Haze Matthews - Financial Advisor

Haze Matthews - Financial Advisor I help families with their money. Investments, retirement planning, and everything in between. Based in Savannah, GA, serving clients nationwide.

Wofford College graduate. Originally from Aiken, SC.

Recently I've had some conversations with clients who are watching the news about Iran and oil prices and wondering what...
04/22/2026

Recently I've had some conversations with clients who are watching the news about Iran and oil prices and wondering what to do. Their accounts are down. They've been talking with friends and coworkers who are going through the same thing.

Here's what I share with them.

You are not investing alone.

162 million American adults have money in the stock market right now. Most of them through a 401k, an IRA, or a retirement plan they contribute to every paycheck. When the market drops, it's not just happening to you. It's happening to your neighbor, your coworker, the person standing behind you at the grocery store.

During the 2008 financial crisis, 80% of 401k participants kept contributing. Not because they were brave. Because their paycheck hit on Friday and their contribution went in automatically.

Today, 88% of eligible workers with a 401k are participating, the highest rate on record. And last year, 45% of participants increased their savings rate, according to Vanguard.

Being uneasy when the market drops is completely normal. It does not mean something is wrong with your plan. But there is a difference between feeling uncomfortable and making a permanent decision based on a temporary emotion.

If you are watching your portfolio right now and feeling uneasy, just know you are one of 162 million people experiencing the same thing. Historically, the vast majority of retirement plan participants have continued contributing through periods of volatility. That does not mean every situation is the same, but understanding how others have responded can help put your own experience in perspective.

Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. Educational purposes only. Every situation is different.

Last week I showed what happened if you bought into the US stock market at the worst possible moment.This week, the oppo...
04/13/2026

Last week I showed what happened if you bought into the US stock market at the worst possible moment.

This week, the opposite question. What if instead of selling when the market crashed, you did the opposite?

Three people each had $10,000 invested in the S&P 500 (an index of the 500 largest US companies) in October 2007, right at the market peak. By March 2009, each of their accounts was worth about $4,300.

Each of them made a different choice.

Person A panicked and sold everything, moving the money to a savings account. They kept their money out of the market for about 4 years before getting back in once things felt safe again. Today they have about $17,500.

Person B held on and did nothing. Today they have about $60,000.

Person C held on and added another $1,000 while prices were down. Today they have about $74,000.

Person A's story is not hypothetical. Gallup data shows US stock ownership dropped from 62% before the 2008 crash to 52% by 2013, and did not return to pre crisis levels until 2023. Millions of real people spent the entire recovery watching from the sidelines.

Person C did not predict when the market would stop falling. Nobody can. They were not a finance expert. They just had $1,000 of extra cash and the discipline to put it to work when every headline was telling them the world was ending.

That single $1,000 decision grew into $14,000.

This is the part of risk most people miss. Risk is not just about how much you can afford to lose. It is about whether you can stay steady when everyone around you is running for the exits, and whether you can see a falling market as an opportunity instead of an emergency.

If you understand your own risk tolerance before the next decline, you may be more likely to stay invested and avoid emotional decisions.

Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Educational information only.

If you bought the S&P 500 on the exact worst day, right before every major crash since 1980, here is what would have hap...
04/10/2026

If you bought the S&P 500 on the exact worst day, right before every major crash since 1980, here is what would have happened to you.

Six times the market has fallen 20 percent or more. Every single time, it eventually recovered and went on to make a new all time high.

Some recoveries were fast.
Others took years.

The dot com crash took over 7 years. The financial crisis took over 5. Covid took 6 months.

The lesson is not that declines are easy. They are not.

The lesson is that downturns have historically been a normal part of long term investing. Volatility is uncomfortable, but it has also been the price of admission for long term growth.

Nobody knows when the next decline will happen or how long it will last. But the hardest part of investing has rarely been picking the right fund. It has been staying in your seat when the headlines are screaming at you to get out.

Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Educational information only.

I got on a Zoom call with a client the other day to help him organize information for his taxes.He is a farrier out in A...
04/02/2026

I got on a Zoom call with a client the other day to help him organize information for his taxes.

He is a farrier out in Arizona. He runs his own business, shoes horses full time, works long days outside, and has really built a great business for himself.

Before we met, I sent him a checklist of all the information we would need. When we first pulled up the numbers, it showed he could owe around $23,000 in taxes.

So we walked through everything together, line by line. We made sure all of his income was reported correctly, then reviewed deductions he may have been eligible for, including supplies, tools, fuel, phone expenses, and vehicle use.

One of the biggest factors was Section 179 depreciation on his work truck, since it is used primarily for business purposes.

After reviewing everything, his federal tax liability was reduced to $0 and he received a $25 refund from Arizona.

Results like these depend on each individual's specific tax situation. But it is a reminder that many self-employed business owners may overlook deductions simply because they are busy running their business.

Every situation is different, but taking the time to review expenses, keep good records, and plan ahead can make a meaningful difference.

Educational information only. This example is based on one client's experience and is not intended to imply similar results for others. Tax outcomes vary based on individual circumstances. Please consult a qualified tax professional regarding your specific situation.

Nearly a century of market history tells one clear story: the best-performing asset class changes over time.Stocks led i...
03/30/2026

Nearly a century of market history tells one clear story: the best-performing asset class changes over time.

Stocks led in the '50s, '80s, '90s, 2010s, and so far in the 2020s. Gold dominated the '70s and 2000s. Real estate led in the '40s. Bonds had strong decades too, including 12% annualized returns in the '80s.

There has never been one asset class that outperforms every single decade.

That is one reason diversification matters.

The goal is not to predict the next winner every time. The goal is to build a portfolio that gives you exposure to different areas of the market so you are not relying too heavily on any one investment.

A lot can change in 10 years. The asset class leading today may not be the one leading next decade.

Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Diversification does not guarantee a profit or protect against loss.

To follow up on my last post about not needing $1,000,000 to start investing, I recently met with someone who felt they ...
03/24/2026

To follow up on my last post about not needing $1,000,000 to start investing, I recently met with someone who felt they needed to reach a certain number before it would even make sense to begin.

That belief is more common than you might think.

In reality, many long-term portfolios aren’t built with one large deposit. They’re built through consistency over time.

One of the most common approaches is called dollar-cost averaging.

Instead of trying to time the market or waiting for the “perfect” moment, you invest a fixed amount on a regular schedule regardless of what markets are doing.

When prices fall, that contribution buys more shares.
When prices rise, it buys fewer.

Over time, this can help smooth out market ups and downs and removes the pressure of trying to predict what will happen next.

In the example shown, $500 was invested each month for one year. Even with several negative months during that period, the account value still increased by the end of the year.

You don’t need a massive starting balance to begin. Consistency over time can matter far more than the size of your first contribution.

If you’ve been waiting to invest because you feel like you don’t have “enough” yet, it may be worth understanding how starting smaller but staying consistent could work over time.

Educational information only. Not individualized financial advice. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Dollar-cost averaging does not ensure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets. Advisory services available to clients only.

One of the most common things I hear is "I don't have enough money to work with a financial advisor."Most of the time th...
03/19/2026

One of the most common things I hear is "I don't have enough money to work with a financial advisor."

Most of the time that's just not true.

I work with young professionals who are just starting to save, business owners whose income changes month to month, families trying to plan for retirement and college at the same time, people sitting on old 401(k)s from a previous job, and pre-retirees figuring out how to turn savings into steady income.

The value of planning is not about how much you have. It is about making better decisions with what you have. Sometimes that means avoiding a costly mistake, understanding how your accounts and taxes work together, or just having a strategy you feel confident in.

You don't have to "arrive" first. A plan helps you get there.

If you've been on the fence about working with an advisor, feel free to reach out. Happy to talk.

Educational information only. Not individualized financial advice. Advisory services available to clients only. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal.

Building wealth is only one half of retirement planning.The other half is turning that wealth into sustainable income wh...
03/16/2026

Building wealth is only one half of retirement planning.

The other half is turning that wealth into sustainable income while managing taxes, market risk, and longevity.

Many people enter retirement with strong balances but no clear strategy for:

• How much they can spend
• Where withdrawals should come from
• How to adjust during market volatility
• How long the assets need to last

Those decisions don’t happen all at once. They continue throughout retirement.

If your plan focuses mainly on saving but not on distribution, it may be incomplete.

Educational information only. Investing involves risk and is not a guarantee of future results. Not individualized advice.

Short-Term Gains vs. Long-Term GainsI touched on these earlier this week, but there can be another cost that’s easy to o...
03/12/2026

Short-Term Gains vs. Long-Term Gains

I touched on these earlier this week, but there can be another cost that’s easy to overlook.

Historically, strong market rebounds have often followed periods of sharp declines. Missing even a handful of those days can materially affect long-term outcomes.

Selling during volatility to “wait for clarity” can trigger taxes and create a second challenge: deciding when to reinvest.

That means being right twice:
1. When to sell
2. When to buy back in

Long-term capital gains treatment doesn’t just lower tax rates for many investors. Because selling resets the holding period, it can also encourage a longer time horizon during volatile markets.

Taxes and discipline often work together in long-term investing.

Educational illustration only. Market behavior varies over time, and past performance does not guarantee future results. Tax laws are complex and subject to change. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Not individualized financial advice.

Picture this:You sold an investment for a $1,000 gain.You’re feeling good because you just made a nice profit.Many peopl...
03/10/2026

Picture this:

You sold an investment for a $1,000 gain.

You’re feeling good because you just made a nice profit.

Many people feel great about trades like this but forget about one important part… taxes.

Taxes are often an overlooked expense in investment accounts, and it’s important to understand how they work.

One factor that can affect the taxes owed is how long an investment is held before it’s sold.

Generally speaking, there are two types of capital gains:

Short-Term
- Investments held less than one year are typically taxed at ordinary income tax rates.

Long-Term
- Investments held longer than one year may qualify for long-term capital gains tax rates, which are often lower.

In the example above:

- A $1,000 short-term gain could result in about $220 in taxes, leaving roughly $780 after taxes.
- A $1,000 long-term gain could result in about $150 in taxes, leaving roughly $850 after taxes.

That’s about a $70 difference on the same $1,000 gain, depending on how long the investment was held.

Taxes are one of many factors that can influence long-term investment outcomes, and it’s something many investors may not always consider when making decisions.

Later this week I’ll share another example showing how taxes and frequent trading can affect long-term results.

Educational example only. Tax rates shown are simplified illustrations and may vary based on income and individual circumstances. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered tax or financial advice.

Address

6001 Chatham Center Drive
Savannah, GA
31405

Telephone

+19123582455

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