By: Chris Benson, Einstein is often quoted (maybe incorrectly) as saying "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." I couldn't agree more with this expression and am always trying to simplify complex topics for clients.

By: Chris Benson, In our January letter we looked back on the years since the 2008 financial crisis and the strong returns of US Large Cap stocks compared to other asset classes. We advised you that holding a diversified portfolio with exposure to international stocks as well as bonds and other asset classes still made sense in spite of the strong returns in US stocks during this time. The first quarter investment results back up our belief in diversification.

By: Chris Benson, H&R Block ran an ad during the Super Bowl showing how they are utilizing IBM's Watson super computer to help you save money on your taxes. What does the future of automation really mean for you and your taxes?

By: Chris Benson, We are about to hit the 8 year anniversary of the depths of the financial crisis. Financial professionals like to argue about when the current bull market really started and whether it has actually been through some mini-recessions over that time, but I think everyone can agree it's been a great 8 years to be a US stock investor. As with any extended period of good times there is always that lingering fear among many investors that things can't stay this way forever.

By: Lyle Benson, I have the pleasure of being part of the CCH Estate and Financial Planning Advisory Board, a group of national leaders in the field that meet several times a year to discuss issues of importance to our clients. We had a call last week, specifically talking about the impact of the new administration on our clients’ financial situations. Here are some of the major discussion points from that call.

By: Chris Benson, We've written about the benefits of Health Savings Accounts before and continue to believe they are an excellent savings vehicle for many people.