HFG Blog

GM Voluntary Separation Program

Liz Kasha

Monday, March 13, 2023

For our General Motors clientele who are considering the Voluntary Separation Program (VSP) offer and submitting your interest, it is essential that you are financially prepared to support a full retirement or able to support a...

HFG Announces New Hire & Staff Promotions!

Liz Kasha

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Meet Anne We are honored to announce the newest addition to the HFG Team, Anne Hamlin! Anne joins the firm in the role of Operations Associate and within this new role will aid the team by providing day to day back-office details and...

Are you a General Motors employee nearing retirement? If so, you've got a big decision to make concerning your pension, and we've got some helpful information for you. 

The green shoots are hard to see right now as spring approaches, clouded by war in Ukraine. Democracy is under attack and innocent lives are tragically being lost. But while we keep one eye on overseas developments, the other remain...

After weeks of intense multilateral diplomacy, the U.S., Canada, the European Union, and the U.K. unleashed powerful economic sanctions against Russia over the weekend that have sent its economy reeling. As shown in the LPL Chart of the Day

The calendar had barely flipped to 2022 and investors were reminded that even attractive long-term stock returns come with a cost: volatility. The S&P 500 Index fell nearly 10% from January 3 through January 27 amid fears that the...

Stocks have gotten off to a tough start in 2022. Why has the market pulled back and what might we see going forward? We think the most important thing to remember is that periodic stock market volatility is entirely normal....

Until recently, we expected the 10-year Treasury yield to end the year between 1.75% and 2.0%. Now, however, there are two key elements suggesting we are unlikely to see significantly higher interest rates by year end: The Delta...

Several policy-related risks loom in September and October that may lead to an increase in market volatility. The debt ceiling needs to be raised (likely by mid-October), the government needs to be funded to avoid a shutdown by the...

First and foremost, this week’s commentary should not be construed to suggest that we are saying stocks will go up forever. We are also not saying that stocks are immune from a pullback in the final four months of 2021....

The term stagflation has been circulating increasingly in the financial media as inflation readings have risen sharply in recent months. The term is often associated with the 1970s, which saw runaway inflation—largely driven by...

Corporate America did it again. Companies blew by estimates and made strategists and analysts look silly (though we humbly suggest that we may have looked less silly than most in our earnings preview on July 12). S&P 500 earnings...

The highly transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19 now makes up an overwhelming majority of the new cases in the U.S., bringing with it a rise in cases and hospitalizations. Widespread vaccine distribution and distancing measures have...

Last week was a huge news week, from the Fed, to gross domestic product (GDP), to a giant week of earnings reports. Below we review the big events from last week, while also looking ahead to what could be an eventful August for...

HFG Announces New Hire & Staff Promotions

Liz Kasha

Thursday, July 29, 2021

We are honored to announce the newest addition to the HFG Team, Thomas Mahfet! Thomas joins the firm in the role of Paraplanner and will aid the team by providing direct support to the advisors as well as working on complex financial...

2021 has been a very strong year for both stocks and the economy, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been some surprises. Below we take a look at some things that have happened so far in 2021 that have surprised the LPL...

In the first half of 2021, the U.S. economy powered forward faster than nearly anyone had expected. As we were writing our Outlook for 2021 in late 2020, our economic views were significantly more optimistic than consensus...

We ran out of superlatives to describe corporate America’s stunning performance during first-quarter earnings season. Despite lofty expections, results exceeded expectations by one of the biggest margins ever. So what will...

Markets are off to a strong start this year, with the S&P 500 Index up about 14% so far. However, most of those gains came early in the year, and many stocks have stagnated over recent months. While we remain overweight on stocks...

Inflation has been on the rise. Investors are not as interested in what’s happening now as they are in what’s happening next. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve (Fed) shared its views at the conclusion of its last policy...

On May 27, 2021, a couple of events in the energy sector occurred that demonstrated the continued mainstreaming of sustainable investing and underscored the risks and opportunities available to investors. While primarily thought of as...

Fiscal stimulus, which was central to the market rebound in the last year, may start moving to the sidelines over the rest of 2021 and into 2022 as the recovery continues. Economic growth can compensate for the loss of government...

After one of the worst starts to a year for fixed income, returns may not get much better from here. Long-term interest rates have traded sideways recently but we expect rates to potentially rise further, which would put downward...

After one of the best starts to a bull market in history, the rally has started to show signs of fatigue. A strong economic recovery lies ahead as the roepening continues, bolstering a very strong earnings outlook that is helping...

The economic recovery continues, as the recipe of vaccines, the reopening, and record stimulus all have combined to produce what should be one of the best years for growth ever. Although some economic indicators could be peaking or...

It’s embarrasing to admit this but in our earnings season preview on April 12, when the consensus estimate reflected a nearly 24% increase, we wrote that S&P 500 Index earnings growth for the first quarter could potentially...

“Sell in May and go away” is probably the most widely cited stock market cliché in history. Every year a barrage of Wall Street commentaries, media stories, and investor questions flood in about the popular stock...

Last week we discussed whether stock prices might be reflecting peak optimism. In that commentary we noted that while sentiment may be overly optimistic and a pickup in volatility would be totally normal, strong breadth measures...

Global stock markets are off to a strong start in 2021 as the world begins to emerge from the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the United States, vaccinations are increasing, the economy is expanding, unemployment is falling, and...

The outstanding fourth-quarter earnings season we had in 2020 is a tough act to follow, but 2021’s first quarter has the makings of another potentially great earnings season. The reopening of the economy continues to move forward...

The U.S. economy’s recovery from the pandemic continues to surpass our expectations, aided by the accelerating vaccine distribution, massive stimulus, and America’s desire to resume some semblance of normal daily life....

The bear market ended one year ago this week, finishing one of the fastest and most vicious bear markets of all-time—one that led to a drawdown of 34%. Things have come full circle now, as stocks have staged a furious rally, with...

With the NCAA college basketball tournament getting underway this week, LPL Research is getting in the spirit with its own version of March Madness. Here we share our “Final Four Factors” for the stock market in 2021:...

The 10-year Treasury yield continues to climb higher, but remains low by historical standards. Still, the size of the move since July 2020—and the more recent acceleration—has some market participants worried about the...

Fourth-quarter earnings season is in the home stretch, and it’s been a good one. After raising our 2021 earnings forecast for the S&P 500 Index in our Weekly Market Commentary on February 8, our upgraded forecast may now be too...

Increasingly more people realize that their sustainability concerns can be addressed through their investments. As more investors embark on the sustainable investing journey—learn what it is, why one pursues it, and how to do...

Interest rates have risen steadily over the past six months but remain low by historical standards. That means the traditional high-quality bonds that many of us owned for decades are not doing the job for investors looking for income,...

The resilience of the US economy continues to exceed our expectations. With encouraging progress toward ending the pandemic, and massive fiscal stimulus in place—and more likely coming soon, our prior economic growth forecasts...

As a result of the Senate runoffs in Georgia, Democrats are poised to take control of the US Senate, which would give them a majority in both houses of Congress. This will shift the policy outlook moderately to the left, but majorities...

More than most years, it’s hard to look ahead to the next year, to 2021, without looking back at 2020. A global pandemic, a massive economic collapse, a bear market, a surprisingly sharp reversal...

America delivered quite an encore to a surprisingly good second quarter earnings season with more of the same in the third quarter, despite a higher bar. S&P 500 Index companies didn’t quite match the biggest upside surprise ever—

Election 2020 Is Undecided

Timothy Herbert, RICP®, MSA

Thursday, November 5, 2020

The American people have voted, casting a record number of ballots under extraordinary circumstances, which is a testament to the enduring resilience of our democracy. Determining the outcome of our elections is a process, but it...

2020 Presidential Election - 10 Truths No Matter Who Wins

Timothy Herbert, RICP®, MSA

Monday, October 5, 2020

In this special video report, Timothy Herbert, Wealth Advisor & Founder of HFG, discusses ten truths no matter who wins the 2020 Presidential Election.

Signs of Strength in the Economy

Timothy Herbert, RICP®, MSA

Monday, October 5, 2020

Autumn has arrived, with students back in school, baseball playoffs beginning, and football in full swing. Life is trying to get back to as normal as possible despite the ongoing impact from COVID-19. While the number of new daily...

LPL Financial Research Chief Investment Officer Burt White explains what a K-shaped recovery means and how the ability to adapt may predict future successes.

A second term for President Donald Trump would likely feature a continuation of the pro-growth policies from the first term of his administration, and importantly for financial markets, a continuation of the status quo. Markets...

Positive Territory - A Letter From HFG

Timothy Herbert, RICP®, MSA

Monday, August 10, 2020

The battle versus COVID-19 continues. The spread in some of the recent hotspots like California and Florida is slowing, while states in the Northeast and Midwest are now experiencing increases in cases. According to the World Health...

At the midpoint of 2020, we’re mindful that it’s been an extremely challenging year so far in the United States and around the globe. We’re in the midst of a pandemic that continues to impact all of us, our communities, and our economies...

Fourth of July Optimism

Timothy Herbert, RICP®, MSA

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

The July Fourth holiday will be very different this year. Although it’s a time to enjoy family and friends, and maybe even watch some fireworks, social distancing and a new wave of COVID-19 cases also may take a seat at the...

LPL Research Senior Market Strategist Ryan Detrick talks about recent improvements in the economy and strong economic data.

The US economy has made impressive progress in recent weeks. As the economy re-opens, the way we assess the recovery has changed. In March and April, we were looking for evidence that growth in COVID-19 cases was...

LPL Financial Chief Investment Officer Burt White takes a close look at recent economic activity and green shoots in the road to recovery.

Looking Forward

Timothy Herbert, RICP®, MSA

Monday, June 8, 2020

As we look ahead to the summer months, we can’t help but think what a challenging year it’s been so far. At the same time, we’re encouraged by the resiliency and accelerated innovation among US businesses and the...

The stock market keeps going higher, yet the economic data remains some of the worst we’ve ever seen. This incredible disconnect has a lot of investors quite confused as to what is really happening. “Although this record...

The S&P 500 Index flirted with closing above 3,000 yesterday, even as much of the economic data is some of the worst we’ve ever seen in our lifetimes. We are often asked how this is possible. The reality is the double backstop of...

“Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald The economic struggles in our country are among the worst we’ve ever seen. In April, a record 20 million people lost their jobs, and 36...

Nowhere To Go But Up

Timothy Herbert, RICP®, MSA

Friday, May 8, 2020

Investors like labels for the economy and financial markets—many of them with the word “great” in them. The Great Depression. The Great Recession. The Great Lockdown. Well, we’ve moved into what we might call...

LPL Financial Research Sr. Market Strategist Ryan Detrick says central banks have pledged to support global economies and bring back confidence and liquidity.

Continuing to Support You

Timothy Herbert, RICP®, MSA

Friday, May 1, 2020

We want to assure you that the HFG team is here to support you during these challenging times and we remain committed to offering ongoing insights and financial guidance. We thought it would be a good time to share a little about the...

We continue to follow our Road to Recovery Playbook for help determining where the market is in its bottoming process and yesterday we upgraded Signal #1, confidence in timing of a peak in new COVID-19 cases, to “Already there...

As the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic continues, how we respond to it will determine how we beat it. Continued sacrifices range from everyone in the medical community working on the front lines to the thousands of truck drives...

Big open. Stocks gapped significantly higher today, as Gilead’s new antiviral drug to combat COVID-19 showed promise at a Chicago hospital. Globally, stocks were firmly in the green as well, with optimism for opening up global...

We continue to follow our Road to Recovery Playbook for help determining where the market is in its bottoming process. Today we are making two changes. The first is to Signal #1, which we upgraded from “monitoring daily” to...

The economy has halted for the past several weeks, and with it the longest economic expansion ever has ended, meaning we are now in a recession. What makes this recession unique is the government intentionally brought it on...

Stocks have rallied nicely off the March 23 lows on the back of a bold policy response from the Federal Reserve (Fed) and lawmakers in Washington, DC, which was followed by signs that a peak in growth of COVID-19 cases may come soon...

Stock market volatility has remained high as investors continue to closely track COVID-19 containment efforts while getting a glimpse into how damaging travel restrictions, stay-at-home orders, and social distancing have been...

Stocks soared last week, working off historically oversold levels. Although the impact to our economy and American workers has been devastating, we did see some positive developments from monetary and fiscal stimulus, which could set up a p

Avoiding COVID-19 Scams

Liz Kasha

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Scammers, fraudsters, and other criminals are taking advantage of rapidly changing data and facts associated with COVID-19, both in the workplace and in our homes. Government agencies, corporations, and news outlets continue to warn...

The Benefits of Staying Invested

Kara Herbert, CFA, CFP®

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Recent market ups and downs have tested investors’ ability to stay disciplined to their financial plan and investment strategy. At the onset of the client relationship and each year, we monitor that plan and put strategies in...

Our Commitment to You During COVID-19 and Always

Liz Kasha

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

As a valued member of the HFG family, we sincerely appreciate the trust you place in us. Given the dynamic nature of the COVID-19 epidemic, we wanted to take a moment to review the aggressive steps HFG and LPL has taken to preserve and...

The coronavirus outbreak—or Covid-19 —has caused significant market volatility over the past week. Our approach as always is to focus on economic fundamentals first, but the uncertainty around the scope of the outbreak has...

News that the coronavirus—known as COVID-19—has spread to South Korea, Italy, Japan, and Iran, has led to massive selling around the globe, with many European markets closing down more than 4%. U.S. stock markets are...

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act is now law. With it, comes some of the biggest changes to retirement savings law in recent years. While the new rules don’t appear to amount to a massive...

The Lowdown on Those Free Credit Scores

Liz Kasha

Monday, December 2, 2019

The Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003 provided individuals with valuable rights to the credit information that companies keep on them, but did you know the credit score provided to you may be different from the one...

9 Facts About Retirement

Liz Kasha

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Retirement can have many meanings. For some, it will be a time to travel and spend time with family members. For others, it will be a time to start a new business or begin a charitable endeavor. Regardless of what approach you intend...

Prevent a Rift: 10 Money Tips for Newlyweds

Liz Kasha

Thursday, June 20, 2019

In a recent study, 88% of millennial's admitted that financial decisions are a source of tension in their relationship with a spouse or partner1. This could help explain why some experts say financial problems are the #1 reason...

10 Simple Safeguards to Protect Yourself from Cyber Security Threats

Liz Kasha

Thursday, March 14, 2019

With the ongoing danger of identity theft, cyber fraud, social networking scams, and payment fraud, we wanted to share 10 best practices to help you stay safe online as well as countermeasures you can take to be more cyber secure.

Best Practices for Aging Parents

Thomas Mohan, PLLC

Friday, March 1, 2019

Author: Guest Blogger, Thomas Mohan, PLLC - a Strategic Partner of HFG Although every family has its own unique character and dynamics, there are certain consistent challenges that emerge when our parents or other close family members...

8 Questions for GM Employees Faced with Involuntary Severance

Liz Kasha

Friday, February 22, 2019

Recently, General Motors began a weeks-long process of laying off roughly 4,250 salaried employees in a sweeping restructuring of their global operations. Part of this restructuring effort includes the closure of five North American...

You Would Rather Be...

Liz Kasha

Friday, February 1, 2019

Are you a thrill seeker, or content to relax in the backyard? Use this flowchart to find out more about your risk toleran

Kara's Financial Tips for Millennials

Kara Herbert, CFA, CFP®

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Hi there! If we haven’t met yet, my name is Kara Herbert, the newest Wealth Advisor to the “HFG Advisory Team”. One of the projects I am currently spearheading is working with our “NextGen” Millennial...

10 Financial Tips for Millennials

Liz Kasha

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Ready to finally get your money in order? Don't know where start? You're in the right place! Here are our Top 10 tips for millennials!

Estate Administration Planning

Caroline Chetosky

Thursday, October 19, 2017

A typical trustee, executor or loved one spends a lot of time searching for pieces of paper: wills and trusts, bank statements, insurance policies, birth and marriage certificates, divorce decrees, military discharge papers, cemetery...

Equifax Hack: Ways To Protect Your Identity

Liz Kasha

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

From May through July, hackers exploited a website vulnerability at Equifax, one of the major consumer credit reporting agencies. If you have a credit report, there is a chance your sensitive and personal information including...

What the Fiduciary Movement Means For You

Liz Kasha

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Wouldn’t you agree that all Americans should have the right to ethical and honest financial advice? The answer to this question is obvious and it stands to reason that most individual investors would feel this way. Many of you...

GM Health Savings Accounts – Are You Taking Advantage?

Timothy Herbert

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Most of you are probably aware that you have a Health Savings Account (HSA) that is administered through Bank of America, but are you taking full advantage of how it can benefit you? What is an HSA Plan? An HSA plan can be explained as...