The human brain is excellent at finding patterns, a skill that has evolved to help us across many parts of life. However, it can also lead us astray when there is no real pattern at all, such as when we see shapes in clouds and ink blots. When it comes to investing, this is relevant because some patterns are important, such as the long-term relationship between the market and the economy, while others may be due to pure coincidence. Distinguishing between what makes for interesting trivia versus true investing principles is a challenging but important part of achieving long-term financial success.

April's performance is a reminder that markets can experience strong rebounds even in the face of ongoing investor concerns. Despite the continuing war in the Middle East, major market indices climbed to new all-time highs during the month. The S&P 500 gained 10.4% in April alone, one of its strongest monthly performances in history. On the surface, this echoes last year’s tariff-driven volatility and market rebound.

It has now been more than three-and-a-half years since the bull market began in October 2022. At that time, inflation was rising at its fastest pace in fifty years, the Fed was hiking interest rates, and ChatGPT was still a month away from being released to the public. Since then, the S&P 500 has more than doubled in value and the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond index has fully recovered.

For many households, a home represents not only where they live and raise their family, but also their largest financial asset, monthly expense, and source of debt. From a broader economic perspective, the housing market is deeply intertwined with consumer confidence and economic growth. So, while investor attention has been on geopolitics and market volatility this year, the fact that home prices remain near all-time highs continues to play an important role in financial planning.

Most retirees know that healthcare is often the largest and most unpredictable expense in retirement, which can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars on average. Healthcare can come from many sources, with Medicare being a major consideration in the financial planning process. Yet, despite its importance, Medicare rules can create confusion for many Americans.