and remains open until December 7. Click here for a good resource regarding open enrollment. As always, we're happy to assist with... READ MORE

We are proud to announce that WJ Interests was recently recognized by the Houston Business Journal as one of the Top Wealth Management Firms & Practices. WJ is ranked #19 among 25 firms and... READ MORE

Every week, we read a TON of information. Blogs, articles, research papers…it’s our job to be informed about what’s happening in the market, economy, and society in general. Most people don’t... READ MORE

We are excited to announce that WJ Interests was recognized by Financial Advisor Magazine. WJ ranked #508 nationwide in the 2019 Annual RIA Ranking. Click here to read more.... READ MORE

A portfolio of all stocks is great when the market is rising. In that scenario (like the one we’re in today in the U.S. stock market), the old adage “a rising tide lifts all boats” holds true.... READ MORE

Lately, we've noticed more of our clients who are contemplating retirement are choosing to stay employed beyond age 65. Therefore, we are often asked about when they should sign up for Medicare (if... READ MORE

Every week, we read a TON of information. Blogs, articles, research papers…it’s our job to be informed about what’s happening in the market, economy, and society in general. Most people don’t... READ MORE

This blog is inspired by a client who recently asked what our thoughts were about an article titled, “3 Safe Dividend Funds Averaging 8% to Buy Today and Hold Forever.” This is a pretty fair... READ MORE

Conventional wisdom is defined as the generally accepted belief, opinion, judgment, or prediction about a particular matter. “Recycling saves the environment” is a good example. But is it true?... READ MORE

When to claim social security is a tough decision. This article from Bloomberg is a great explanation about not only the benefits of waiting, but also explains that it may not be the ideal decision... READ MORE

  Every week, we read a TON of information. Blogs, articles, research papers…it’s our job to be informed about what’s happening in the market, economy, and society in general. Most people... READ MORE

Every week, we read a TON of information. Blogs, articles, research papers…it’s our job to be informed about what’s happening in the market, economy, and society in general. Most people don’t... READ MORE

As we often create and implement financial plans, we find that estate planning is by far the most difficult action item to mark "complete." Yes, it's a morbid subject that no one is eager to discuss,... READ MORE

Every week, we read a TON of information. Blogs, articles, research papers…it’s our job to be informed about what’s happening in the market, economy, and society in general. Most people don’t... READ MORE

Most of you would correctly guess that a heart attack is more likely to kill you than a terrorist attack.  But, most would also significantly overestimate the probability of dying from a terrorist... READ MORE

Doeren Mayhew published a good article last week regarding tax considerations when moving to another state in retirement. It also applies to anyone considering moving states for a job or other... READ MORE

“Start investing early because of compounding interest.” Almost everyone has heard some variation of this generic advice. It's personal finance 101. You probably first heard about compounding... READ MORE