Semper Fidelis Financial

06/01/2026

If you or someone in your family is still in school—or heading back in the fall—now is the time to make sure your FAFSA form is in.

A few things worth knowing:
⏰ The federal deadline is June 30. State and school deadlines are often earlier.
⏰ Many types of aid are first-come, first-served. Waiting could cost money.
⏰ You can make corrections after submission, but the form needs to be in first.

Don't let a deadline get in the way of money that's already available to you.

05/25/2026

Memorial Day is a time to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States. They will always be remembered. Wishing you and your loved ones a peaceful Memorial Day holiday.

05/10/2026

Today, we celebrate every kind of mom who loves, guides, and nurtures us in countless ways.

Thank you for all the ways you make our world brighter and our hearts fuller. 💐

05/04/2026

Great wine and great wealth have something in common—they both reward patience. 🍷

Behind every perfect vintage is time, care, and consistency. The same goes for your financial strategy. The goal isn't quick wins or a perfect growing season, but something that matures over time.

Let's raise a glass to long summer nights with friends, trusted bottles full of years of promise, and a life worth savoring.

Salut! 🥂

04/30/2026

Mortgage demand is showing signs of slowing, even as interest rates moved slightly lower.

Applications for home purchases were 7% lower than the same time last year, marking the first annual decline in over a year. Refinance activity also fell, with applications down compared to both the prior week and last year.

While rates dipped modestly, with the average 30-year fixed rate around 6.5%, broader economic uncertainty continues to influence buyer activity.

Some segments of the market are holding up better than others, particularly where lower-rate loan options or increased housing inventory are available.

These shifts highlight how interest rates, affordability, and market conditions can all play a role in housing demand.


Source:

Weakening consumer sentiment in the overall economy is weighing heavily on mortgage demand from both homeowners and homebuyers.

04/27/2026

When stock prices drop, some investors start asking "shoulda, woulda, coulda” questions about whether to remain invested. But as 2025 illustrates, market timing can be very expensive even if it means missing just a few days.

04/24/2026

Fun Fact Friday:

The cost of raising a child in the U.S. continues to rise, reaching a new milestone in recent estimates.

A new analysis puts the total cost at approximately $303,000 through age 18, or about $16,800 per year on average.

These figures include everyday expenses like housing, food, and childcare, but do not account for college costs, which can add significantly more over time.

Costs can also vary widely depending on location. Some states saw notable increases, while others experienced slower growth in certain child-related expenses.

While the overall total has increased, some categories, such as early childcare, have shown signs of stabilizing in recent data.

As costs evolve, these trends offer a broader view of how family-related expenses are changing.


Source:

Raising a child through age 18 is most expensive in Hawaii, where a family would spend an estimated $412,661 in 2026, LendingTree found.

04/15/2026

Tax Day Is Here – and So Are Extensions! If you’ve already filed and ended your yearly business with the IRS, congrats! If you are filing extensions, congratulations on getting that process underway. Alongside your tax professionals, we wish you a timely resolution to this yearly ritual.

04/05/2026

It’s 10 days until Tax Day. A busy person like you might find themselves filing your taxes in the final stretch for many reasons. Don’t sweat it! Get your paperwork together, talk to your trusted tax professionals, and remember that filing for an extension is possible before April 15th!

04/03/2026

What a $5 Frappuccino can teach your teen about building wealth 👇

April is National Financial Literacy Month, and here's a number worth sharing at the dinner table.

If your teen opens a Roth IRA at 18 with $1,000 from a part-time job and adds $1,000 a year, that single account could be worth nearly $500,000 by age 65. Tax-free.

Think they can't save $1,000 a year? Skipping the daily Frappuccino more than covers it. ☕

But the best financial education isn't about the math. It's about real decisions with real consequences.

A few things that actually work:

✅ Hand them cash instead of a credit card for shopping. Let them keep what they don't spend.

✅ Give them a clothing budget for the year. If they blow it by October, that's the lesson.

✅ Have the college money talk before they fall in love with a school. As one counselor put it, "Have the conversation before they buy the hoodie."

✅ With the Roth IRA, you can show them that there are certain rules with certain accounts. For example, to qualify for the tax-free and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings, Roth IRA distributions must meet a 5-year holding requirement and occur after age 59½. Also, tax-free and penalty-free withdrawals can also be taken under certain other circumstances, such as the owner's death. The original Roth IRA owner is not required to take minimum annual withdrawals.

What's one money lesson you wish someone had taught you earlier?



Sources:
-https://www.calculator.net/roth-ira-calculator.html?cstartingprinciple=1%2C000&cannualaddition=1%2C000&cmax=n&cinterestrate=8&ccurrentage=18&cretirementage=65&ctaxtrate=25&printit=0&x=Calculate -ira-result
-https://www.ngpf.org/blog/advocacy/how-many-states-require-students-to-take-a-personal-finance-course-before-graduating-from-high-school-is-it-6-or-is-it-21/