West Financial Services

The main concern for markets in the coming weeks is negotiations on the debt ceiling. Recently, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen raised the stakes when she moved up her estimate of a possible default to June 1st. As that date approaches, investors are becoming increasingly concerned with the debt ceiling debate, and the ramifications should the U.S. government be in default.

For many folks, the recent turmoil in the regional banking sector has added a fresh new layer of anxiety about their finances. The media has not helped matters either, calling it the 'greatest banking crisis since the financial crisis of 2008.' To be fair, it is the only banking crisis since the financial crisis. Nevertheless, at West Financial, we have heard from clients who question whether their investments are safe, or if they should be concerned. Based on this apprehension, we thought it a good idea to write a refresher on what risks clients assume when utilizing different savings instruments.

My husband likes to tell me not to anthropomorphize our dog by giving him human feelings and emotions. But the reality is that humans have done such a good job at breeding and domesticating dogs that they can reflect human emotions and have some big feelings of their own. So, what's a person supposed to do if their best friend is displaying signs of depression or anxiety or "reactivity?"