Financial Planning Alternatives

10/15/2026

🧠💳 Get Smart About Credit Day

Did you know your credit report and credit score are not the same thing?

📄 Your credit report contains information about your credit history, including your accounts and payment activity.

📊 Your credit score is a number calculated using information in your credit report. Different scoring models can result in different scores, so the score you see may not be the same one a lender sees. Lenders may use credit scores to help determine whether you qualify for credit and the terms you may receive.

A few things to keep in mind:
✔️ Higher credit scores can make it easier to qualify for loans and lower interest rates.
✔️ Errors on your credit report could negatively affect your credit history and credit score.
✔️ Reviewing your credit reports regularly can help you spot and correct errors.

What Can Affect Your Credit Score?
⏰ Payment History – Consistently making payments on time can help your score, while late or missed payments can negatively affect it. Payment history is an important factor in credit scoring.
💳 Credit Utilization – Using a larger portion of your available revolving credit can negatively affect your score. Keeping balances lower in relation to your available credit is generally better.
📅 Length of Credit History – A longer history of responsibly managing credit can positively contribute to your score.
🧾 Types of Credit – Credit scoring models consider your mix of credit accounts, along with the other information in your credit report.
🆕 Recent Credit Activity – Applying for or opening several new credit accounts can affect your score negatively.

Get Smart About Credit Day is a good reminder to know what’s in your credit report and address errors when you find them.

10/14/2026

Familiar Territory: A Small Group Leads the Market Higher
Is the market rally broader than it appears? In the latest Markets in a Minute, Kara Murphy, CIO, KIM, examines why a handful of sectors are driving market gains, what's behind the recent bond market selloff and how higher oil prices could impact inflation, interest rates and investors in the months ahead.

Read more in this week’s Markets in a Minute.

Review third-quarter market performance, including stock and bond trends, rising interest rates, inflation pressures, and key risks shaping the economic outlook.

10/13/2026

💳 All About Credit Utilization

Do you know how much of your available credit you’re using?

That percentage is known as your credit utilization rate, and it can play an important role in your credit score.

📉 In general, lower credit utilization is better for your credit score.

A few ways to help keep your utilization lower:
✔️ Pay down credit card balances, especially before statements close
✔️ Avoid unnecessarily closing unused credit cards
✔️ Consider requesting a credit limit increase, when appropriate

Being mindful of how much of your available credit you’re using can help support healthy credit habits over time.

10/08/2026

Life Changes. Financial Plans Can Too.

A financial plan is built around your life, and life rarely stands still.

Some changes are planned, while others may arrive unexpectedly. Getting married, welcoming a child, changing careers, buying or selling a home, caring for an aging parent, receiving an inheritance, or starting a business can all bring new financial considerations.

Often one life change can affect several areas of your finances. A career change, for example, could influence your cash flow, employee benefits, insurance coverage, taxes, and savings goals.

That’s one reason financial planning is an evolving process. As your circumstances, priorities, and goals change, your financial plan can evolve with them.

On World Financial Planning Day, it’s a good reminder that financial planning isn’t just about where you are today. It’s also about preparing for where life may take you next.

PlanningDay

10/07/2026

Markets entered the third quarter expecting lower rates and a more supportive backdrop for bonds. Instead, stronger growth, higher oil prices, and renewed inflation concerns pushed yields sharply higher while forcing investors to reassess expectations for both stocks and bonds. Watch this week’s Money with Murphy to learn more.

10/06/2026

Financial Planning Is More Than Investing

When you hear “financial planning,” investments may be one of the first things that come to mind. But investments are only one piece of a much larger picture.

A financial plan can bring together many areas of your financial life, including:
• Cash flow and spending
• Saving for short- and long-term goals
• Investment strategy
• Insurance and risk management
• Tax planning considerations
• Education planning
• Estate planning
• Preparing for major life transitions

These areas don't always operate independently. A decision in one part of your financial life may affect choices in another.

Financial planning is about looking at those pieces together and considering how they support the goals and priorities that are important to you.

10/01/2026

Getting Started with Financial Planning Alternatives

Our process is designed to be clear, thoughtful, and tailored to you.

It starts with an open, unbiased conversation about your current situation, what got you there, and how we can help. From there, we'll discuss your goals, concerns, and current financial picture in greater detail. If we are a good fit, then, we'll provide personalized recommendations to meet your unique needs, goals and objectives.

No pressure, no obligation but a relationship built on trust and mutual respect with a straightforward approach to helping you understand your current situation and identify the next steps towards your financial future.

📅 Schedule your complimentary Assessment Call today
📞 508‑636‑6521
📩 [email protected]

09/30/2026

Two Consumers, One Economy
Consumer sentiment remains near recessionary levels, yet spending continues to hold up surprisingly well. In this week’s Market in a Minute, Kara explores why consumers say they’re worried while continuing to spend, and how a growing divide between wealth-driven and wage-driven households is reshaping the economy. She also discusses why labor markets and credit trends may matter more than sentiment surveys when evaluating the outlook for consumer spending.

Read more in this week’s Markets in a Minute.

Consumer sentiment is weakening, yet spending remains strong. Explore how the growing divide between asset owners and wage-dependent households is shaping the economy.

09/29/2026

📊 How Do Interest Rates Affect Your Portfolio?

Interest rates play a powerful role in the economy and financial markets, but their impact is not the same across all investments.

The Federal Reserve uses interest rates as one tool to influence the flow of money through the economy. Changes in rates can affect borrowing costs and decisions around saving and spending for both consumers and businesses. For individuals, that can also influence how much discretionary income is available to spend, save, or invest.

That is why diversification and a long-term perspective are important when navigating changing rate environments. Spreading investments across different asset classes, sectors, and investment types can help manage risk, while a disciplined investment strategy can help keep the focus on long-term objectives rather than short-term rate changes.

At FPA, we align our investment strategy with your goals, risk tolerance, and timeline, not just today's interest rates.

09/24/2026

✨ Compound Interest: Your Money’s Best Teammate

Compound interest helps your money work harder over time, earning interest on both your savings and the interest it earns.

When comparing savings options, keep these factors in mind:
✔️ More frequent compounding can boost growth
✔️ Time is one of your biggest advantages
✔️ Interest rates matter when comparing options

Small differences today can make a meaningful impact over time.