Tuesday, May 26, 2026
The Clarity Letter May 2026 Newsletter A monthly note from Voyage Partners Financial Strategies. Headlines vs. Reality As we move into summer, many families are beginning to think about vacations, graduations, and spending more time...
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Monday, May 4, 2026
The Clarity Letter April 2026 Newsletter A monthly note from Voyage Partners Financial Strategies. Signal in the Noise In a world filled with constant “breaking news,” it can be difficult to maintain the long-term perspective required...
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Friday, May 1, 2026
The Clarity Letter March 2026 Newsletter A monthly note from Voyage Partners Financial Strategies. Earlier this week, the high temperature when I left for work was 67 degrees. By early afternoon, it had started snowing, and by the...
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Thursday, April 30, 2026
The Clarity Letter February 2026 Newsletter A monthly note from Voyage Partners Financial Strategies. Maintaining Optimism in a Chaotic World February tends to be quieter. The energy of a new year settles, routines return, and the...
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Thursday, February 19, 2026
The Clarity LetterClarity and perspective from Voyage Partners Financial StrategiesAs we settle into the new year, I hope you are feeling refreshed, grounded, and ready for what lies ahead. A new calendar year often brings a mix of...
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Wednesday, November 5, 2025
November Client Letter: Paying for Long-Term Healthcare: Challenges, Options, and Planning Strategies As the U.S. population continues to age, the demand for long-term healthcare is expected to rise steadily. Yet, it’s a topic many...
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Monday, September 8, 2025
September Client Letter: Big Changes to 529 College Savings Plans Courtesy of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Last month, we provided an overview of the key provisions in the just-signed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). As we kick...
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Friday, August 8, 2025
August Client Letter: Decoding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act: 13 Key Provisions The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into law on July 4 and encompasses hundreds of provisions, including permanent tax cuts, increased...
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Tuesday, March 11, 2025
March Client Letter: Understanding the Ins and Outs of IRA Accounts An IRA, or Individual Retirement Account, is intended to assist you in saving for retirement. As the name implies, the account is for an individual. It cannot be held...
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Wednesday, February 5, 2025
February Client Letter: 7 Steps to Achieve Financial Fitness What is financial fitness? Briefly, financial fitness describes your overall financial well-being, akin to how physical fitness pertains to your physical health. The American...
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Friday, December 6, 2024
December Client Letter: 8 Year-End Planning Tips That Put You in the Financial Driver’s Seat The holidays are here, and while the year-end hustle can be overwhelming, it’s also the perfect time to set yourself up for success in 2025....
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Tuesday, November 12, 2024
November Client Letter: 5 Ways to Pay for Long-Term Care Millions of older adults and younger individuals with disabilities require assistance with daily activities that many take for granted. According to LongTermCare.gov: About seven...
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Thursday, October 3, 2024
October Client Letter: Protecting Yourself from Online Criminals It’s Saturday afternoon, and you are watching a movie at home or running errands, and your phone vibrates. You take a peek and see a text from a phone number and area...
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Monday, August 5, 2024
August Client Letter: Get Creative as You Gear Up for College A four-year college degree is expensive. How expensive? While the numbers vary depending on whether you attend a public or private university, or in-state or out-of-state...
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Wednesday, July 3, 2024
July Client Letter: Elder Care and You Margaret Newcomb, 69, is a retired teacher, and she is trying to protect her retirement savings by caring for her 82-year-old husband, who has severe dementia. At times, he has wandered away from...
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Tuesday, June 11, 2024
June Client Letter: Estate Planning – Don’t Delay We’ve all read or heard the stories. Someone passes away without a will, and potential heirs sharpen their knives in a free-for-all that can take years to play out in court. The...
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Monday, May 6, 2024
May Client Letter: 7 Disciplines That Lead to Happy Retirement Much has been written about saving for retirement, and we adhere to the principle that financial security is a key component to a successful retirement. Many of you are on...
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Wednesday, March 6, 2024
March Client Letter: Best Practices to Minimize an Audit Taxpayers invest about 13 hours preparing their tax returns, according to the IRS’s instructions for Form 1040. More specifically, the IRS says that the average...
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Thursday, February 15, 2024
February Client Letter: Enhance Your Financial Fitness in 2024 What is financial fitness? It is not just about having a pile of money in a bank account or a fat portfolio of stocks and bonds. Lottery winners often stumble into...
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Tuesday, February 6, 2024
January Client Letter: Key Numbers as You Plan for 2024 Are you familiar with how our federal tax code originated? In 1909, progressives in Congress attached a provision for an income tax to a tariff bill. Hoping to kill the idea for...
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Monday, December 11, 2023
December Client Letter: Our Year‑End Financial To-Do List Christmas is a time of great joy and celebration. With holiday parties, shopping, and family events filling up the calendar, it may also be a busy time for many. Whether...
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Monday, November 6, 2023
November Client Letter: Tackling Long-Term Care Needs The need for long-term care is a reality that is best planned for. Approximately half of people turning age 65 will require some type of paid long-term care in their lifetimes,...
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Thursday, October 5, 2023
October Client Letter: The Dark Side of Home Improvement The National Council on Aging recently shared a story about a scammer who targeted a homeowner in Massachusetts. The victim alleged that a contractor damaged his...
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Thursday, August 3, 2023
August Client Letter: 7 College Planning Steps for Teens Getting prepared for college can be both exciting and overwhelming for a high school senior. What might your goal-oriented peers do that will help them succeed as they set out on...
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Thursday, July 6, 2023
July Client Letter: Elder Fraud – Mounting Your Best DefenseA year ago, Eden and Mark (last name withheld) lost their life savings to a scammer.“We lost all the money we made in our business. All of the monies we...
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Tuesday, June 6, 2023
June Client Letter: 7 Steps to Get Your Affairs in OrderWhile many find just the thought of creating a legally binding plan to distribute your assets after your death fills them full of anxiety and stress. However, having a plan...
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Thursday, May 4, 2023
May Client Letter: Plan for a Comfortable Retirement… How do you do that?We plan for retirement because we know that we may not want to work forever. An artificial retirement age set by our employer may limit our options....
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Monday, April 17, 2023
April Client Letter: A Crisis of ConfidenceHave you ever reflected on the foundation of the financial system? What comes to mind? Banks, investors, the stock market, the bond market, or the credit markets? That's partially true.They...
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Thursday, March 2, 2023
March Client Letter: Tax Time—Tips to Cut Your BillThe IRS announced that January 23 was the start of the 2023 tax season—or the date the IRS began accepting 2022 tax year returns.If you have yet to file, most taxpayers...
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Friday, February 3, 2023
February Client Letter: Exercise Your Financial Muscles to Get Financially Fit“Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.” This ancient advice from Proverbs illustrates...
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Monday, January 9, 2023
January Client Letter: How the Change in Retirement Laws Will Affect YouI trust everyone had a wonderful holiday season. Whether you reached your personal goals last year or faced challenges, a new year brings new opportunities and a...
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Thursday, December 8, 2022
December Client Letter: A Handy Checklist for Year-End Planning The holidays are a busy time of year. Shopping, family events, company holiday parties and more may dot your calendar. But we strongly suggest that you carve out some time...
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Thursday, November 3, 2022
November Client Letter: Long-Term Care and Your OptionsLong-term care includes a whole host of services that you may require to meet various personal needs. And eventually, around 60% of us will need assistance with things many take...
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Wednesday, October 5, 2022
October Clients Letter: Don’t Fall Victim to Online Threats IBM defines cybersecurity as “the practice of protecting critical systems and sensitive information from digital attacks.”You may not be in the business of...
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Friday, September 9, 2022
September Client Letter: 4 Ideas for Managing Health Care Costs in Retirement Managing and wrapping your head around health care costs and health insurance may seem like a daunting task.A financial wellness study by...
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Wednesday, August 10, 2022
August Client Letter: A College Education Minus the Debt Fully funding a college education without debt is no simple task. It’s no secret that the cost of a four-year degree has soared. But do you realize how much it has...
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Monday, July 11, 2022
July Client Letter: A Rocky First Half The Wall Street Journal summed up the first six months of the year with a simple but telling headline: S&P 500 Posts Worst First Half of Year Since 1970. Morningstar said the Dow’s...
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Thursday, June 2, 2022
June Client Letter: Bearing DownWe were treated to one of the greatest bull markets in modern history during the last decade. It’s not that we didn’t experience selloffs. We did.During 2011 and 2018, the S&P 500 Index came...
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Thursday, March 11, 2021
6 Money Mistakes You And Your Spouse Can Avoid
Read MoreThe Week on Wall Street Friday, the yield of the 3-month Treasury bill exceeded the yield of the 10-year Treasury note for the first time in 12 years. For some analysts, this "inverted yield curve" may imply a short-term lessening of...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall Street The big story last week was the sudden grounding of Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 passenger jets in dozens of countries. The financial effects of this ban could potentially impact the airline industry and segments of...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall Street As in February, investors spent most of the first full trading week of March hoping for new details in U.S.-China trade negotiations. While they waited, stock benchmarks drifted downward. From Monday's open to...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall Street Stocks lost a little ground as February gave way to March. While domestic and overseas political developments made headlines, the market stayed relatively calm: from Monday's open through Friday's close, the...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall Street Stocks rallied last week as optimism about a potential U.S.-China trade deal grew. The S&P 500 advanced 0.80% during the 4-day trading week to 2,792.67. The Nasdaq Composite improved 0.86% to 7,527.54, and the...
Read MoreThe Week on Wall Street Stocks ended a good week on a high note, as hints of progress in U.S.-China trade talks encouraged investors. When the closing bell rang Friday, the S&P 500 settled at 2,775.60, after rising 2.50% in five days....
Read MoreThe Week on Wall Street Major U.S. stock benchmarks eked out slight gains last week, with corporate profit reports and news about U.S.-China trade negotiations vying for investor attention over five trading sessions. The big three...
Read MoreLast week closed out one of stocks' top January performances in years. In fact, both the S&P 500 and Dow posted their best January results in at least 3 decades.[1] For the week, major domestic indexes were also up. The S&P 500 gained...
Read MoreFor the first time in months, U.S. markets experienced little movement last week.[1] The Dow and NASDAQ did have their 5th week of gains in a row, but their increases were small: 0.12% and 0.11%, respectively. Meanwhile, the S&P 500...
Read MoreU.S. markets were up again last week, as major domestic indexes posted their 4th weekly gains in a row.[1] In fact, the S&P 500 was no longer in correction territory at Friday's close - and was in the middle of its best yearly start...
Read MoreAfter months of volatility, markets relaxed a bit last week. For the first time since October, the S&P 500 went 5 days without a 1% gain or loss.[1] The Cboe Volatility Index, or VIX, also fell to lower than 20 - in December, it...
Read MoreU.S. markets experienced more wild sessions last week before ending in positive territory as the recent turbulence continued. In fact, we are currently in the middle of some of the most volatile market performance in more than eight...
Read MoreThe close of the year provides an opportunity for investors to step back and consider the wider financial landscape. This week, we're reviewing some key issues that defined 2018, as well as some factors that may influence financial...
Read MoreLast week, domestic markets had some of their worst performance in 10 years.[1] The S&P 500 lost 7.05%, the Dow declined 6.87%, and the NASDAQ dropped 8.36%. All three indexes have now lost at least 8% in 2018.[2] On Friday, December...
Read MoreLast week brought more volatility to the markets. While domestic indexes had some rallies as positive trade news emerged earlier in the week, by Friday, December 14, they had erased any gains. The last time major U.S. indexes ended in...
Read MoreMarkets went for another wild ride last week, as major domestic indexes swung back and forth. By Friday, December 7, markets had posted their worst weekly performance since March - and the S&P 500 and Dow both moved into negative...
Read MoreU.S. markets ended a volatile month on a high note Friday. All three major indices posted impressive increases for the week, buoyed by news from the Fed Reserve and international trade.[1] The S&P 500 jumped 4.85%, and the NASDAQ...
Read MoreLast week was a tough one for markets. The S&P 500 dropped 3.79% and experienced its worst results during a Thanksgiving week since 1939.[1] While the index officially entered correction territory on Friday, it closed 10.2% below its...
Read MoreMarkets experienced more volatility last week, as perspectives on trade, tech, and retail pulled investor sentiment back and forth. Although domestic indexes were up on Friday, November 16, they still posted losses for the week.[1] In...
Read MoreLast week, markets experienced a 4-day winning streak before dropping on Friday, November 9. Despite those losses, domestic indexes posted gains for the week.[1] The S&P 500 increased 2.13%, the Dow added 2.84%, and the NASDAQ was up 0...
Read MoreMarkets posted strong gains last week after struggling for much of October. The S&P 500 had its best weekly performance since May, and the NASDAQ had its first positive week since September.[1] Despite domestic markets dropping on...
Read MoreLast week did nothing to dispel October's reputation as a tough month for the markets. The S&P 500 lost 3.94%, the Dow declined 2.97%, and the NASDAQ dropped 3.78% during what was one of 2018's most volatile weeks so far. All three...
Read MoreStock performance was mixed last week as investors considered the impact of interest rates, international affairs and corporate earnings.[1] The S&P 500 gained 0.02%, and the Dow added 0.41% to post its first weekly gains in October....
Read MoreVolatility was back in full force last week. The three major domestic indexes posted several days of losses before experiencing wide swings on Friday. By week's end, the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX), which investors use to help measure...
Read MoreAlthough new data continued to show strength in the U.S. economy, markets stumbled across the globe last week.[1] The S&P 500 lost 0.98%, the Dow dropped 0.04%, and the NASDAQ declined 3.21%.[2] International stocks in the MSCI EAFE...
Read MoreFriday, September 28, was the last trading day in 2018's 3rd quarter, and the S&P 500 posted its strongest quarterly return in nearly 5 years.[1] The Dow also showed impressive returns by beating expectations for the quarter, while...
Read MoreLast week brought new tariffs and data, and another look at changes coming to equity classifications. Overall, the S&P 500 gained 0.85% and the Dow was up 2.25%, while the NASDAQ dropped 0.29%.[1] International stocks in the MSCI EAFE...
Read MoreLast week, the East Coast prepared for Hurricane Florence, which roared through the Carolinas and Georgia. As investors kept their eyes on the weather and its potential for destruction, estimates emerged of up to $27 billion in...
Read MoreDomestic markets fell last week due to negative trade news and declining tech stocks, with the S&P 500 and Dow both breaking their multi-week winning streaks. Meanwhile, the NASDAQ posted losses for 4 days in a row for the first time...
Read MoreTrade continued to dominate the news last week and cause market volatility as investors monitored discussions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and tension with China. While Mexico and the U.S. reached a new trade...
Read MoreLast week marked a noteworthy milestone in our economy: On Wednesday, August 22, the bull market entered its 3,453rd day, the longest such run in U.S. history. In the past 9 plus years, domestic indexes have come quite a ways since...
Read MoreChallenges in emerging markets affected both U.S. and global stock performance last week, with the S&P 500 experiencing several down days.[1] By market close on Friday, however, two of the three major domestics posted gains for the...
Read MoreStocks ended the week in mixed territory as trouble with Turkey's currency affected U.S. equity performance on Friday, August 10.[1] For the week, the S&P lost 0.25%, the Dow declined 0.59%, and the NASDAQ increased 0.35%.[2]...
Read MoreDomestic markets ended last week in positive territory, as the S&P gained 0.76%, the Dow was up 0.05%, and the NASDAQ increased 0.96%.[1] This performance marked the 5th week in a row that the S&P 500 and Dow posted gains.[2]...
Read MoreLast week, trade tensions with China lessened somewhat, while the 2nd quarter corporate earnings season started with mixed results. Against this backdrop, domestic stocks experienced sizable growth. By market's close on Friday, July...
Read MoreDomestic stocks only traded for 4 days last week, due to the Independence Day holiday. In that time, all 3 major domestic indexes posted positive results for the week. The S&P 500 added 1.52%, the Dow gained 0.76%, and the NASDAQ...
Read MoreInternational trade concerns continue to create uncertainty in markets around the world.[1] Despite the markets' slight rises on Friday, June 29, they recorded losses for the week.[2] The S&P 500 fell 1.33%, the Dow gave back 1.26%,...
Read MoreStocks stumbled across the globe last week as trade tensions continued to escalate. Despite rebounding somewhat on Friday, the S&P 500 experienced its first weekly loss in a month, and the Dow posted its worst week since March.[1] The...
Read MoreLast week stocks showed mixed results as political headlines continued to dominate the news. The Dow lost 0.89% and the S&P 500 was almost flat with a 0.02% gain.[1] The NASDAQ, on the other hand, reached a record high on Thursday and...
Read MoreAs last week ended, tension between the U.S. and some of its greatest allies was on the rise. Trade remained a hot-button topic ahead of the G-7 meeting in Canada, but investors seemed largely unfazed by the drama.[1] In fact, all 3...
Read MoreMarkets experienced heightened volatility this week, with the S&P 500 rising 0.49% and Dow dropping 0.48%. Meanwhile, the NASDAQ rose 1.62%, as international markets took a small dip, with the MSCI EAFE losing 1.10%.[1,2] The markets'...
Read MoreGeopolitical uncertainty affected stocks last week, as the historic summit between the U.S. and North Korea began to look less likely. On Thursday, May 24, President Trump announced that the summit was off, and stocks stumbled in...
Read MoreMajor domestic indexes went down last week after all three gained more than 2% the previous week.[1] The S&P 500 dropped 0.54%, the Dow gave back 0.47%, and the NASDAQ lost 0.66%.[2] International stocks also stumbled; the MSCI EAFE...
Read MoreOn Friday, the markets closed the week gaining traction. The Dow had 7 days of consecutive growth, rising 2.34% - its largest weekly gain since March.[1] Meanwhile, the S&P 500 rose 2.41%, the NASDAQ jumped 2.68%, and the MSCI EAFE...
Read MoreDomestic indexes posted strong results on Friday, May 4, as the latest labor report data lessened investors' concerns about inflation and interest rates. Nonetheless, stocks had mixed results last week.[1] The S&P 500 dropped 0.24%...
Read MoreWe just finished the busiest week of 1st quarter earnings season, and although many companies shared positive results, stock indexes experienced modest declines.[1] The S&P 500 lost 0.01%, the Dow dropped 0.62%, and the NASDAQ gave...
Read MoreStocks posted moderate gains last week, as the S&P 500 added 0.52%, the Dow increased 0.42%, and the NASDAQ rose 0.56%.[1] International stocks in the MSCI EAFE followed suit, gaining 0.41%.[2] We received numerous new data updates...
Read MoreMarket volatility continues. Stocks slid on Friday, April 13, but still held on to gains for the week.[1] The S&P 500 increased 1.99%, the Dow added 1.79%, and the NASDAQ was up 2.77%.[2] International stocks in the MSCI EAFE also...
Read MoreMarket volatility continues. Stocks slid on Friday, April 13, but still held on to gains for the week.[1] The S&P 500 increased 1.99%, the Dow added 1.79%, and the NASDAQ was up 2.77%.[2] International stocks in the MSCI EAFE also...
Read MoreDomestic stocks lost ground last week as trade war concerns continued to rattle investors. With these declines, the Dow officially moved back into correction territory.[1] For the week, the S&P 500 lost 1.43%, the Dow dipped 0.95%,...
Read MoreMarkets were closed on March 30 for Good Friday, but in the four days of trading, stocks recovered some of this year's losses.[1] For the week, the S&P 500 added 2.09%, the Dow gained 2.67%, and the NASDAQ increased by 1.03%.[2]...
Read MoreMarkets experienced significant declines last week. The S&P 500 lost 5.95%, the Dow dropped 5.66%, and the NASDAQ declined 6.54%.[1] With these losses, all 3 domestic indexes had their worst weekly performance in more than 2 years.[2]...
Read MoreMarkets were up on Friday, but domestic stocks lost ground for the week as political turmoil and potential trade wars weighed on investors' minds.[1] The S&P 500 dropped 1.24%, the Dow gave back 1.54%, and the NASDAQ decreased 1.04%...
Read MoreDomestic stocks leapt ahead last week as the latest jobs report inspired renewed confidence in our economic standing. The S&P 500 added 3.54%, and the Dow gained 3.25%.[1] The NASDAQ erased its losses from February's market correction...
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