08/27/2020
Baker Boyer VP and CIO, John Cunnison and VP and Director of Financial Planning, Brian Bruggeman connect in this rapid-fire weekly segment on relevant investment news.
08/10/2020
A midyear checkup of your financial plan is a good opportunity to review progress in working toward your goals and dreams. If buying a home is one of your financial priorities as we move into the latter half of 2020, you are not alone. Buying a home is one of the most important decisions you will make as it will impact your finances, family and future.
07/23/2020
Executive Vice President, Rob Blethen shares his team's insights on how to talk about and how to go about funding your child's higher education.
07/16/2020
Baker Boyer VP and CIO, John Cunnison and VP and Director of Financial Planning, Brian Bruggeman connect in this rapid-fire weekly segment on relevant investment news.
06/25/2020
Baker Boyer VP and CIO, John Cunnison and VP and Director of Financial Planning, Brian Bruggeman connect in this rapid-fire weekly segment on relevant investment news.
06/19/2020
Solving the retirement planning puzzle is no simple task, especially when factoring unexpected variables like a pandemic. Baker Boyer VP and Director of Financial Planning, Brian Bruggeman offers some helpful perspective on this important topic.
06/17/2020
Baker Boyer VP and CIO, John Cunnison and VP and Director of Financial Planning, Brian Bruggeman connect in this rapid-fire weekly segment on relevant investment news.
06/02/2020
The uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic has created more opportunities for scammers, hackers, robocallers, and other fraudsters. This article explains some of the risks and how to avoid them.
04/20/2020
Giving back is always important, especially during this uncertain time. Being generous with our time can be even more impactful than being generous with our money.
04/03/2020
Amid an unprecedented global public health crisis, and subsequent historic market volatility, we’re all feeling a little uneasy right now. People are worried and our fight or flight instinct feels like a natural response. What we really need to do when volatility abounds is to take time to contemplate the situation and make rational long-term decisions. Investing is a marathon, not a sprint. Here are 3 Tips to Address Economic Uncertainty Caused by Coronavirus.
03/31/2020
Baker Boyer asked clients to submit their questions regarding the impact of COVID-19 on investments, the economy, and financial planning. In this video, moderated by EVP Rob Blethen, John Cunnison (Chief Investment Officer) and Brian Bruggeman (Financial Planning Manager) answer the first round of these questions.
03/26/2020
To be sure, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) is not a cure for the economy. The only long-term cure for the economy is to stop the virus, but the CARES Act will provide some much-needed relief to those most in need.
03/23/2020
In the short-term, requirements like social distancing and closing businesses where people gather will take their toll on our economy. However, these aggressive approaches, coupled with unprecedented action from the Federal Reserve and Congress, will ultimately help mitigate the effects of the pandemic on markets and the economy.
03/17/2020
In situations of extreme uncertainty, the immediate question becomes “What does this mean for me?”. Brian Bruggeman, Vice President and Financial Planning Manager for Baker Boyer, provides some insight into events in our country's history that were similar to the crisis we are facing now, their outcomes and the part we can play in determining those outcomes.
03/16/2020
The Small Business Administration is offering help to small businesses in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak. Please connect with your Baker Boyer Business Advisor if you have questions about accessing these resources.
03/12/2020
Compounding is a powerful force that causes growth-on-growth. While compounding can create problems in battling a new virus (such as COVID-19), it is the key to long-term financial growth as you plan for retirement.
03/09/2020
Market volatility is always challenging, but thoughtful anticipation and planning has put Baker Boyer in a position to weather the current storm and maintain a strong footing when we emerge on the other side.
03/05/2020
John Cunnison, VP and Chief Investment Officer at Baker Boyer, shares his thoughts on the potential economic impacts that the Coronavirus may have on the local and national economies.
02/26/2020
Predictably, stocks are down on COVID-19 news. At Baker Boyer, we build diversified portfolios for exactly these kinds of events. Our investment team has been reducing equity exposure in our standard portfolio model models for several years, as stock prices, particularly in the US, have climbed. We have been harvesting gains.
02/19/2020
In the midst of the urgency of the day-to-day, it can be difficult for small business owners to step back and ask the questions that can help ensure a healthy financial future. Our role is to help our clients answer the right questions so they can plan for the present as well as the future.
02/11/2020
Chinese economic transparency, Big Data, and the "European experiment" have each evolved dramatically this past decade – and each has the potential to significantly impact your investment strategy. John Cunnison shares his thoughtful insights with us in "Taking a Look Back."
02/04/2020
There is power in talking about money. It allows us to share our experiences, make decisions based on our values, and take control of our future. In this article, Cathy Schaeffer shares about the benefits of building a resilient financial plan, particularly for women facing major transitions impacting their family, finances, and future.
01/21/2020
Late last year, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE Act) was signed into law as part of the budget reconciliation process. This new Act has nearly 30 new provisions in it. This article simplifies many of the concepts to help you think of questions to ask your attorney, accountant, and/or advisor.
01/17/2020
With the New Year, many of us make resolutions to improve our habits: eating, fitness, and spending are some of the most common topics. We’d like to offer one more habit to help ensure you have a successful 2020: change the way you sign the date for any document.
01/15/2020
When I went to college, I was certain I wanted to study pharmacy. Today, I’m a financial planner. I’m often asked: “Why such a radical career shift?” It all had to do with my “why.”
12/20/2019
At Baker Boyer, protecting your financial information is one of our highest priorities. In addition to continually improving our processes and technology to ensure your Debit Card transactions are secure, we’d also like to share some steps you can take today to help improve your financial security online.
11/26/2019
Join John Cunnison, Chief Investment Officer, in a conversation about what has been called a “generational opportunity” for value investing, with Kelly Black, Associate Marketing Manager, and Sam Geschickter, Intern for Wealth Management. We’ll talk about why now is the big moment for value investing opportunities in the market and what it can mean for our portfolios.
10/31/2019
On October 9th and 10th Baker Boyer held its 23rd Bi-Annual Economic Update in Tri-Cities, Yakima and Walla Walla. The event was well-attended in all three locations and was especially memorable, as it fell so close to the Bank’s 150th Anniversary.
10/18/2019
The yield curve has been pasted all over the headlines these days. Are we at the edge of an economic cliff staring into a recession? Should I get out of stocks and bonds and start buying gold? The inverted yield curve concept can be confusing, and these are just some of the questions that investors are asking.
10/11/2019
Join John Cunnison, Chief Investment Officer, Kelly Black, Associate Marketing Manager, and Sam Geschickter, Intern for Wealth Management, in a conversation about Cam Harvey’s Inverted Yield Curve and the probability of a recession.
10/10/2019
Managing finances is hard individually, so adding two parties only magnifies what was already a significant challenge. Ultimately financial planning gives you options, maximizes your chances of success, and provides the confidence in your decisions that we all seek.
08/01/2019
In this article, Baker Boyer's Portfolio Managers comment on current trade tensions between the U.S. and China.
07/19/2019
Talking about finances and spending is deeply personal, so many people have no frame of reference to compare their spending against anything else. Luckily, there are some good sources of information that shed some light on retirement spending.
06/05/2019
One of the biggest mistakes that investors make is assuming that day-to-day economic news is useful for making investment decisions. Part of the job of top-notch financial advisers is to minimize the temptation to act on short-term economic news.
03/29/2019
Even well-informed investors sometimes overlook the fact that the timing and frequency of their contributions and/or distributions from their investment accounts can have a substantial impact on their overall portfolio.
02/07/2019
Historically the market goes up over time so you want to stay invested no matter where the market is, and don’t try to get in and out of the market based on short-term swings or news.
01/07/2019
The combination of financial expertise and technology can set you on a new path that's right for you. You're more than a number, and you deserve a financial future that gives you the confidence and resources needed to reach your goals.
12/06/2018
It is no surprise that market volatility causes an emotional response. But we (and Mama) assure you: The kind of market volatility we are experiencing is normal and natural.
12/03/2018
Targeted tax strategies available for those of us who value philanthropic investments.
11/26/2018
Monster energy drink and my 12-year old daughter—a closer look at short-term market volatility and adopting a long-term outlook on your investments.
10/09/2018
Warren Buffet, Value Investing, and Fantasy Football: three value-investment tips that can help you top the leaderboard.
09/05/2018
What does a professional poker player, Stoicism, and a chief economist from Vanguard have to say about evidence-based investing decisions in an uncertain future?
08/09/2018
100 percent of business owners will leave their businesses at some point. Preparing for a successful business transition involves weighing trade-offs and avoiding some common pitfalls.
07/17/2018
International trade is in the news. As investors, one big question is: how might a trade war impact the market. The parable of the Blind Men and the Elephants offers some insight.
07/06/2018
Recent market volatility understandably creates angst, but enduring volatility is part of a smart investment strategy. Bottom line: it is about time in the markets, not timing the markets.
04/02/2018
Going through the process of constructing a plan, no matter how simple or complex, will break the link between short-term market fluctuations and your blood pressure.
02/09/2018
The recent volatility we have seen in the stock market can be unnerving for investors. What is “normal”? This article helps to reset expectations for investors.
02/02/2018
How will the tax law impact your 2018 financial plan? We recommend the top five topics that merit consideration.
01/19/2018
What are the impacts of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and can it affect the economy?
01/19/2018
How do we make sense of the multiple sources of information that bombard us every day? Could the 18th-century statistician and philosopher, Rev. Thomas Bayes, have a useful perspective?
12/26/2017
It seems phone scams are on the rise, including a recent case in which calls appeared to come from Baker Boyer. Here are some tips for recognizing and preventing phone and imposter scams.
09/13/2017
Understand the importance of diversification as an investment strategy through the counter-examples of cheetahs and bananas.
09/13/2017
People are using technology and the internet to help them live their lives and figure things out literally all the time. But that doesn’t mean the information they find on the internet is correct or a good solution for them.
07/17/2017
There’s a lot of talk going on right now about Cybercrime and Fraud. Especially debit card fraud and it’s occurring frequently even here in our community. What does it mean and how can you take steps to reduce your risk?
06/26/2017
Have you ever wondered why major league baseball pitchers go through such an elaborate windup before pitching the ball? The rationale is actually quite similar to the approach we take to portfolio management and financial planning.
06/21/2017
Rhetoric vs. Reality: Reflecting on the “Trump Rally”
05/09/2017
Building a Future in a Data Filled World
04/13/2017
Rather than an imprecise rule of thumb to guide our clients, we prefer to treat everyone like a fingerprint; each one is unique.
03/08/2017
Join me in responding to the ups and downs of the market with the confidence that comes from being a disciplined investor, one that has planned for the volatility.
11/01/2016
D.S. Baker University offers in-person opportunities to learn from experts and interact with peers around important topics for financial, business, and life planning topics. Contact a D.S. Baker Advisor for more information.
11/01/2016
There is no statistical significance to market return patterns and any combination of political party makeup between congress and the president. This isn’t to say that elections don’t matter – they very much do matter to our everyday lives, just not to long-term investment results.
11/01/2016
Having a fiduciary duty means that you are legally obligated to act in the best interest of another. In our Asset Management and Trust group and through our advisory investment accounts with D.S. Baker Investments, we have operated under this standard for almost 100 years.
08/03/2016
I would make the argument that our failure to talk about money, and the expectations around it, is the single largest obstacle to people sustaining a family legacy.
07/28/2016
A Man, a Can, and a Plan
