Wealth Wednesday

Tyler Brautigan and Zach Seese have joined the Commonwealth team as financial advisors. Tyler is in the Wheeling office. He recently completed the requirements to earn his CFP® designation. This makes the fifth member of our team to earn the Certified Financial Planner Professional­­™ marks. Tyler is a native of the Upper Ohio Valley, is married, and has three children. Zach is a recent graduate of WVU's financial planning program. He will be in the Parkersburg office. He has served the past two summers as an intern. He is currently preparing for the CFP® exam. He is also the son of advisor, Michael Seese

AI – Artificial intelligence. It is the new frontier of technology and could revolutionize every industry. This also includes the world of personal finance. It’s intriguing, exciting, and downright scary. Today, we dig in.

If you think hiring a financial advisor is something you want to explore, what do you need to know? Unfortunately, finding an advisor who is a good fit for you can also be intimidating. Our industry has not done a good job of eliminating its problems. There are conflicts of interest. Getting a license doesn't require an advanced degree. And there are often incentives that don't always encourage good behavior. Here are 4 key questions you should ask.

At some point in our lives, we will stop working. For many of us, we will choose when that will happen. But for others, it may not be your choice. An unplanned retirement can lead to some difficult decisions. Here is what you need to know if you are forced to retire early.

Social Security faces a major challenge. Projections show a significant funding shortfall. Right now, projections show a 24% shortfall in 2034. This would mean a pay cut for millions of retirees. This year is also an election year, and this will be a hot topic. How will they fix it?

In this video, we talk about what is happening in the investment world, the impact of the Magnificent 7, the changes made to our bond holdings, the concept of rebalancing expecting a correction in stocks, and whether higher interest rates are good or bad.

Who wants to be a millionaire? Fidelity released their annual study and the number of 401k millionaires increased by 11.5% in 2023. What does it take to get there? We will share some insights from their data and translate that into how it can help you eventually become a 401k millionaire.

As much as financial planners like us want to think that number crunching is the key to creating a successful retirement, it likely has more to do with your mindset than anything else. Today we share three key traits that can lead to better outcomes.

One of the most important elements of any retirement plan is what you spend. As you reach your fifties, one important goal to focus on is paying off your mortgage and other debt before you retire. Let's look at how the average American spends in retirement, and why not having those big debt payments can improve your chances for success.