Blog Investment & Financial News
Staying Ahead of the Curve: Bringing MIT’s AI Insights to Your Financial Plan
At LRIA, we believe that fulfilling our fiduciary duty means continually evolving so we can serve you with well-informed, thoughtful guidance. In that spirit, our CEO and CCO, Ben Rickey, recently completed the executive-education course Artificial Intelligence for Financial Services: Tools, Opportunities, and Challenges at the MIT Sloan School of Management. The program brought together…
Trump Accounts: A New Way to Give Your Kids (or Grandkids) a Head Start
If you have young kids or grandkids, you’ve probably seen the headlines: as of July 4, 2026, families can fund a brand-new type of account for children called a “Trump Account.” There’s been a lot of buzz — and a fair amount of confusion — so here’s a plain-English rundown of what these accounts are,…
Financial Spring Cleaning: 6 Things to Review This Season
Have you done your spring cleaning yet? I’m not talking about scrubbing baseboards or sorting through those drawers that somehow fill up with things we don’t need. I’m talking about financial spring cleaning—a dedicated time to review your goals, accounts, and overall financial plan to make sure everything is organized, efficient, and not creating unnecessary…
2026 1st Quarter Investment Commentary
Q1 2026 was volatile as the Iran conflict contributed to a rise in oil prices, reignited inflation concerns, and triggered a market selloff. The S&P 500 rebounded sharply, hitting a new all-time high on April 15th. The U.S. economy entered the quarter with several supportive fundamentals, including healthy corporate balance sheets and ongoing investment in…
What Are Retirement Gap Years?
What Are Retirement Gap Years? Timing Social Security, Roth Moves, and Medicare When people hear “gap year,” they often think of the year between high school and college. But there’s another kind of gap year that can have a big financial impact: the years between retiring and starting Social Security or pension income. These retirement…
2025 4th Quarter Investment Commentary
Markets were strong, but narrow in the U.S. The S&P 500 TR rose 2.66% in Q4 and 17.88% in 2025. However, gains were driven by a small group of large AI-focused companies, and most stocks did not keep pace with the index. International markets had a standout year. Developed international stocks and emerging markets outpaced…
2026 Key Financial Changes
The annual exclusion for gifts remained at $19,000 for 2026. The limitation on deferrals for 401(k), 403(b), and 457 plans is increased to $24,500 for 2026, up from $23,500 in 2025. The catch-up for those over age 50 was increased to $8,000 from $7,500, so if you are maxing out your plan and over age…
2026 2nd Quarter Investment Commentary
The second quarter delivered a sharp rebound. As the Iran conflict de-escalated and oil prices returned to pre-conflict levels near $72 per barrel, the S&P 500 gained 15.2%—its best quarter since 2020—bringing its first-half return to 10.2%. Monetary policy shifted under new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh. The Fed held rates at 3.50%–3.75% but removed forward…