- Mercer Advisors

Follow the Bond Market to Better Understand Your Finances

On May 16, 2025, Moody's downgraded the U.S. sovereign credit rating from Aaa to Aa1, citing concerns over the nation's rising debt and interest payment burdens.¹ This move follows similar downgrades by S&P in 2011 and Fitch in 2023, marking the first time all three major credit agencies have rated U.S. debt below their top tier.² Understanding Bond Ratings Bond ratings assess the creditworthiness of debt issuers. Moody's scale ranges from Aaa (highest quality) to C [...]

Rebecca Mack2025-09-11T21:29:24+00:00September 11, 2025|Financial Planning, Investing, Stock Market|

Why Tariffs (and Even the Threat of Them) Swing the Market

You’ve probably heard the word “tariff” tossed around in financial headlines lately—but what does it really mean for your investments? At first glance, tariffs might seem like just another policy tool or political talking point. But in reality, they can have significant and immediate consequences for the stock market, corporate profits, global supply chains—and yes, even your grocery bill. Whether they're newly introduced, lifted, or merely hinted at, tariffs can cause sharp swings in the market [...]

Rebecca Mack2025-05-14T04:57:24+00:00May 14, 2025|Economy, Government, Stock Market|

Weathering the Storm: How Market Volatility Impacts Retirement & What You Can Do About It

Picture this: Jim and Linda, both 67, just retired after decades of hard work. They planned carefully, saved consistently, and looked forward to enjoying their golden years. But then came a market downturn. Suddenly, their portfolio dropped 20% in a matter of weeks. The income they planned to draw from their investments now seems shaky.* Sound familiar? Market volatility may hit hard when you're approaching or living in retirement. Why? Because you're not just investing for [...]

Rebecca Mack2025-05-08T00:21:51+00:00May 8, 2025|Economy, Investing, Stock Market|

Slower Rate Cuts, The Market, and Your Finances

Whether you’re checking your account balances, planning your next adventure, or enjoying a well-earned retirement, markets move... and with it, your account values may as well. Recent market volatility, driven by the Federal Reserve’s announcement to slow rate cuts, has left many retirees wondering what this means for their financial future. Let’s explore the situation and how you can confidently navigate these uncertain times. What’s Happening with Interest Rates? Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently announced [...]

Rebecca Mack2025-02-12T18:17:10+00:00February 12, 2025|Economy, Investing, Stock Market|

Navigating Market Volatility: What Retirees Should Know About August’s “Japanese Carry Trade”

In August of 2024, the financial world was abuzz with discussions about the Japanese carry trade and its impact on global markets. For retirees and those nearing retirement, understanding these developments may help you understand why markets are moving, but it's equally important to maintain a focus on long-term financial security rather than reacting to short-term market fluctuations. Regardless, the more you know about why markets are moving, the better you can tell when to change [...]

Rebecca Mack2024-10-24T14:57:31+00:00October 24, 2024|Economy, Stock Market|

What Does a Rolling Recession Mean for Your Retirement?

What Is A Rolling Recession? You may have noticed that the economy after the pandemic has been very up and down. And while there has been talk of a possible recession for a few years now, we have yet to completely enter a recession. A recession is traditionally defined as a consistent, widespread downturn in the economy. [1] And although there have been major market downturns recently, there have also been major rallies. Instead of qualifying [...]

Rebecca Mack2023-03-23T12:59:25+00:00March 20, 2023|Economy, Stock Market|

2 Reasons the Generic 60/40 Portfolio Fails

Starting out your investing journey, you may have been advised to follow the 60/40 allocation strategy. This strategy tells you to put 60% of your portfolio in equities and 40% in bonds or other fixed-income offerings. For decades, this strategy has been revered for its balance, offering high growth potential from stocks and a safety net in bonds.[1] The assumption was that stock and bond markets would not dip at the same time, mitigating risk and [...]

Rebecca Mack2022-12-21T23:33:57+00:00December 21, 2022|Investment Strategies, Stock Market|

Can You Turn Investment Losses into Tax Gains?

When markets take a spill, especially when it comes to your retirement investments, it’s harder to find ways to meet your financial goals. If you were relying on IRA or 401(k) withdrawals to cover your expenses, doing so when markets are down would decrease the lifespan of your savings. And if you’re nearing retirement, market losses may provide cause to push back the time you enter retirement. While all these concerns are legitimate, there is a [...]

Rebecca Mack2022-12-07T16:28:18+00:00November 7, 2022|Investment Strategies, Stock Market, Tax Strategies|

Rediscovering the Value of Yields in Recessions

For decades, the name of the personal finances game has been an asset or equity growth. High-growth tech stocks grew to dominate the market, some of which have grown to be among the largest companies in the world. And if you owned stock in those companies while they made their meteoric rise, your overall wealth may have ballooned in the process. But how confident do you feel with your wealth in those stocks? Would you feel [...]

Rebecca Mack2022-10-28T20:27:56+00:00October 28, 2022|Financial Planning, Investment Strategies, Stock Market|

5 Unique Risks for the Affluent Investor

You may think that as a high net worth individual, or even a millionaire next door, you may have an easy road ahead in maintaining your wealth. But a greater amount of wealth to protect introduces unique challenges that are specific to the size of what they have to protect. Although many investing and wealth-preservation principles apply to anyone – such as developing a tax plan, assessing a portfolio’s risk exposure, and more – there are [...]

Rebecca Mack2022-10-14T00:03:01+00:00October 14, 2022|Investment Strategies, Stock Market|