The Wealth Gap: Your Business Value vs. Your Retirement Number
There is a conversation Vertex Planning Partners has had dozens of times with business owners across Chicagoland and the broader middle market. It goes something like this: “I think the business is worth somewhere around eight million. That should be more than enough to retire comfortably.” Then we run the business value estimate. And the […]
Monthly Market Update for August 2026: Rising Yields, Strong Earnings, and Trade Uncertainty
August was another example of the idea that strong markets do not require a picture-perfect backdrop. While there continues to be uncertainty around oil prices, the Fed, new tariffs affecting global trade, and interest rates that are at their highest in decades, many positive factors drove broad market indices higher. For investors, the key takeaway […]
Tariff Refunds and the National Debt: What They Mean for Investors
Since new tariffs were announced last year, global trade has been a source of uncertainty for financial markets and the economy. In February, the Supreme Court ruled that the original “Liberation Day” tariffs were illegal, resulting in a wave of refunds to businesses that are now well underway.1 New tariffs have been implemented since then […]
Why Every Business Owner Needs to Know Their Number
You built something valuable. You’ve invested decades of capital, energy, and risk into your business. But here’s a question most owners can’t answer with confidence: What is it actually worth today? Not what you hope it will be worth when you sell. Not a rough multiple you heard at an industry conference. The real, defensible, […]
What’s Driving Stocks, Bonds, and All-Time Highs
The stock market has climbed to new all-time highs following several periods of uncertainty this year. This is welcome news for investors, especially because many parts of the market have contributed to the rally, including sectors such as Energy, Information Technology, and Industrials. Interest rates are also near multi-decade highs, pushing bond yields to their […]
The Midterm Election and Long-Term Investing
With the November midterm election approaching, campaigns are starting to intensify across the country. Politics have only grown more divisive in recent decades, so it’s natural for investors to wonder whether the election should influence their financial decisions. More than ever, it’s important to separate our political views from investing, and not vote with our […]
Five Signs Your Family Needs a More Structured Decision-Making Process
Most families with significant wealth do not have a decision-making problem — they have a decision-making system that has not kept up with their complexity. When a family’s wealth was concentrated in a single business or a few accounts, decisions could be made informally by one or two people. As the wealth grew, so did […]
Monthly Market Update for July 2026: AI Volatility, Rising Yields, and Middle East Tensions
Markets experienced a challenging environment in July with major indices ending the month slightly lower. However, this is in the context of healthy year-to-date gains and a broad market that is not far from its all-time high. A number of factors drove day-to-day market moves, including new concerns around AI investments, Treasury yields climbing toward […]
What Rising Real Yields Mean for Investors
Treasury rates have surged to their highest levels in recent years due to a combination of concerns around inflation, oil prices, the national debt, and the Fed. The 10-year Treasury yield is once again above 4.6% and the 30-year has been above 5% for the longest streak since 2007.1 In general, this is positive for […]
Trump Accounts: New Ways to Support a Child’s Financial Future
A famous quote by Warren Buffett is that “someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” For many parents and guardians, the goal of saving, investing, and planning is to ensure the financial security of their family. Alongside the day-to-day costs associated with raising children, parents must prepare […]