Halo Wealth Management, LLC

01/07/2026

IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR OUR CLIENTS:

Our office will be closed from January 8th through January 26th while I take some time off to address a medical situation that has come up.

We sent an email to all clients earlier today with client service numbers and instructions on who to contact if you need anything during my absence.

I should be able to resume communications with clients from home on Monday, January 19th. Our business texting service will be the best way for you to reach me, and that number was included in today’s email.

I apologize for any inconvenience this causes, and I do appreciate your understanding.

Thank you,
Brian Olah

04/11/2025

Ever wonder how the world's biggest economies stack up, and which ones are growing the fastest? The data tells and interesting story. The US is still in front, but China is catching us quickly!

See a ranking of the world's top 20 economies by GDP in 2025.

04/09/2025

📉Market Moves Got You Worried?

📉Markets have been choppy lately, but that’s not unusual. Much of the recent volatility is being driven by headlines and uncertainty around global policy - not big changes in the economy.

🎯Our clients' plans are built to weather times like this, and we're keeping a close eye on things. We sent out a Client Update this morning with more details and some thoughts on how we're approaching the current environment. If you haven’t read it yet, check your inbox—it includes a link to schedule a time if you’d like to connect.

🙁And if you’re not a client but have concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help!

03/18/2025

ATTENTION CLIENTS!
Client Appreciation Event:
March Madness Bracket Challenge

March Madness is here, and we’re celebrating with the return of our popular Client Appreciation Event, the March Madness Bracket Challenge! This is our way of saying thank you for the trust you place in us.

✅ No entry fee – it’s completely free to play
🏆 Gift card prizes will be awarded to the top 3 finishers
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Open to our clients and their immediate family members

An email announcement with the registration link and group password went out to all clients yesterday. We'll send a few more reminders before the tournament tips off on Thursday!

🍀☘️We appreciate you and look forward to seeing who takes the top spot! Good luck! ☘️🍀

11/13/2024

Medicare Part B premiums and the Social Security "COLA" for 2025 have been announced.

⬆️ The base Medicare Part B premium will increase to $185 per month in 2025. That's a 5.9% increase over the 2024 premium.

⬆️ The Medicare Part B deductible will increase by 7.1% to $257 in 2025.

⬆️ The Medicare Part A deductible will increase by 2.7% to $1,676 in 2025.

⬆️ The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services projects that health care costs for seniors will increase by roughly 7% in 2025.

⚠️ The Social Security cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA), however, will only provide a 2.5% increase in monthly benefits for recipients in 2025.

📉 The Result - Current retirees will continue to get squeezed as the cost of healthcare will once again increase more than their Social Security benefits will. That leads to a decrease in purchasing power and standard of living.

🗝️The lesson for those approaching retirement?

🎯 Control the "controllables". This situation likely won't change in the future, so you need to be prepared for it. It's another reason to prioritize retirement planning and investing for your own retirement! Formulate a plan, set goals, and work your plan!

➡️ We're here to help if you'd like to talk! Our mission is to help middle class families retire successfully. That doesn't just mean getting you TO retirement, it means getting you THROUGH it, too!

11/12/2024

🔄 2025 IRS Update Alert!

Your workplace retirement contribution limits are getting a boost. Here's what you need to know:
↗️ Basic limit: $23,500
↗️ Age 50+ catch-up: $7,500
⭐ NEW! Ages 60-63 super catch-up: $11,250

What this means: If you're between 60-63, you could contribute up to $34,750 in 2025!

These increased limits will apply to most workplace retirement accounts, including 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and government TSPs. While IRA limits remain at $7,000 ($8,000 if you're 50+), this extra room in workplace accounts opens up new possibilities for your retirement strategy.

Just keep in mind that employers will need to opt in to offer the super catch-up provision. 💪

11/05/2024

As we head out to vote today, many investors are understandably anxious about how the election results might impact the stock market - and their portfolios.

Take a look at this chart from YCharts to see how the market has navigated past presidencies:

👉 Long-Term Trend: Historical data shows that the stock market has generally trended upward over time, regardless of which party holds the presidency.

👉 Company Growth: Many successful companies were founded and flourished under various administrations, contributing to overall market growth.

👉 Market Priorities: Factors like earnings growth, economic trends, and technological innovations typically influence the market more than political shifts.

👉 Investor Focus: Remember, when you invest in the stock market, you're investing based on your time horizon, risk tolerance, and specific goals—not specific political outcomes.

While elections may create short-term fluctuations, historical trends suggest that long-term market performance is often driven by broader economic factors. Stay focused on your investment strategy, and let history guide your decisions.

💪💪💪 The coming days or weeks may be volatile, but long-term investors should focus more on the decades they’ll spend in the market than what happens these next few days or weeks in the market.



Stocks are measured by the Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Index, an unmanaged index considered representative of the overall U.S. stock market. Index performance is not indicative of the past performance of a particular investment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Individuals cannot invest directly in an index. Stock price returns and principal values will fluctuate as market conditions change. Shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost.

11/04/2024

People have told me, “I can’t wait until the election is over.” That tells me there’s a lot of emotion connected to Tuesday, November 5th!

But I’m quick to remind people it may take some time to resolve all of the issues after Election Day. While we may have some answers on the morning of November 6th, be prepared to have some patience with the process as the election unfolds.

It's a complex process. Each state has different rules for counting ballots. Here’s a snapshot of the rules that seven states must follow:

🏛️ Pennsylvania: State officials can start processing absentee ballots on the morning of Election Day but cannot record any vote totals until after polls close.

🏛️ Wisconsin: Officials start processing mail-in ballots on Election Day.

🏛️ Georgia: Officials have already started working on mail-in ballots, which means there may be at least partial results by the time polls close on Election Day.

🏛️ North Carolina: Officials can begin counting absentee ballots on Election Day before the polls close.

🏛️ Arizona: State officials start tabulating mail-in ballots when they are received, even if that’s prior to Election Day. But they must wait until the polls are closed to collect ballot boxes.

🏛️ Michigan: Lawmakers can start counting absentee ballots before Election Day in some towns.

🏛️ Nevada: Officials can start counting absentee ballots before Election Day and as they come in on Election Day.

🔑Bottom line: Financial markets don’t like uncertainty, and there may be some issues as each state reports results. So, it's best to prepare for some market volatility before and after the election.

09/11/2024

Today, I'm choosing to remember David Alger and the 34 other employees of Fred Alger Management that lost their lives on 9/11.

David Alger was the only person I had met that was killed on that day. He had a brilliant mind, and was widely recognized as one of the best money managers of his era. I met him a few times when our product partners hosted "roadshows", bringing in money managers to speak to small groups of advisors. Our interactions were limited to handshakes and brief greetings, but I looked up to him and admired his accomplishments. Alger was a smaller firm, relatively speaking, and he led it remarkably well, with his funds consistently landing at or near the top of the performance rankings. It was easy to see why he was so highly thought of by his peers. He had a way of making the difficult seem simple, and his stories - often beginning with the phrase "that reminds me of something" - were legendary in the industry.

David was at work in the Alger offices, located on the 93rd floor of the North Tower, when the plane hit. He, and the other 34 Alger employees there at the time had no chance for survival.

David Alger is just one example of a brilliant mind that was lost that day. With the World Trade Center's Financial District being the heart of the financial world, there were countless others. The collective talent the financial services industry lost that day - from money managers like David Alger to traders, advisors, analysts, and the like - is incomprehensible. May God rest their souls, along with the other heroes were lost.

Another memory from September 11th and the days that followed was the incredible spirit of our country. We were devastated, and we were unsure of what would come next. But we were also steadfast in our love of country and united in our purpose to defeat evil. We weren't divided by political lines. We weren't Democrats or Republicans. We were Americans. We were loving. We were generous. We were caring. We were kind.

I'll never forget the overwhelming feeling of unity in our country, and I long for that feeling again - albeit without the horrific tragedy that caused it.

All the best,
Brian

09/02/2024

Happy Labor Day! 🛠️
Today, we take a moment to recognize and appreciate the hard work of individuals across the nation.

Whether you're relaxing at home or enjoying a well-deserved day off, I hope you're able to recharge and enjoy this special day.

To the builders, creators, and doers: Happy Labor Day!

08/31/2024

When I meet with people, one of the first topics we discuss is "emergency fund" money.

Fortunately, households appear to be committed to saving for a rainy day. As you can see here, checking accounts and currency held by households is just a tick over $4 trillion, a steady increase from less than $1 trillion in 2019.

08/30/2024

🤯 Is your mind blown by Artificial Intelligence? If you answered ‘yes,’ you might wonder how big the AI market might be in 2030 or beyond.

🤖 Artificial Intelligence might eventually touch every facet of our lives, including business, healthcare, and personal digital assistants. It is already used for everything from sophisticated data analytics to a little ‘extra help’ on your kid’s latest term paper.

🏗️ Here’s something you should know: the AI market is far more than a handful of competing software applications. 🧑‍🔧 Behind every prompt is a forest of industries: chip designers, cloud data centers, high-precision manufacturing, data providers, electrical infrastructure, human-powered sales and service, and much more.

🔮 So, how does this translate to the potential size of the overall market? If current trends hold, what could the AI market look like in 2030? Nobody knows… yet!

🤔 Remember, the AI market forecast is based on assumptions, subject to revision without notice, and may not materialize.