Burkholder Wealth Management

10/15/2026

Do elections really matter to the stock market?
Yes... and no. Elections can significantly shape public policy, but they’re not a reliable signal for when to buy or sell stocks. The S&P 500 has delivered positive returns in 14 of the 17 presidential terms since 1929, under both Democratic and Republican administrations. Markets constantly price in expectations about elections, the economy, and business fundamentals, which makes it very hard to predict market moves from political outcomes alone. Additionally, since 1926, the S&P 500 has averaged +7.5% in midterm years, +12.3% across all years, and +18.8% in the year after midterms. The lesson: time in the market matters more than trying to time it. Rather than letting political sentiment drive your decisions, keep a long-term perspective and stick to a disciplined investment strategy that can survive various economic cycles.
Watch the full video on YouTube: "Do Elections Matter to the Stock Market? | The Informed Investor 60" or at https://youtu.be/VWJ7Xue4xEY

10/14/2026

Please join us in welcoming our new employee, Jack Bratcher!

Jack is a Sand Springs native and a graduate of Oral Roberts University, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Finance and played on the ORU soccer team. Most recently, he completed a rotational program at BOK Financial where he gained hands on experience across Institutional and Private Wealth, Alternatives and Equity Research.

Here's what Jack is most excited for, "I'm very excited to be joining BWM and to be a part of its rapid growth. I look forward to meeting and working with existing clients as well as contributing to the growth of the firm!" Jack will be working alongside our advisors to support clients as he grows into an advisor role.

Email from Burkholder Wealth Management Please Welcome Jack Bratcher! We're excited to announce that Jack Bratcher has joined BWM as an Associate Advisor.  Jack is a Sand Springs native and a graduat

10/01/2026

Are higher interest rates a reason to add more fixed income to your portfolio?

Bond yields have risen significantly over the last few years, creating a more attractive environment for fixed income investors. With bonds offering higher expected returns than they have for much of the past decade, it may be tempting to reduce equity exposure and increase bonds.

But higher bond yields do not necessarily mean stocks have become less attractive.

Interest rates are one of the factors reflected in stock valuations. As rates rise, investors generally require higher expected returns from equities as compensation for taking additional risk.

Historically, the return advantage of stocks over short term Treasury bills has remained relatively consistent across different interest rate environments.

In years when the One Month U.S. Treasury Bill rate was below its historical median, the average equity premium was approximately 9.9%. During years when rates were above the median, the average was approximately 8.1%. The difference was not statistically significant.

The takeaway?

Higher yields can certainly make fixed income more attractive, but interest rates alone may not be a reason to change your long term stock and bond allocation.

Your portfolio allocation should instead reflect your goals, time horizon, cash flow needs, and ability to tolerate market volatility.

At Burkholder Wealth Management, we believe investment decisions should be made as part of a comprehensive financial plan rather than in response to a single market indicator.

09/17/2026

We are excited to share that Valentin Tranier has earned the CFP® certification and has been promoted to Wealth Manager at Burkholder Wealth Management.

Valentin began his career with BWM through our internship program and is the first Wealth Manager at the firm to follow that path. In his new role, he will take on greater responsibility in leading client relationships and providing comprehensive guidance across investment management, financial planning, tax strategy, estate planning, and other areas of wealth management.

We are proud of Valentin’s continued growth and look forward to the impact he will continue to make for our clients and our firm.

Please join us in congratulating Valentin on this exciting milestone.

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day from all of us at Burkholder Wealth Management!
Wishing you a relaxing and well-deserved break. Enjoy the long weekend!

09/03/2026

The future is unknown. Your financial plan should be ready for it.

A recent Forbes article shared a valuable lesson: instead of trying to predict exactly what will happen next, prepare for a range of possible outcomes.

The same principle applies to investing.

We all have opinions about which companies, countries, or markets may perform best. But markets are constantly incorporating the expectations of millions of investors into prices. Building a portfolio around one prediction can create unnecessary risk if the future unfolds differently.

That is why diversification matters.

Diversification is not about knowing what will win next. It is about accepting that we do not have a crystal ball and building a portfolio designed to participate across different markets, companies, and economies.

As Dimensional often puts it:

Plan, do not predict.

A good financial plan does not require us to know exactly what happens next. It requires us to be prepared when the unexpected happens.

Source: Forbes and Dimensional Fund Advisors

This material is for informational purposes only and should not be considered individualized investment advice. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal.

08/06/2026

Higher volatility does not always mean higher portfolio risk.

Small cap stocks have historically been more volatile than large cap stocks. From January 1999 through June 2026, the annualized standard deviation of a global small cap index was 17.93%, compared with 15.30% for global large caps.

However, investors do not own asset classes in isolation. Small caps behave differently from large caps, which can provide valuable diversification when combined in a portfolio.

The result? Portfolios that included both large and small cap stocks experienced volatility levels similar to large caps alone, while returns increased as the allocation to small caps grew.

This is a key lesson from Modern Portfolio Theory: risk should be evaluated across the entire portfolio, not one investment at a time.

Return and volatility statistics are useful, but they never tell the full story on their own.

07/23/2026

The World Cup may be over, but one of the biggest upsets of the year happened in the global markets.

After a strong second quarter, Taiwan and South Korea have climbed into the world's 10 largest stock markets, surging 104% and 181% over the past year, respectively. Taiwan has overtaken the UK to become the third-largest stock market, while South Korea has risen to sixth.

Much of this momentum has been fueled by semiconductor giants like TSMC, Samsung, and SK Hynix, reinforcing an important investing lesson: opportunities can emerge from anywhere.

Just like in the World Cup, today's underdog can become tomorrow's champion. A diversified portfolio helps investors participate in unexpected winners wherever and whenever they appear, while concentrating investments in a handful of familiar names can mean missing the next breakout.

Stay diversified. Stay invested. And be ready for the next surprise.

07/09/2026

Growth stocks have received much of the spotlight in recent years, but history tells a broader story.

Since 1927, value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in the U.S. by an average of 4.0% annually. While there have been periods when growth has led the market, value premiums have often appeared quickly and in significant amounts.

The chart below serves as a reminder that market leadership changes over time. Staying diversified and maintaining a long-term perspective can help investors avoid chasing yesterday's winners.

07/04/2026

Happy 4th of July from Burkholder Wealth Management!