Social Security COLA for 2026 Presented by Marc Aarons On October 24, 2025, the Social Security Administration announced the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), and I wanted to provide a quick breakdown of what’s changing, why it matters, and what steps you may want to take next. 1. What was announced? Social Security and Supplemental Security […]

Financial Market Update – Week of 10/20/25 Presented by Marc Aarons The government shutdown dominated headlines last week, halting key economic data and leaving investors to rely on private signals. Even so, markets held steady on expectations of another Federal Reserve rate cut at month-end. Earnings have been mixed while regional bank jitters and shifting […]

Government Shutdown – Key Financial Impacts Presented by Marc Aarons I hope you’re doing well. With the federal government now in a partial shutdown, I wanted to provide an overview of what’s happening and what financial impacts Americans may experience. What is a government shutdown? A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass the […]

Federal Reserve update for September 2025 Presented by Marc Aarons   The Federal Reserve recently wrapped up its September 2025 meeting amid concerns about the labor market and persistent inflation. Given the rising economic uncertainty, I wanted to share a quick recap of what was announced and some insight into potential impacts.   1. A […]

Weekly update: Lower rates, resilient consumers Presented by Marc Aarons Hope you are doing well! Last week delivered a mix of steady progress and fresh challenges for the U.S. economy. The Federal Reserve’s dovish policy move signaled a shift toward supporting growth as signs of cooling emerge in both employment and consumer spending.   Though […]

Jobs Data Revisions and Financial Impacts Presented by Marc Aarons   The August jobs report showed 22,000 jobs were created that month, well below the 75,000 monthly jobs expected. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ recent employment data revision for April 2024 to March 2025 revealed 911,000 fewer jobs were added than initially reported. […]

Financial Market Update – Week of 09/08/2025 Presented by Marc Aarons As September begins, financial markets and U.S. economic activity are being influenced by record-high equity valuations, growing optimism for potential Federal Reserve rate cuts, continued resilience in the consumer sector, and a weaker-than-expected August jobs report. Below are the key developments to keep in […]

September Financial Market Update Preented by Marc Aarons   August delivered fluctuations in U.S. markets, with rallies and pullbacks driven by shifting Fed policies, durable earnings, and stubborn inflation. The economy remains strong, but consumer spending and labor data show signs to watch, as tariffs push up prices. With so much change, now’s a smart […]

Financial Market Update – Week of 08/25/2025 Presented by Marc Aarons   As summer winds down, the stock market is anything but laid-back. Major U.S. indices ended the week with a bang, driven by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s speech at the Jackson Hole Symposium, signaling a high probability of an interest rate cut in […]

Financial Market Update – Week of 8/18/2025 Presented by Marc Aarons  It’s certainly been an eventful time for the economy and stock market. Markets are hitting record highs, but inflation and policy uncertainty are tempering expectations for near-term rate cuts. Amid a busy end to the summer, below are the top takeaways from the last […]