Hi friends!

Before we get into it this week, we’re excited to show you a video we made about what you get when you go through the Lifestyle Protector Process™ with our team. Check it out!

Wow, we are in a very volatile market again. We have received a few calls already with the question, “Should we get  out of stocks now? Does that make sense?” But trying to time the market does not work as pointed out in this CNBC article  and this Forbes article.

Volatility is the result of uncertainty in the marketplace and there have been multiple concerns leading to very big swings over the past week. Uncertainty stems from how the Fed has reacted to inflation, the potential for recession, and ongoing geopolitical risks around the world.

We are sure that you too have thought about these issues and how it might affect your investments and financial plan. There are two ways we adjust your investments holdings: strategically and tactically.  The strategic allocation is the long-term asset allocation, while tactical asset allocation is a short-term deviation from this long-term allocation. Your portfolio was designed strategically to match your risk profile and goals and we have been adjusting it tactically to keep in sync with external factors. Focusing on tactical decisions we have added more raw materials, TIPs, and value-oriented stocks to your holdings.  We have reduced exposure to interest rate sensitive fixed income and have increased money market positions to reduce volatility in portfolios.  We continue to monitor economic activity on a daily basis.

Let’s move along to something a little more predictable, shall we?

The standard gardening advice is to get to planting after the second weekend in May. That has come and gone now, and some of you are likely heading to the garden this weekend. Here are some great tips for making the most of your green thumb:

• Get to know your garden plot. Where does the sun hit when? Is it flat or on a slope? What is the soil like? These questions will help you decide what to plant where.
• Learn what plants can be next to each other and which ones shouldn’t be. Believe it or not, plants have preferences.
• Design your garden like you would any space. A paper and pencil can get you pretty far here. No need to get too fancy!
• Learn how to actually put the plants in the ground. It might seem simple, but just knowing how to handle different types of plants can help assure success.
• If you’re into the birds and the bees, learn how to plant to help them thrive.

That’s it for us this week. Enjoy the beautiful weather, and we’ll be back in your inboxes next Friday.

How We Help:

You may have noticed a big trend in home organization lately, particularly if you like to watch HGTV. In fact, if you crave a beautifully organized home but lack the time or skills or desire to do it yourself, you can hire a company to do it for you. You can also spend serious money on containers to help you keep your whole house organized. At Obsidian, we do the same thing for you–but with your financial life.

When you go through the process we review and analyze all aspects of your financial life. Initially, you’ll pull together all of your most important documents, then they’ll be saved in one organized location in our portal and we work with you to ensure they’re reviewed and updated on a regular basis. Like those huge containers, once everything is where it needs to be, it’s much easier to keep it there.

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.