Hello friends!

As with last week, things are changing by the day. At the time of this writing, we may be in a very different situation than we’ll find ourselves in when you’re reading this. We at Obsidian are closely monitoring everything going on so that we can take the best possible care of your financial plans.

Much of what is happening in the US is in the background these days as the world keeps its eyes on Ukraine and their continued resistance to Russian imperialism. These events have put the Fed in a unique position as now they have to consider geopolitical tensions in addition to the ebbs and flows of COVID strains when making plans to try to lower inflation.

Investors will likely be thinking about the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee meeting for the first two weeks of march. The FOMC meeting, held on March 15-16, will probably include a Fed announcement of an interest rate hike, as well as clarity on the organization’s future plans. We’ll pay close attention and let you know what we learn and how that’s impacting our decisions–just like we always do. In the meantime, give us a call if you have questions.

On to lighter topics! Spring is in the air, finally–we’re not quite there yet, but now is a great time to make travel plans to a beautiful location. Depending on your preferred spring scene, you might be interested in one of these top choices:

• Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California is a must-see if wildflowers are on your list. Plus, there’s hiking, science, and history all in one spot.
• Jackson Hole, Wyoming is great any time of year, but the spring scenery is not to be missed. The animals are coming out of hibernation and the flowers are blooming. You’ll have easy trips to the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, plus plenty of state preserves. If food and museums are more your thing, Jackson has you covered there, too.
• Washington, DC. Hey, our hometown! Close enough, anyway. The famous cherry blossoms bloom in the spring, and it’s not far from Shenandoah National Park with its own vistas and views.

If you have any fun spring travel adventures, we would love to hear about them! That’s it for us this week. We’ll be back in your inboxes next Friday.

How We Help:

This week we were able to introduce a new family to our Lifestyle Protector Program, which always brings us joy. We sat down with a blended family that has done some individual planning, but hasn’t done any comprehensive planning together as one family. Most of their financial planning has happened in silos, and now they want to learn how to do what’s best for everyone. We found some holes in their estate plan and were able to help them articulate their priorities so they could take care of each other and their families. The Lifestyle Protector Program was the perfect fit for them because it aligned the spouses’ goals, gave them peace of mind that their kids will be taken care of–and at the end of the day, that’s what it was all about for them!

Advisory Services offered through Obsidian Personal Planning Solutions, LLC. Securities are offered through Triad Advisors, member FINRA/SIPC. Obsidian Personal Planning Solutions, LLC, and Obsidian Personal Planning Solutions, Inc, are not affiliated with Triad Advisors.