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Financial planning & wellness
Get guidance on budgeting, saving, and building a plan that supports your full life — not just retirement.
Is your portfolio truly ready for retirement? Moving beyond generic rules of thumb.
Transitioning from a steady paycheck to living off your life savings is one of the most significant, and potentially stressful, pivots you’ll ever make. There is a dizzying amount of conflicting “expert” advice out there, but for a lot of people, this just adds to the confusion. Between fluctuating market volatility and the nagging fear of outliving your nest egg,
How do I actually keep my financial resolutions in 2026?
It happens to the best of us. We set a massive, life-changing goal on January 1st, only to feel the sting of defeat a few weeks later. It’s not because you lack discipline or drive; it’s usually because the goal was too big and undefined to fit into your actual life. Let’s look at how we can flip the script
Unlocking the potential of your 401(k): Tax benefits, contributions, and investment strategies.
401(k) plans are retirement accounts established by companies, offering substantial tax benefits and flexibility. These accounts provide a secure avenue for employees to save for their future, ensuring financial stability during retirement. For most workers, they are the backbone of their retirement strategy. Whether you are enrolling in a new plan, on your way to saving for retirement, or somewhere
A year-end financial checklist: 2025 complete guide.
The end of the year is a time to make critical planning decisions for your taxes, investments, and savings. It’s also a time to reflect on the previous year and consider what may change in the year ahead. Now is the time to create a personalized and proactive strategy that dynamically evolves to meet your needs—personally, professionally, and financially—for years
What is an emergency fund?
An emergency fund is designed to be a safety net for “surprise” expenses. Learn more about what it is and why it is important.
How do lower interest rates affect my money?
It’s easy to feel a mix of relief and confusion when headlines announce that interest rates are dropping. You might be wondering if this is finally the time to buy that home or if your hard-earned savings will stop growing. Let’s take a deep breath and look at how these changes actually impact your wallet so you can move forward
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Investing
Find articles to support your investing goals, including short and long-term strategies.
Why picking individual stocks usually underperforms the market
A vast body of data suggests that picking winners in the stock market is extremely hard. Academic research in the 1960’s and 1970’s first provided some evidence that most active portfolio managers fail to outperform the broad market. This led to the popularization of index funds during the 1980’s and 1990’s, which continues today. However, the allure of “beating the
What you need to know before buying the SpaceX and Anthropic IPOs
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, SpaceX is planning on holding its initial public offering (IPO) on June 12. This has the potential be the largest IPO of all-time, reportedly aiming to raise $80 billion. This IPO could soon be followed by Anthropic and OpenAI, both supposedly targeting IPOs in the fourth quarter of this year. This
Why are mortgage rates rising and when will they drop?
On February 26, the national average 30-year mortgage rate fell below 6% for the first time since 2022. Since then, war broke out in Iran, causing all kinds of interest rates to lurch higher, from Treasury bond yields to mortgage rates. This has been frustrating to many who are either looking to buy a home or hoping for a chance
Dynamic vs. static portfolios: Adapting to changing market risks
When we talk about investing at Facet, we always start with the same foundation: Your portfolio should be designed to achieve your specific life goals. It sounds simple, but it requires a careful balance. We want to maximize the chance you reach those goals, which means seeking growth. However, we also need to protect your savings from other risks, including
Q1 2026 performance review & outlook: Navigating oil shocks, rate cut delays, and AI realities
Stocks fell sharply in the first quarter of 2026, with most of the losses coming after the war began in Iran. The Morningstar Global Markets index fell 2.9% for the quarter, marking the worst quarter for global stocks since 2023. The U.S. was one of the worst performing major world markets, with the S&P 500 falling 4.4%, weighed down by
Is your portfolio truly ready for retirement? Moving beyond generic rules of thumb.
Transitioning from a steady paycheck to living off your life savings is one of the most significant, and potentially stressful, pivots you’ll ever make. There is a dizzying amount of conflicting “expert” advice out there, but for a lot of people, this just adds to the confusion. Between fluctuating market volatility and the nagging fear of outliving your nest egg,
Facet was ranked #1 Best Financial Advisory Firm 2025 by USA TODAY!
In April of 2025, USA TODAY partnered with Statista to rank the top 500 RIAs. Recommendations were collected via an independent survey among over 30,000 individuals and an AUM development analysis over the short and long term. Self-recommendations were prohibited, and no compensation was provided for the ranking.
Retirement
Explore smart ways to prepare for retirement — on your terms, with confidence and clarity.
What is a target-date fund and how does it work?
Planning for the future can sometimes feel like you’re trying to hit a moving target, especially when you’re balancing today’s needs with tomorrow’s dreams. It’s completely normal to want an investment strategy that feels secure and manageable without requiring you to watch the stock market every single day. We’re here to walk you through how target-date funds work so you
More than money: what does success in retirement actually look like?
Retirement can come with new and unexpected challenges that have nothing to do with your bank balance. Many retirees find themselves feeling unprepared for the next stage of life even after they’ve saved enough to meet every need. It’s completely normal to feel a bit of “now what?” energy as you move from a lifetime of labor to a lifetime
Is your portfolio truly ready for retirement? Moving beyond generic rules of thumb.
Transitioning from a steady paycheck to living off your life savings is one of the most significant, and potentially stressful, pivots you’ll ever make. There is a dizzying amount of conflicting “expert” advice out there, but for a lot of people, this just adds to the confusion. Between fluctuating market volatility and the nagging fear of outliving your nest egg,
The passive income trap: Why total return is a smarter strategy for 2025
For many investors the appeal of creating passive income from their portfolio is strong. The idea of generating a steady stream of cash flow from income-based investments is intuitively attractive. However, focusing too narrowly on income can often lead to unintended consequences, such as lower long-term growth and tax inefficiencies. A more effective approach for most is to focus on
Backdoor Roth IRA: What it is and how to do it
Learn what a backdoor Roth IRA is, how it works, and what you need to know to determine if this strategy is right for you.
Roth IRA vs traditional IRA: Differences, limits, pros and cons.
All you need to know when comparing traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs, including eligibility limits, contributions and withdrawals, tax implications, and more.
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Recent Articles
Why picking individual stocks usually underperforms the market
A vast body of data suggests that picking winners in the stock market is extremely hard. Academic research in the 1960’s and 1970’s first provided some evidence that most active portfolio managers fail to outperform the broad market. This led to the popularization of index funds during the 1980’s and 1990’s, which continues today. However, the allure of “beating the
Why Did I Get Form 5498 After Filing My Taxes?
If you just opened your mail to find Form 5498, don’t panic. Your heart might skip a beat thinking you’ve missed a deadline or made a mistake on your recently filed tax return, but breathe easy. This form is for your records and typically arrives well after the April filing deadline for a very specific reason. What is Form 5498
What you need to know before buying the SpaceX and Anthropic IPOs
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, SpaceX is planning on holding its initial public offering (IPO) on June 12. This has the potential be the largest IPO of all-time, reportedly aiming to raise $80 billion. This IPO could soon be followed by Anthropic and OpenAI, both supposedly targeting IPOs in the fourth quarter of this year. This
Why are mortgage rates rising and when will they drop?
On February 26, the national average 30-year mortgage rate fell below 6% for the first time since 2022. Since then, war broke out in Iran, causing all kinds of interest rates to lurch higher, from Treasury bond yields to mortgage rates. This has been frustrating to many who are either looking to buy a home or hoping for a chance
Dynamic vs. static portfolios: Adapting to changing market risks
When we talk about investing at Facet, we always start with the same foundation: Your portfolio should be designed to achieve your specific life goals. It sounds simple, but it requires a careful balance. We want to maximize the chance you reach those goals, which means seeking growth. However, we also need to protect your savings from other risks, including
What is a target-date fund and how does it work?
Planning for the future can sometimes feel like you’re trying to hit a moving target, especially when you’re balancing today’s needs with tomorrow’s dreams. It’s completely normal to want an investment strategy that feels secure and manageable without requiring you to watch the stock market every single day. We’re here to walk you through how target-date funds work so you