Author: Jay Mooreland

There is no shortage of financial news. You can read an article, watch an interview, or listen to a podcast whenever you want to know what is happening in the economy or markets. But having more information does not always mean you have the full picture.

The Bias of News

A news story can contain accurate facts and still give you a misleading impression. The facts a reporter chooses to emphasize, the experts they quote, and the information they selectively omit influence how you understand the story, and the conclusions you draw.

The financial media often share “expert forecasts.” These forecasts tend to be confident, and include select evidence to back up the forecast, but don’t confuse confidence with accuracy. There is almost always another side to the story.

Media outlets compete for your attention. They want you to keep reading, watching, and clicking. That does not mean you should ignore financial news. It does mean you should be careful about how much weight you put behind the information and whether you allow it to influence your financial decisions.

A Resource Who Knows You

A better approach is to question the incentives of the resource and rely more on the one resource that knows you and has your back. Me.

The media may be 24/7 and promote many tantalizing headlines, but I am your best and most reliable financial resource. Not only do I understand your unique situation, your goals, your plan – I also have your best interest at heart.

Whenever you have a financial question or concern, please share it with me. I love hearing from clients because it gives us a chance to talk through what they’ve read or heard, consider information that may have been left out, and put it all in the context of their plan and goals. That is what I am here for!

-Scott

© The Behavioral Finance Network

Think about what shows up in your social media feed. It isn’t random.

The algorithm learns from what you click, what you watch, and even what causes you to slow down as you scroll. If you engage with a particular point of view, you’re likely to see more of it. What you’re less likely to see is the strongest argument for the other side.

The same danger increasingly exists when we research investments.

Search engines, social media, and AI make it incredibly easy to find information. But easy access to more information doesn’t necessarily give us a broader perspective. In fact, it can do the opposite.

Confirmation Has Never Been Easier

We naturally seek information that supports what we already believe.Technology can amplify that instinct.

Believe the market is dangerously overvalued? There is an endless supply of charts, articles, and commentary to support you.

Believe artificial intelligence will transform the economy and drive markets higher? You can find just as much evidence supporting that conclusion.

And AI presents another challenge. Ask a question from a particular perspective, and AI often accepts the premise and builds a convincing argument around it. The result can seem like independent confirmation when we may have simply received a sophisticated version of what we were already inclined to believe.

The problem isn’t a lack of information. It’s that we may be surrounded by information without being exposed to competing perspectives.

Search for What You Might Be Missing

Good investment research shouldn’t simply make us more confident in what we already believe. It should challenge us.

If you’re convinced an investment is attractive, deliberately search for the strongest reasons it might not be. If you’re convinced markets are headed for trouble, seek evidence that may contradict that view.

Technology has made it easier than ever to confirm what we already believe.

The challenge is making sure we also discover what information might be missing. And that is why you have me! Share your thoughts, concerns, and ideas so we can make decisions using a full set of information, not just what an algorithm may be feeding your mind.

-Scott

(c) The Behavioral Finance Network

It’s hard to believe August is already here.

Think back over the past few months. What do you cherish the most from this summer?

It probably wasn’t another day at the office or another item checked off your to-do list. More likely, it’s the time you spent with the people you care about and the experiences you shared. Did you make enough time for those moments this summer?

Most of us don’t intentionally postpone happiness. We simply convince ourselves there will be a better time in the future—when work slows down, when the kids are older, or when the house project is finished.

The problem is that “later” has a way of moving farther into the future. As soon as one milestone passes, another takes its place. Without realizing it, years pass while we wait for the “perfect” time to enjoy life.

Waiting for the Perfect Time

Life has a way of crowding out the things we’d really like to do. There is always another project, another obligation, or another responsibility demanding our attention. It’s easy to assume there will be more time in the future.

For many people, that means putting off the things they’ve always wanted to do until retirement. “Once I retire, I’ll finally have time.” But why wait?

This isn’t about spending irresponsibly or ignoring your responsibilities. It’s about making sure you also make time for the people, experiences, and moments that give life meaning. Isn’t that the real value of financial planning and investing?

The calendar keeps turning whether we act or not. Summer will soon give way to fall, then the holidays, and before long another year will have passed.

If there’s something you’ve been meaning to do, don’t automatically put it off until next year. With a little planning, it may be possible to do it much sooner. Enjoy life now. Create lasting memories now. The experiences you have today don’t replace the ones you’ll have in the future. They simply make your life richer because you’ll have both.

Sometimes the best time to create a happy memory isn’t later. It’s today.

-Scott

As we reach the midpoint of 2026, one lesson from the first half of the year stands out: the headlines and the markets told two very different stories.

The conflict in Iran sent oil prices surging, which we all felt at the gas pump. Consumer sentiment fell to historic lows. Markets dropped nearly 10%, and recession fears resurfaced. AI dominated the conversation, with some proclaiming it the next productivity revolution while others warned it was a bubble waiting to burst. On most days, there was no shortage of reasons to worry.

And yet, patient investors were rewarded. Despite the uncertainty, the stock market is positive for the year, driven largely by stronger-than-expected corporate earnings. The stock market didn’t wait for the headlines to improve. It climbed right through the worry.

The Bigger Picture

That may be the most important lesson from the first half of the year: the experience of following the news was far more stressful than the experience of being a long-term investor.

We’ve seen this pattern before: pandemic warnings, “economic hurricane” predictions, recession forecasts that never arrived. Each year the headline is different, but the emotional pull is the same. Investors who react hastily may end up abandoning a sound investment strategy at exactly the wrong moment.

Looking Forward

The second half of the year will almost certainly bring new headlines and new uncertainties, especially with election season around the corner. But notice what uncertainty failed to do during the first half of the year. It didn’t derail corporate earnings. It didn’t prevent businesses from adapting. And it didn’t stop the stock market from rewarding patient investors.

Uncertainty isn’t unusual. It’s permanent. Your financial plan and investment strategy were never built around certainty. They were designed with uncertainty in mind.

Thank you for the confidence you’ve placed in us. We will continue monitoring the issues that matter, keeping you informed, and helping you stay focused on the long-term goals that drive your financial plan, not the distractions that often dominate the daily news.

Scott

Summer has a way of changing perspective.

People spend more time with family, travel more, slow down a little, and create experiences they often remember for years. And many of those moments are connected to how we choose to use our money.

Not necessarily how much we spend. But what we spend it on.

Money Is a Tool, Not the Goal

Many investors spend years focused almost entirely on accumulation. More savings, more growth, and an increasing net worth.

But eventually an important question starts to surface: “What is this money actually for?”

When people look back on meaningful summers years later, they rarely remember market returns or economic headlines.

They remember experiences. The family vacation. Time with grandchildren. One-on-one time over ice cream.

Many of the purchases that create the greatest long-term satisfaction are not luxury purchases at all. They are experiences, relationships, freedom, and time.

That does not mean saving and investing are unimportant. Long-term discipline still matters enormously. But money itself is not the ultimate goal. It is a tool.

Maximizing the Summer

Summer is a great time to ask a different type of financial question:

“What use of money would create the most lasting satisfaction for me and my family?”

Because oftentimes the highest-return use of money is not financial at all. It is creating memories that continue paying emotional dividends long after summer ends.

-Scott

© Behavioral Finance Network

The upcoming Memorial Day holiday is a time to remember and reflect. It gives us a moment to step back, gain perspective, and appreciate what matters most.

That idea applies to investing more than it may seem.

Right now, there’s no shortage of concerns. Ongoing conflict in the Middle East, rising oil prices tied to tensions with Iran, lingering inflation, and constant debate about where markets go next. Add in the growing noise around AI and the future of jobs, and it’s easy to feel uncertain.

When information comes at us this fast, it can feel like action is required.

Remembering and Perspective

This is where remembering becomes valuable.

Markets have always faced uncertainty. Different headlines, same pattern. Periods of stress come and go, and markets have historically moved through them.

It also helps to remember our own behavior. Most investors don’t struggle when markets are calm. They struggle when uncertainty rises and emotions take over. That’s when decisions shift from disciplined to reactive.

We’ve seen it before. Investors hold on during early declines, then grow impatient. Eventually, many sell when it feels hardest to stay invested, often near market lows.

That’s not a lack of knowledge. It’s a lack of perspective.

So what’s worth remembering right now?

Markets have historically rewarded patience, not reaction. Short-term uncertainty is normal, even when it feels unique. And your plan was built for periods like this.

It can also help to think back five or ten years. The headlines then felt just as concerning. Yet markets moved forward.

That’s the power of remembering.

Memorial Day reminds us to pause and reflect. In investing, doing the same can help us stay grounded, make better decisions, and remain focused on the plan, not the moment.

Scott

©Behavioral Finance Network

Every day, there’s a new headline.

Headlines such as:

• Markets drop on inflation fears
• Stocks rise on rate cut hopes
• Geopolitical tensions increase uncertainty.

It’s constant. And it’s designed to get your attention.

The problem is what makes the front page compelling often makes it a poor guide for investment decisions.

What the Front Page Gets Wrong

The front page is about what just happened or what might happen next.

Your investment plan is built around what tends to happen over time.

Headlines highlight surprise and urgency. They can make normal market behavior feel unusual.

A pullback may feel like a signal and volatility feels like a warning and need for action.

Pullbacks and volatility are not exceptions. They are part of how markets work.

Why It Feels So Convincing

Headlines are immediate and specific. They feel important.

And when you see the same message repeated, it starts to feel like something you need to act

on. But reacting to headlines often leads to short-term decisions that don’t align with long-term goals.

A Better Way to Think About It

This doesn’t mean ignoring the news. It means not letting it drive decisions.

A better question is: “Does this change my long-term plan?”

Most of the time, it doesn’t. And that’s discipline.

The front page will change tomorrow. Your strategy shouldn’t.

Scott

©Behavioral Finance Network

Most investors think they struggle with risk. What they actually struggle with is uncertainty.

Risk can be measured, diversified, and planned for. Uncertainty is different. It’s not knowing what headline to believe or what comes next. The human brain may consist of a lot of gray matter, but it hates gray areas.

Uncertainty Pushes Us to Seek Certainty

When things feel uncertain, instincts take over. The brain looks for certainty, not accuracy. In that search, it can mistake the illusion for certainty for real certainty.

That’s why markets can feel especially uncomfortable during periods like this. Mixed signals. Conflicting headlines. Strong returns alongside unsettling news. No clear narrative.

The discomfort feels real, but it’s emotional, not analytical.

Discomfort Isn’t the Same as Risk

A common mistake is assuming that feeling uneasy means something is wrong. Emotional discomfort can create the urge to regain control by changing course.

But discomfort isn’t a reliable signal. It’s often just the price of staying invested in an unpredictable world. Well-diversified portfolios are expected to feel uncomfortable at times. That doesn’t mean they’re broken.

Ironically, risk often feels lowest when confidence is highest and the future appears predictable. When we feel most comfortable is often when we should be most alert, because that’s when risk can be easiest to overlook.

Plans Are Built for Periods Like This

A good investment plan isn’t designed to eliminate uncertainty. That’s impossible. It’s designed to function through it.

Plans don’t change based on headlines. They change when goals, time horizons, or life circumstances change. That distinction matters.

Feeling uneasy doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. It means you’re human. The goal isn’t constant confidence. It’s making good decisions even when confidence is in short supply.

That’s how long-term results are built. And that’s why you have me. Together, we can make sure your decisions support your plan rather than react to the concern of the day.

Scott

©Behavioral Finance Network

Change. We spend much of our time thinking about it, predicting it, and anticipating it.

Markets change. Headlines change. Technology changes. Policies change. Every year brings a new reason why “this time is different.”

Several years ago, Jeff Bezos turned the question of change on its head. He said it is more important to consider what will not change. In other words, what are the fundamental truths we can rely upon?

What Won’t Change

Human nature.

The market, economy, players, and environment may change, but how we behave as a group seldom does. Our preferences are fairly static. Our emotional wiring hasn’t changed much, even though the world moves faster.

We Are Hardwired to Be Bad Investors

That is a fundamental truth. As humans we are emotional, we respond hastily when threatened, we overreact to uncertainty, we prefer shiny things to the mundane, and we hate not knowing. Markets give us plenty of chances to prove it.

Long-term investing is meant to be boring, but our brain desires the exciting. Most news is seductive noise to the long-term investor, and a costly distraction.

Bezos said, “When you have something you know is true, even over the long term, you can afford to put a lot of energy into it.”

Using Your Energy Wisely

Most investors spend their time and energy speculating on market outcomes and public policy, things that are unpredictable and always changing.

It would be more productive to spend our time and energy on what doesn’t change, such as human nature. The goal is not to predict tomorrow, but to respond better to whatever occurs.

That’s where planning, collaboration, and trusted advice play their most important role.

– Scott

©The Behavioral Finance Network

Most investors love economic and market forecasts. With the markets so uncertain and volatile, our brain craves some sort of idea of what the future holds. But the markets are unpredictable – evidenced by the fact that no one can consistently predict them with accuracy. Economic and stock market forecasts are not reliable, no matter what your brain tells you.

Unlike market and economic forecasts, my forecast is reliable and robust because it is based on enduring investment truths and investor behavior. These factors are more dependable than market outcomes and more important to an investor’s well-being.

My Forecast For 2026

In full disclosure, the following forecast is nearly identical to my forecast from last year and years prior to that.

• The economy/market will do something that surprises us (and the experts). In hindsight we will wonder how we didn’t see it
• The financial media will emotionalize headlines, and short-term market moves to entice you to tune in – so they can achieve better ratings
• As is typical in a midterm election year, economic narratives will diverge sharply, one party emphasizing economic hardships, the other highlighting economic progress
• Investors who watch the news and stock market often will experience more stress than those that don’t
• Investors that move to cash, waiting for a “better time,” will suffer significant uncertainty and anxiety about when and how to get back in
• Your investment decisions and reactions to market events will ­­have a significant impact on your personal investment return
• You will be tempted to change your investment strategy based on market performance, expert forecasts, and/or your personal beliefs about the future

Conviction, patience, and discipline are virtues every investor should develop. They aren’t easy, yet they are essential for your success. One of my most important roles is helping you ignore the noise and focus on what really matters to your financial success.

I wish you a prosperous, fulfilling, and happy 2026. Thank you for allowing me to be your trusted partner along the journey.

– Scott

©The Behavioral Finance Network