Articles

In this article, Ryan Tomko, CFP®, Vice President, Wealth Manager, explores how the emotional pull of sports fandom and “bandwagon” behavior can influence investment decisions.

Drawing parallels between herd mentality in athletics and financial markets, he explains how social pressure, momentum, and rising asset prices can reinforce speculative behavior. The article also outlines practical steps—such as critical thinking, disciplined research, and deliberate decision-making—to help investors stay aligned with long-term goals.

What Is Taxable Income?  Taxable income is the amount of your earnings that the government uses to calculate your income tax. It’s not necessarily the same as your total income (or gross income). After adjustments, deductions, and credits are applied, what remains is your taxable income — and the lower it is, the less tax you typically pay.  The federal tax system (through the IRS) and most states start with your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and then apply deductions and credits to reach your taxable income. (IRS)  Lowering taxable income may:  Strategies to Lower Taxable Income  Here are several common strategies individuals can use to

HSA vs FSA vs HRA  When it comes to saving for health care expenses, there are many options available for individuals. So, what differentiates HSAs? Unlike Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and most Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), an HSA is owned by the individual, not the employer, which means the account remains with the participant even if employment changes or ends. Furthermore, HSAs maintain unused funds to the next year, unlike an FSA which typically carries a “use it or lose it” clause (although FSAs can have grace periods and other plan specific rules, such as limited rollovers). One less positive distinction is that HSA contributions are only allowed by those on eligible