Banking & Financial Advice

Let’s be honest—if you’ve been feeling whiplash from the stock market lately, you’re not alone. One minute it’s climbing, the next it’s tanking, and even when things look stable, there’s always another headline or political move that sends it swinging again. For those of us trying to build long-term wealth or secure a decent retirement,

In today’s dynamic real estate market, creative financing strategies have become essential tools for investors and homeowners alike.  With record high prices, skyrocketing interest rates, and more rigid underwriting requirements, all being driven by a weakening economy, “Subject To” is becoming more popular again. This approach allows buyers to acquire properties by taking over existing

Investor sentiment—not fundamentals—is what drives financial markets today.  If you need evidence, just look at the past decade: we’ve seen stocks climb relentlessly despite sluggish earnings, geopolitical instability, and ballooning debt. But when sentiment shifts, even slightly, the air comes out of the balloon fast and hard. That’s precisely what we’re starting to witness right

The April jobs report was just released, and on the surface, it looks like good news. Nonfarm payrolls came in higher than expected, which on the surface makes the job market look strong—especially considering we’re still dealing with inflation and elevated interest rates. It might seem like good news at first glance, but anyone who’s

The latest plunge in stock market performance, largely attributed to the Trump administration’s new tariffs and an overall dip in consumer confidence, has reignited a longstanding concern for American investors: volatility. Financial strategist and real estate expert Tatiana Zagorovski explores a compelling alternative that sidesteps Wall Street’s rollercoaster—private lending. “Americans have watched their IRAs value

As the U.S. economy sputters under the weight of rising inflation, ballooning federal debt, and a dangerously high reliance on government spending to prop up GDP, a growing number of policy experts are sounding the alarm. Many say it’s no longer enough to just focus on fixing Washington, D.C.—they’re calling for bold, decentralized action: a

Recent market events may leave some investors questioning whether now is the right time to change their portfolios. Since stocks are falling and bonds are rising, there’s plenty of reason to wonder which way to go. Historically, recessions are a natural part of the economic cycle, occurring on average every 3.25 years in the United

3 Things You Need to Know About Business Funding in 2025 As we head into 2025 with a clean slate and renewed optimism, it’s critical to ensure your business is running on all cylinders, and that means ensuring you have adequate funding in place. But at the same time, it’s also critical to understand the

Last night, while speaking about getting funding to a group of entrepreneurs at a mastermind event, a young guy came up to me and I could see that he was clearly bothered about something.  He nervously waited around, fidgeting the entire time until eventually, everyone else had left. I knew there was, what he thought,

Many Americans today are worried about their financial future. This isn’t a surprise to most of us because we can all see the growing economic challenges that are hurting a significant portion of the population.  It’s difficult to find a job, and even more difficult to find one that pays well enough to afford today’s

By Taylor K. Ranker II, CEO & Personal CFO, Questmont Virtual Family Office One of the most harmful, yet pervasive, myths investors face is the belief that the outcome of the next presidential election is critically important to the stock market. Every presidential election leads many investors to make short-term decisions, based on the overwhelming

Fifth Third Bank, in partnership with Community Reinvestment Fund, USA, has introduced the Small Business Catalyst Fund, a $7.85 million initiative designed to fund small businesses, across Fifth Third’s 11-state region. The fund will connect small business owners with capital options through Community Development Financial Institutions and includes grants, microloans and small business loans, ranging