Volatility returned to both the equity and fixed income markets in a dramatic fashion in the first quarter. As a result, the landscape of valuations, interest rates, and inflation shifted quite quickly. In this quarterly market update, Pathstone’s Managing Director of Strategy, John Workman, reflects on the macroeconomic picture and what that means for bottom-up portfolio construction.

Estate planning can be an intimidating process. With this in mind, we have gathered seven questions about the estate planning process and have provided answers in a Q&A format.

In honor of Financial Literacy Month, we will be discussing a series of topics to equip you with the tools to develop healthy financial habits, understand your financial position, and identify goals to work toward. Part four will focus on how to save for your retirement and use compounding to help you achieve a more prosperous retirement.

Developing Saving Habits Using the 401k Account

It is never too early to begin saving for retirement. It may seem far away but planning for it early is a great opportunity to develop healthy saving habits. Most employers offer employees access to tax-deferred 401k accounts, which allow the investor to take a tax deduction on contributions to the plan and grow them tax-deferred. 401(k) plans allow employees to select a percentage of their pre-tax income to contribute, which is automatically deducted from their paycheck. This “set it and forget it” approach can do wonders for your net worth over a long-time horizon. Another great feature is that many employers offer to match their employee contributions up to a certain amount. Everyone should strive to save enough of their salary to qualify for the full employer match since it’s the closest thing to a “free lunch” out there. If you are unsure of whether this is offered, it is worth asking HR.