Carole J Hanson, CRPC - Financial Advisor at LPL Financial

09/07/2026

We dedicate our efforts to ourselves, our families, our passions, and our needs. Whether you're an employee, an entrepreneur, or retired, here's to making the most of this holiday!

Have a wonderful !

08/28/2026

Some younger consumers are spending on luxury items even as major milestones feel harder to reach.

An article from The Economic Times explores whether Gen Z spending on items like expensive smartphones, sneakers, and travel may reflect a broader version of the “Lipstick Effect.” 📱👟✈️

The Lipstick Effect describes a pattern where consumers buy smaller luxuries during periods of financial uncertainty, especially when larger purchases feel out of reach.

In this case, the larger purchase is often homeownership.

As housing costs rise, some younger adults may feel that saving for property is increasingly unrealistic. Instead, they may choose purchases that offer more immediate enjoyment, identity, or a sense of progress.

That does not mean every purchase is financially harmful. But it does show how affordability pressures can shape behavior, priorities, and trade-offs.

The broader takeaway: spending decisions often reflect more than impulse. They can also reflect economic realities, delayed milestones, and the ways people look for meaning when traditional markers of success feel further away.


Source:

Financial advisor Prem Soni says Gen Zs spending on Rs 15,000 sneakers, expensive iPhones and foreign holidays may reflect the “Lipstick Effect.” He argues that with homes costing around Rs 3 crore and long-term EMIs, traditional milestones feel increasingly unreachable for young earners. Instea...

08/27/2026

New research from The Aspen Institute looks at what it calls “essential wealth”: a benchmark for financial resilience and major life milestones.

The benchmark includes having six weeks of take-home pay in savings, along with enough net worth to support goals such as homeownership and retirement security.

According to the report, about 34.5 million U.S. households fall short of that threshold.

The estimated net worth needed varies by age group:
18-29: $40,000
30-39: $120,000
40-49: $265,000
50-64: $530,000
65+: $775,000 for a couple with no mortgage

These figures are broad estimates and can vary based on income, location, household needs, and housing costs.

The broader takeaway is that income alone does not always show whether a household feels financially secure. Savings, assets, debt, housing, and long-term goals all help shape the bigger picture.


Source:

Three in four American households lack the wealth to weather financial setbacks and achieve major life milestones.

08/26/2026

Fear & Greed & Investors

08/25/2026

Scientists have captured the most detailed images yet of the sun’s surface.

The images were taken using the National Science Foundation’s Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Maui, Hawaii.

Researchers originally captured the images while testing the telescope's limits. But when they reviewed the results, they realized they had photographed the sun’s bright outer shell at higher resolution than ever before.

The images revealed unusual feathery patterns rippling across the sun’s surface.

Researchers say the ripples are caused by magnetized plasma moving at different speeds, creating patterns similar to waves that form when wind moves over water.

Understanding the sun’s activity matters because large bursts of solar energy can affect Earth. Coronal mass ejections can trigger solar storms, disrupt GPS communications, and produce colorful auroras.

It is a striking reminder that scientific breakthroughs can begin as tests, questions, and closer looks at something we thought we already knew.


Source:

Scientists have captured images of the sun’s surface in the finest detail yet. Researchers were able to peek with the help of a telescope on the island of Maui in Hawaii.

08/24/2026

Mortgage rates recently climbed to their highest level since August 2025, creating another challenge for homebuyers.

The average contract interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a conforming loan balance rose to 6.65%, up from 6.58% the previous week.

Higher rates can affect affordability, as even a small increase can change a buyer’s monthly payment.

That pressure showed up in mortgage demand. Applications to purchase a home fell 7% from the previous week and were 2% lower than the same week one year ago.

Buyers are also still facing high home prices and a limited supply of affordable homes for sale.

Refinance applications rose this week, though refinancing remains less attractive for many borrowers because rates are not much lower than they were a year ago.

For households, mortgage rates are a reminder that borrowing costs can play a major role in affordability, timing, and monthly cash flow.


Source:

Mortgage rates moved higher last week, causing buyers to pull back, but refinancing did see small gains.

08/21/2026

The House passed a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent across most of the United States.

The bill passed by a vote of 308-117 and would end the twice-a-year clock change if it becomes law.

Supporters say permanent daylight saving time would provide more evening daylight during the hours when many Americans are most active. They also point to potential benefits for families, outdoor activity, tourism, and local businesses.

Critics have raised concerns about darker winter mornings, especially for children waiting for school buses and parents commuting to work.

States could opt out if their legislatures act before the bill takes effect.

The bill still needs to pass the Senate before it can be signed into law, so the current clock-change system is not changing yet.

For households and businesses, the debate is a reminder that even something as routine as changing the clocks can affect schedules, safety, commuting, consumer behavior, and local economic activity.


Source:

The Senate would also have to pass the daylight saving time bill before it could be signed into law, but it’s unclear if it will do so.

08/21/2026

A record number of U.S. adults under 35 are living with their parents, according to a recent Realtor.com study.

In 2025, 25.2 million adults under 35 lived at home, a higher share than during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many are working, but wages are not always keeping up with the cost of living. Among adults ages 25 to 34 who live at home, roughly 7 in 10 have jobs.

Housing affordability is a major factor. Higher home prices, elevated mortgage rates, rent, student loan payments, car payments, and everyday expenses can make living independently harder to sustain.

For some families, moving back home may be a way to reduce expenses, rebuild savings, or create more breathing room before taking the next step.

The broader takeaway is that financial independence does not always follow a straight timeline. Cost-of-living pressures are reshaping what adulthood, housing, and household decisions look like for many families.


Source:

One woman in her mid-30s said her $60,000 annual income wasn't enough to cover all her bills after a breakup, leading her to move back home.

08/20/2026

For many homeowners, the biggest weather risk may no longer be hurricanes.

New research from First Street found that severe convective storms, including tornadoes, hail, and damaging winds, have become the costliest insured natural disasters worldwide.

In 2025, these storms accounted for one-third of global natural disaster economic losses. Insured and uninsured losses totaled $82 billion, with $68 billion concentrated in the U.S.

Hail is the biggest driver of insurance payouts within this category, followed by severe winds.

These storms tend to move quickly, but they can cause widespread damage to homes, cars, businesses, and infrastructure.

For homeowners, the growing cost of severe weather can show up in more than repairs. It may also affect insurance premiums, property maintenance, emergency savings, and long-term housing costs.

As weather risks shift, it can be worth reviewing coverage, deductibles, and how prepared your household is for unexpected property damage.


Source:

Severe "convective" storms account for roughly a third of global natural disaster economic losses, a new study finds.

08/19/2026

The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at its July meeting, but the decision was not unanimous.

The Federal Open Market Committee voted 9-3 to keep the federal funds rate in a range of 3.5% to 3.75%.

Three regional Fed presidents voted against the decision, preferring to raise rates by 0.25 percentage points instead.

The split reflects ongoing concern about inflation, which has remained above the Fed’s 2% target for more than five years.

Recent price pressures have been tied to several factors, including tariffs and higher energy costs connected to conflict in the Middle East.

The Fed’s statement noted that economic activity continues to expand at a solid pace, while job growth has kept pace with workforce growth, and unemployment has changed little.

For households and businesses, the decision is a reminder that interest rates remain closely tied to inflation, borrowing costs, employment, energy prices, and the broader economic outlook.


Source:

Despite increasing support for a rate increase, the Federal Open Market Committee voted 9-3 to leave the federal funds rate in a range between 3.5% and 3.75%.