If you locked in a mortgage at 7% or higher in 2023 or 2024, you’ve probably been watching rates with one eye open for a while now. Thirty-year fixed rates have settled into the low 6% range. Freddie Mac’s weekly average hit 6.23% as of April 23, 2026, down from 6.30% the prior week. That’s … Continued
By Team Reason | Reason Financial & Tax If you’ve watched a baseball game this season you’ve noticed something new. A batter freezes on a called third strike, pauses for a beat, then reaches up and taps his helmet. The stadium screen flashes an animated pitch trajectory. The crowd holds its breath. And then: ball … Continued
AN ECONOMIC AND MARKET UPDATE February 2026 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2025 ended a third straight of positive domestic equity returns. Introducing our Chief Investment Officer Brian Andrew. Trump Accounts are around the corner. Check out https://trumpaccounts.gov/ for how to make an election to open an account. This was a year where the various moving parts all … Continued
Executive Summary Trump Accounts (IRC §530A) are a new federal, tax-advantaged investment account for children, structured as a special kind of traditional IRA that is owned by the child but managed by an authorized adult while the child is a minor. They are not a social media platform or consumer subscription service. The IRS describes … Continued
ROSES ARE RED, TAXES ARE DUE: HOW VALENTINE’s DAY IS BASICALLY APRIL 15th IN DISGUISE At first glance, Valentine’s Day and the tax deadline seem like opposites. One promises romance, chocolates, and candlelit dinners. The other delivers receipts, spreadsheets, and mild panic. But look a little closer, and you’ll realize they have more in common … Continued
The following 2026 Market Outlook is authored by Brian Andrew, Chief Investment Officer at Merit Financial Group, LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser. Mr. Andrew, formerly Executive Vice President at Johnson Financial Group, oversees Merit’s investment department and leads asset allocation decision-making for client portfolios. As we expand our content offerings this year, we’re excited … Continued
CalSavers Requirements California now requires all employers with at least one employee to offer a retirement savings plan. This mandate is fully phased in by December 31, 2025. Below is a summary of next steps: Who Must Comply by 12/31/25? Any California employer with 1 or more employees Applies even if employees are part-time or … Continued
What is the yield curve and why does it matter? It’s hard to predict a recession—when to expect one, how severe it might be, and what a recovery could look like. And yet, for all of the variables around predicting a potential recession, there’s one indicator that has been largely accurate, predicting every U.S. recession … Continued
For those of us who grew up with rotary phones, Saturday morning cartoons, and cassette tapes, Halloween wasn’t just about sugar rushes and plastic pumpkins — it was a cultural time capsule. Costumes weren’t ordered with a click; they were assembled with ingenuity, parental duct tape, and a touch of DIY grit. So when you … Continued