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Category: Market and Money Mindset

Lifestyle Creep: Why Your Raise Disappeared
Financial Mindset & Success

Lifestyle Creep: Why Your Raise Disappeared

You got the raise, and six months later the money is gone. Lifestyle creep is why a bigger paycheck so rarely builds wealth — and it…

September 10, 2026 · 9 min read
The Fed Meets Next Week. Don’t Try to Time the Market.
Market & Economic Insights

The Fed Meets Next Week. Don’t Try to Time the Market.

The Fed meets September 15–16, and for the first time in a while a rate hike is on the table. Here's why trying to time the…

September 8, 2026 · 8 min read
A Strong Jobs Report Is ‘Bad News.’ Not for Retirees.
Market & Economic Insights

A Strong Jobs Report Is ‘Bad News.’ Not for Retirees.

August's jobs report beat expectations by roughly threefold, and Wall Street called the strong number "bad news." Here's why a retiree should read a healthy labor…

September 7, 2026 · 7 min read
Trading vs. Investing: Two Different Jobs Entirely
Investing & Trading

Trading vs. Investing: Two Different Jobs Entirely

Trading and investing get used as if they mean the same thing. They don't — and confusing the two is where retirement money quietly gets hurt.

September 4, 2026 · 8 min read
September Is the Worst Month for Stocks. Usually.
Investing & Trading

September Is the Worst Month for Stocks. Usually.

September is the stock market’s only month with a negative average return in nearly a century — but a base rate isn’t a forecast, and the…

August 31, 2026 · 9 min read
The Retirement Paycheck: How to Pay Yourself From Your Buckets
Market and Money Mindset

The Retirement Paycheck: How to Pay Yourself From Your Buckets

For forty years your paycheck arrived on its own. In retirement you have to build it. Here's how to turn your three buckets into one steady…

August 29, 2026 · 9 min read
The Stock Market Is Expensive. What That Actually Means
Investing & Trading

The Stock Market Is Expensive. What That Actually Means

The S&P 500's valuation sits near its highest level since 1999. Here's what an expensive market actually tells you — and why it's a bucket-sequencing problem,…

August 24, 2026 · 9 min read
The Longevity Risk Most Retirement Plans Ignore
Market and Money Mindset

The Longevity Risk Most Retirement Plans Ignore

Most retirement plans are quietly built to last only to life expectancy, a median, which means a coin-flip chance of outliving your money. Here's why guaranteed…

August 23, 2026 · 9 min read
Everyone’s Watching Jackson Hole. You Don’t Have To.
Market & Economic Insights

Everyone’s Watching Jackson Hole. You Don’t Have To.

The Fed meets at Jackson Hole this week and the whole market is hanging on every word. Here's the retirement-planning reason a well-built plan lets you…

August 22, 2026 · 8 min read
The Trading Journal: What to Track and Why Most Skip It
Investing & Trading

The Trading Journal: What to Track and Why Most Skip It

Most traders can tell you what they made last month but not why. A trading journal closes that gap. Here's what to actually track, and why…

August 1, 2026 · 9 min read
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This site is published by Confluence Media Group LLC, an independent publisher of educational financial content. Thomas Clark is a Series 65 Investment Advisor Representative. The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personalized financial, tax, or legal advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. All investing involves risk, including potential loss of principal. Consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.

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