Clarity Wealth Management

05/09/2026

💐 Happy Mother's Day weekend to all the moms, stepmoms, grandmothers, and mother figures who have and continue to shape us all! (And a special Happy Mothers day to the moms of Clarity Wealth Management!)

Moms teach us more about money than they probably realize. The way they focus us on what matters and demonstrate the beauty of giving without expectation.

So much of how we think about generosity, responsibility, and what's worth protecting traces back to what we learn from the women in our lives.

Happy Mother's Day!

05/06/2026

Artificial intelligence is becoming a more common expectation in early-career roles.

Recent data shows that about 4.2% of entry-level job postings now reference AI skills, nearly double the share from a year ago. Internship postings are even higher, with more than 10% including AI-related requirements.

The trend spans a range of industries, with the strongest presence in technology roles, along with growing adoption in areas like financial services and marketing.

At the same time, many students report learning these tools on their own, as formal training continues to catch up with workplace expectations.

While the overall job market for new graduates remains competitive, familiarity with AI tools is becoming one way candidates can stand out across a variety of roles.

As of March, 4.2% of full-time early-career jobs called for AI skills, nearly double the share from a year ago, according to Handshake's 2026 graduate report.

05/04/2026

The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at its latest meeting, maintaining the benchmark range at 3.5% to 3.75%.

While the decision itself was widely expected, the vote reflected a notable level of disagreement among policymakers, with several members expressing differing views on the outlook for future rate adjustments.

Some officials pointed to ongoing inflation concerns, while others focused on how policy signals could shape expectations moving forward.

Recent economic data continues to show a mixed picture, with steady job growth alongside inflation that remains above long-term targets.

Moments like this highlight how central bank decisions often involve balancing multiple factors as conditions evolve over time.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday released its latest decision on interest rates.

05/04/2026

Behind every small business is someone who believes in themselves. 💼

Business owners carry a weight most people don't see.

You're the CEO, the HR department, and sometimes the night janitor, all in the same day.

The financial picture is more complicated, too.

Choosing a retirement account, balancing what you pay yourself with reinvesting in the business, and making sure the company serves your life, not the other way around.

Think about your local coffee shop, the local family-owned restaurant, and the flower shop—those places exist because someone took a risk and kept showing up.

This week, skip the chain and stop by a small business instead. 🙌

05/02/2026

According to the American Psychological Association…

Money stress is one of the leading causes of anxiety—ahead of work, relationships, and health concerns.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it's worth acknowledging what we see in this work every day: financial decisions carry emotional weight.

Will I have enough? Am I doing this right? What if something changes?

Looking ahead can help make the weight lighter, not heavier. If your financial life feels like a source of stress instead of clarity, that's worth paying attention to.

05/01/2026

May is Military Appreciation Month.

To everyone who served and the families who held things together back home: thank you.

Military families deal with financial complexities that most people never encounter.

Deployments, relocations every few years, pension decisions, survivor benefits, and VA loans.

The financial picture looks different because military life looks different.

We're grateful to work with military families and veterans. And we’re grateful to all who served.

04/30/2026

A lot of what drives outcomes is below the surface.

For example, in 2022, when the S&P 500 fell more than 18 percent, two-thirds of mutual funds still made capital gains distributions, according to a 2025 Fidelity report.

That is not a headline most investors expect, and it is a reminder that taxable distributions from mutual funds do not always reflect market performance.

What’s really going on:
A mutual fund can distribute taxable capital gains when the manager sells underlying holdings at a profit, even if you don’t sell any shares of the fund.

It can happen in a down year; gains on individual holdings can occur while the overall fund value declines.

Buying a mutual fund late in the year can still leave you responsible for distributions tied to that full calendar year.

Fidelity cites a Morningstar study showing taxes may reduce portfolio returns by up to 2 percent annually on average when not accounted for.

There are ways to manage surprise distributions, including tax-smart account placement, tax-managed funds, and evaluating ETFs, where appropriate.

Remember, mutual funds and ETFs are sold only by prospectus. Please consider the charges, risks, expenses, and investment objectives carefully before investing. A prospectus containing this and other information about the investment company can be obtained from your financial professional. Read it carefully before you invest or send money.

This is not about avoiding mutual funds. It is about the benefits of working with a financial professional who can show you what mutual funds pay capital gains and what funds are designed to manage payouts. Your tax, legal and accounting professionals can show you how a capital gain will affect your tax situation.

04/29/2026

In today’s global real estate market, $1 million can look very different depending on location.

In some of the world’s most expensive markets, that budget goes much less far. In Monaco, for example, $1 million buys about 16 square meters (roughly 172 square feet) — highlighting just how limited space can be at the top end of the market.

Other cities offer slightly more room. In Hong Kong, $1 million buys around 22.5 square meters, while in New York, it stretches to roughly 33.9 square meters.

Across global markets, luxury property prices have continued to rise, driven by factors such as location, lifestyle, and international mobility.

These differences offer a broader view of how real estate values can vary worldwide, even at the same price point.

Luxury real estate in most major markets around the world continues to become more expensive, as the wealthy grow wealthier and more mobile.

04/28/2026

Think “tax-loss harvesting” is only for bad markets or complicated portfolios?

At a simple level, it is this: using certain investment losses to manage taxes while keeping focus on your long-term strategy.

How it works in plain English:

➡️ Sell an investment at a loss, then replace it with a different investment that plays a similar role in the portfolio.

➡️ Use the realized loss to offset realized investment gains.

➡️ If losses exceed gains, up to $3k per year (for married filing jointly) may offset ordinary income on federal taxes, and the rest carries forward.

➡️ Losses can be saved to offset future gains.

➡️ Watch the wash sale rule, which is buying the same or substantially identical security within a 30-day period before or after the “tax-loss harvesting” sale (61 days total).

➡️ We can show you how tax-loss harvesting works. Your tax, legal, and accounting professionals can show you how your decision will affect your tax situation.

The goal is not to chase tax savings. It’s to keep more of the portfolio working over time while staying aligned with the strategy.

04/27/2026

Medicare supplemental insurance costs are rising, with many consumers seeing noticeable increases in recent months.

Some policyholders experienced significant jumps — including reports of increases as high as 45% for certain plans, while more typical adjustments are now landing in the double digits.

These policies help cover out-of-pocket costs not included in traditional Medicare, such as deductibles and copayments. Without supplemental coverage, there is generally no cap on annual healthcare expenses.

A range of factors are contributing to higher premiums, including increased use of medical services, rising healthcare costs, and demographic shifts.

At the same time, options for switching plans can be limited by timing, location, and health status, making it more challenging for some individuals to adjust coverage.

These trends highlight how healthcare costs and coverage choices can evolve over time, especially for those approaching or already in retirement.

Millions of people rely on the supplemental insurance to offset the deductibles, copayments, and other costs faced by enrollees in the traditional Medicare program.

04/23/2026

👨‍💼👩‍💼 Take Your Child to Work Day brings out the best kind of energy in an office.

Kids get to see where we grown-ups disappear all day, meet the people we talk about, and connect work to real life.

Those little moments stick—the walk around the office, the “what do you do” questions, the first time a kid feels included in something that matters to a parent.

Many of us have done this over the years, and it creates memories that last longer than anyone expects. It also gives kids a window into what good work looks like, showing up, being kind, solving problems, and taking care of people.

Hope a few future leaders are in the office today! 🏢

Would love to see photos in the comments!