“New normal” is one of those phrases that was so overused during the pandemic that it practically lost its meaning. While this term became part of our shared language more recently, people have always been hardwired to assume that any new status quo will continue indefinitely.1 Humans simply aren’t great…

The financial winds have been shifting: interest rates have been rising, and the days of cheap mortgages and zero-percent credit have faded into the distance. At a practical level, this means that businesses and consumers are finding it increasingly difficult to get new loans — and the impacts of a…

A question we often hear from our clients is, “How much cash should I have at the bank?” On the surface, this seems like a straightforward question that should have a simple answer. Recent trends — ranging from inflation, to rising interest rates, to the unanticipated fragility of regional banks…

The unsettling banking headlines this week evoked memories of 2008 as well as the classic bank run scene from It’s a Wonderful Life where the Bailey Building & Loan reaches the brink of collapse. Jimmy Stewart’s character, George Bailey, reassured his customers that their assets were invested in a diversified…

Planning for a Big Move — There are a variety of reasons people consider a move to a new area, and they often boil down to three main motivations: to be closer to family, to have a better quality of life, or to relocate for work. The process of moving is stressful and disorienting, but there…

The Fed’s interest rate decisions were influencing stock and bond markets long before they emerged as a catalyst for last year’s price declines. Instead of rising rates, it was radically low rates that were the central theme for almost 14 years from the end of the 2008 financial crisis up…

Financial pundits have a tendency to assign prescient directionality to the market. When prices rally or decline, commentators describe it as if an all-knowing market was moving collectively in unison. The reality is that stock and bond markets are comprised of a wide spectrum of different investors with a range…

After more than a decade of tepid price increases, rising inflation has become a core focus for both consumers and businesses. Google searches for “inflation” have risen more than 230% over the past two years.[1] “Supply chain issues” has entered the common lexicon and resulted in both humorous and informative…

A Friday Reflection from North Berkeley Wealth Management Modern financial markets are made up of a myriad of different investors ranging from individuals managing personal portfolios to institutional investors managing pensions and corporate reserves. When the headlines distill the investment decisions from these varied investors into an oversimplified paradigm of ‘bullish’ or ‘bearish,’ it can appear as if…