The Housman Group - Baird Private Wealth Management

10/16/2026

Higher rates. Strong jobs. Rising deficits. A four-year-old bull market. While the headlines offer plenty to worry about, history reminds us that markets often reward patience, innovation, and a long-term perspective. That's why we stay focused on the fundamentals rather than the noise.

Ross looks at the bull market’s 4th birthday, job openings on the rise, inflation, and rising yields.

Ross looks at the bull market’s 4th birthday, job openings on the rise, inflation, and rising yields.

10/14/2026

📣 A Bigger Social Security Check Is Coming in 2027

The newly announced 3.6% Social Security COLA means the average retiree could see about $75 more each month starting in January.

That's welcome news, but it also highlights an important reality: retirement planning isn't just about generating income. It's about making sure your income keeps up with inflation over time.

The best retirement plans don't rely on one source of income. They coordinate Social Security, investments, tax planning, and withdrawal strategies to help maintain purchasing power for year to come.

10/12/2026

Weekly Market Minute | The Housman Group

Markets moved higher last week despite elevated interest rates, rising Treasury yields, and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty. The S&P 500 and Dow both posted gains as investors looked past short term headlines and focused on economic resilience and the upcoming earnings season.

🗳️ Market History: The S&P 500 has no declined in the 12 months following a midterm election since 1938. A reminder that patient investors have often been rewarded for staying invested through uncertainty.

10/09/2026

"Should I be worried about the market?" It's one of the most common questions investors ask when uncertainty dominates the news cycle. Yet today's economy remains resilient, earnings continue to grow, and markets are proving once again that headlines don't always tell the full story.

Ross looks at new highs, the effect of rising yields, the market’s current “cheapness,” and a couple of historical tidbits.

Ross looks at new highs, the effect of rising yields, the market’s current “cheapness,” and a couple of historical tidbits.

10/08/2026

📌 Higher rates sting borrowers, but they can be a real win for savers.

As rates rise, banks may increase the yields they offer on savings products to attract deposits. The average U.S. savings account still pays just 0.64% annual percentage yield. Some high-yield accounts are paying more than six times that, up to 4.2%, for the exact same deposit.

🔎 Certificates of deposit, or CDs, can offer even higher rates, but the tradeoff is access: your money is locked in for a set term, and pulling it out early usually costs a penalty.

Higher yields don’t erase the effects of inflation, and they won’t necessarily transform household finances. But if your savings account is still earning close to that 0.64% average, that gap alone might be worth a second look.


Source:

The Federal Reserve recently raised interest rates for the first time since 2023.

10/07/2026

The Big Mac Index turns forty this year. Forty years old and still fun to explain at parties. Check out what this classic burger can tell us about the purchasing power of our dollar.

10/05/2026

Weekly Market Minute | The Housman Group

Markets faced a tug-of-war between rising bond yields and signs of a slowing labor market this past week. A softer than expected September jobs report showed the U.S. economy added just 29,000 jobs, while unemployment ticked up to 4.2%, leading investors to reduce expectations for another Federal Reserve rate hike this month. Stocks responded positively, with the Nasdaq reaching another record high as technology shares led the way.

Meanwhile, higher Treasury yields remains a key topic for investors. Baird research highlighted that while rising yields have created short term volatility, they are also restoring meaningful income opportunities in high quality bonds and improving diversification benefits within portfolios.

🚗 This week in Market History: On October 1, 1908, Henry Ford introduced the Model T, revolutionizing transportation and manufacturing. The company's use of assembly line production transformed productivity and helped shaped the modern economy, a reminder that innovation has long been a key driver of economic growth and investment opportunity.

10/02/2026

Ross looks at this year’s strong corporate profit growth, Iran, and the historical relative strength of fourth quarters.

10/01/2026

What separates successful investors from everyone else? Surprisingly, it’s not intelligence, market predictions, or having a finance degree. It's behavior.

In a recent Baird article by Michael Antonelli, "7 Virtues of Investing," the key traits of successful investors were highlighted: staying optimistic, trusting the power of long-term investing, avoiding emotional decisions, focusing on what they can control, and sticking to a plan despite uncertainty. The message is simple: building wealth is often less about knowing more and more about behaving better.

🎙️ We recently discussed these timeless investing principles on the latest episode of Dollars and Sense with The Housman Group, including why discipline, patience, and having a purpose behind your investments can make all the difference over time.

After writing on the 7 sins of investing, Mike turns to the 7 virtues. How many apply to your investing style?

09/29/2026

🌴 More Americans are deciding that enjoying life now matters just as much as making financial progress for later.

A recent SoFi survey found that 72% of Americans would be willing to make slower progress toward their financial goals so they can spend more time with family, travel more, and prioritize meaningful experiences.

That doesn’t necessarily mean abandoning long-term goals. In fact, 59% of respondents said enjoying life is how they define financial progress, compared with 27% who pointed to owning a home.

The challenge is finding a balance between what matters now and what matters later. ✈️ That can mean making room for a vacation, concert, or family event while still keeping an eye on retirement savings and debt.

But charge that trip to a credit card and carry a balance, and interest can turn a two-week memory into a much longer bill.

What does financial progress look like to you: reaching the next milestone, enjoying more of life now, or some mix of both?


Source:

SoFi found 72% of Americans are willing to make slower progress on financial goals to prioritize family, travel and meaningful experiences.