During times of stress in the financial markets, clients and prospective clients often ask, “What is the plan?” or “What should we be doing?” The simple answer to both questions is “Follow the financial plan that has been carefully crafted and put into place to ensure you can live the life you wish to live.”

A common question that arises during client reviews is, “I have cash on hand. Are there any options where I can earn some level of return given that I am earning next to nothing in my savings account?” U.S. Treasury Series I bonds (“I bonds”), with current annualized returns of 7.12%, can be a great compliment to a portfolio. 

As we welcome a new year, I got to thinking about a recent trip, and how what I learned may help all of us better deal with the stress created by today’s highly charged discourse. Instead of being at “root” level, this experience elevated my view of our shared history to above the “tree tops”—a very good vantage point from which to make decisions.