The Glass Half Full: What Surprised Us in the First Half of 2026 (Ep. 19)
In this midyear edition of The Glass Half Full, Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist at Carson Group, and Sonu Varghese, Chief Macro Strategist at Carson Group, look back at what caught them off guard in the first half of 2026, before next week’s official second-half outlook. They st …
Why Tax Planning Can Be a Women and Family Issue
Imagine planning for decades to help secure your financial future, only to watch a substantial portion of your savings disappear to unexpected taxes after losing your spouse. For millions of women, this scenario isn’t just a possibility—it’s a reality many face without proper preparation. T …
Market Commentary: Stocks Soar in the Second Quarter to Close Out a Solid First Half
Well, that’s a wrap on the first half of 2026. After all the handwringing this spring over the Middle East, oil prices, and the Fed, the S&P 500 closed the first six months up 9.6% (excluding dividends), and it did it in style. The index’s second-quarter gain of 14.9% was the best Q2 in …
Your Money
MoreWhy Tax Planning Can Be a Women and Family Issue
Imagine planning for decades to help secure your financial future, only to watch a substantial portion of your savings disappear to unexpected taxes after losing your spouse. For millions of women, this scenario isn’t just a possibility—it’s a reality many face without proper preparation. T …
The 3-Lane Highway Approach to Financial Planning
Do you ever stop to consider if you’re getting the best financial advice? Are you receiving advice focused on solving your known—and unknown—problems? Are you on the road to living your fullest life? For many individuals and families, the answer is unclear. That’s because financial guidan …
Webinar: Tax-Smart Strategies — How Women Can Design Their Wealth Plan with Purpose and Intention
Over the next two decades, more than $51 trillion is expected to transfer to women as surviving spouses, making this one of the most significant wealth shifts in history. Yet many women tell us their biggest financial concern isn’t investing—it’s paying too much in taxes. This webinar is d …

2025 Calendar: Key Tasks & Financial Dates
Tackle 2025 with this month-by-month financial task list. We’ve also included important dates so you won’t miss any key deadlines.
Your Business
MoreFour Ways the CARES Act Can Help Your Business
From loans to tax breaks to credits, the CARES Act attempts to provide relief to small- and medium-sized businesses. As unemployment numbers reach an all-time high, the government is looking for ways to keep Americans employed by helping employers meet payroll.
Retirement Plans for Small Business: Comparison Chart
401(k), SEP, Simple, Defined Benefit, rollovers, conversions, pre-tax, post-tax – there’s a lot to think about when it comes to retirement plans. This gets even more complex as a small business owner when you’re on the other side of the table. We put together this comparison chart, wh …
3 Things All Valuable Businesses Have
Building a business that’s truly valuable takes more than hard work and good timing. It’s about creating something that can thrive, adapt, and grow—with or without you at the helm. Whether you’re planning for a future sale or succession or simply want to build long-term value, it’s importa …

Business Succession Planning Checklist
You remember your first day of business. But what about your last day? Succession planning is more complex than it may seem. Our guide walks you through the details.
Your Retirement
More8 Blunders to Avoid in Retirement
You’re about to approach one of the biggest milestones in your lifetime: retirement. For many retirees, this is a momentous event that gives you much needed time for family, relaxation, and hobbies. For others, this may create apprehension and fear. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With …
Planning for Your First Required Minimum Distribution in Retirement
Qualified retirement plans—such as traditional 401(k)s, 403(b)s and IRAs—can help offer clear tax advantages. They offer a tax deferral on contributions and growth until distribution. And while this is beneficial for many, certain rules are in place to help prevent individuals from taking a …
Don’t Blow Your Budget! Tips to Create Your Retirement Spending Plan
Many retirees find that even carefully planned budgets don’t hold up once the structure of a regular work schedule disappears. Spending can creep up in unexpected ways, and despite detailed worksheets and diligent tracking, it’s easy to exceed monthly limits. What looks solid on paper can o …

Medicare and Managing Health Care Costs in Retirement
Health care costs in retirement aren't going anywhere. Naturally, as our bodies get older, it costs more to keep them running. Let's look at the parts of this vital program and how it plays a part in your financial plan.
Your Legacy
MoreEstate Planning Checklist
Are you one of the many Americans who don’t have an estate plan? No matter how few or how many assets you have, an estate plan can help you preserve your legacy and provide clarity to your surviving family. If you’re not sure where to begin, our estate planning checklist can help you get …
To Give Now or Give Later: When Is the Right Time to Gift to Your Heirs?
You’re in a good position in your life. You’ve built up your wealth, perhaps from a successful business or working in corporate America. You might feel it’s time to start winding down and considering whether to transfer some of those assets to the next generation. The question then becomes …
Estate Planning Simplified: Understanding Wills & Trusts
While it can be easy for people to back-burner estate planning due to busy schedules or thinking they have plenty of time to get around to it, doing so can result in property and financial assets passing to unintended heirs in unintentional ways. Without the proper planning, your heirs coul …

A Guide to Gifting to Your Heirs
Gifting to your loved ones now or posthumously each carries their own positives and negatives as they relate to your estate plan, taxes, your goals and your legacy.
Your Freedom
MoreWebinar: Tax-Smart Strategies — How Women Can Design Their Wealth Plan with Purpose and Intention
Over the next two decades, more than $51 trillion is expected to transfer to women as surviving spouses, making this one of the most significant wealth shifts in history. Yet many women tell us their biggest financial concern isn’t investing—it’s paying too much in taxes. This webinar is d …
Your Family Index Number: Defining Your Future With Confidence
Long-term financial security is a goal most investors aspire to, yet accomplished individuals and families know that attaining this objective requires more than hard work and luck. Check out our free guide which discusses how a personalized and focused approach begins with determining your …
Compounding Wealth (and Wisdom): The Power of Compound Interest
No single strategy works forever, but you also don’t want to change your approach every time the markets shift slightly. How does investing work – not just for a season or a year or two, but for a lifetime? Time is a major factor when it comes to successful investing.

When Shifting Goals Mean Shifting Plans
Your financial plan shouldn't look the same at 55 as it did when you were 35, right? So how do you know when it's time to adjust your plan?
Market & Investments
MoreThe Glass Half Full: What Surprised Us in the First Half of 2026 (Ep. 19)
In this midyear edition of The Glass Half Full, Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist at Carson Group, and Sonu Varghese, Chief Macro Strategist at Carson Group, look back at what caught them off guard in the first half of 2026, before next week’s official second-half outlook. They st …
Market Commentary: Stocks Soar in the Second Quarter to Close Out a Solid First Half
Well, that’s a wrap on the first half of 2026. After all the handwringing this spring over the Middle East, oil prices, and the Fed, the S&P 500 closed the first six months up 9.6% (excluding dividends), and it did it in style. The index’s second-quarter gain of 14.9% was the best Q2 in …
The Glass Half Full: Four Reasons to be Thankful this July 4th (Ep. 18)
In this July 4th edition of The Glass Half Full, Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist at Carson Group, and Sonu Varghese, Chief Macro Strategist at Carson Group, take a quick break from the fireworks to share four reasons to be thankful for where markets stand at the midpoint of the year. …

Midyear Market Outlook 2025
The economy has weathered volatility and uncertainty to start 2025, with the ongoing bull market continuing its run and the labor market staying strong. But plenty of headwinds remain as we head into the second half of the year.
In the News
More5 Common Retirement Fears and How to Overcome Them
By Erin Wood, CFP®, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Advanced Solutions If we’re to believe everything we see in magazine and TV ads, retirement is a time of leisurely bike rides with your spouse, lunching with friends and exploring hobbies like painting or ceramics, all done i …
Do I Need a Financial Advisor? How to Know What You Need Now
By Erin Wood, CFP®, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Advanced Solutions, Carson Group Do I need a financial advisor? Given what I do for a living, I get this question a lot. I may be biased, but I think almost everyone would benefit from some kind of advice for their money. …
Do You Have a Cognitive Decline Plan?
By Erin Wood, CFP®, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Advanced Solutions, Carson Group My paternal grandmother was the type of woman who was always bustling with activity, whether it was hosting post-church lunches every Sunday or helping a neighbor in need. So, it was a bit …
