What Makes This Moment Different?

Every generation of investors faces challenges, but some periods stand out as truly historic. Today we’re dealing with:

• Years of artificially low interest rates that pushed investors into riskier assets, driving valuations to extremes.
• Persistent inflation that quietly erodes purchasing power, especially for retirees on fixed incomes.
• Record levels of government and corporate debt, which limit policy flexibility when the next crisis hits.
• An “Everything Bubble” mentality, where nearly every asset class feels priced for perfection.

None of these factors, by themselves, are new. What’s different now is how many of them are happening at the same time, on a global scale, after more than a decade of financial experimentation by central banks and policymakers.

The Hidden Cost of “Normal”

One of the most dangerous words in investing is “normal.”

• “Markets always come back.”
• “This is just a dip.”
• “The Fed will fix it.”

Those phrases might have felt reassuring in the past, but they can be misleading in a world where the foundation itself has changed. When the cost of living rises faster than your portfolio, “normal” returns may not be good enough. When valuations are stretched, “normal” volatility may not tell the whole story about risk.

In historic times, the biggest risk is assuming you’re in ordinary times.

When the Old Rules Don’t Feel Right Anymore

Many investors are quietly wrestling with questions they don’t always say out loud:

• “Why do I feel uneasy, even though the market is near all-time highs?”
• “Why does it seem like bad news doesn’t matter anymore?”
• “If inflation is ‘under control,’ why does everything still cost so much?”
• “How can the market keep rising when the real economy feels fragile?”

These aren’t paranoid questions. They’re rational responses to a world where:

• Short-term narratives often overshadow long-term math.
• Policy decisions can move markets more than company fundamentals.
• Traditional “60/40” portfolios don’t feel as safe as they once did.

Historic times demand a different level of awareness, patience, and discipline.

Risk Has Been Redefined — Especially for Retirees

For retirees and those approaching retirement, this environment is especially critical. You’re no longer just asking, “How much can I make?” You’re asking:

• Will my income keep up with the cost of living?
• Can my portfolio survive a major market correction?
• How do I avoid being forced to sell when markets are down?

In an era of elevated valuations and persistent inflation, risk isn’t just about volatility on a chart — it’s about sequence of returns, purchasing power, and the timing of the next big drawdown. Treating today’s environment as “just another cycle” can be dangerous.

What You Can Control in Uncertain Times

You can’t control the Fed, the markets, or world events. But you can control how prepared you are. That starts with:

• Clarity – Understanding where you are exposed and where you’re resilient.
• Alignment – Making sure your investments match your actual goals, timeframes, and risk tolerance today, not five or ten years ago.
• Flexibility – Having a plan that can adapt as conditions change, rather than one that only works if everything goes right.
• Discipline – Avoiding emotional reactions driven by fear or euphoria when headlines get loud.

Historic times don’t require panic. They require intentional planning.

My Work in a Historic Moment

As an independent advisor, my focus is helping investors recognize the reality of the environment we’re in — and then build strategies that respect it. That often includes:

• Stress-testing portfolios for major market corrections.
• Evaluating whether current allocations still make sense in a high-debt, higher-inflation world.
• Exploring ways to reduce unnecessary risk while still pursuing meaningful growth.
• Helping clients think beyond “What did the market do this year?” and toward “Will I be okay if the next 10 years look very different from the last 10?”

We can’t script the future, but we can prepare for more than one version of it.