By Colleen Weber, CFP^®, CPA

After a three-year rally, the financial markets have been down for seven straight days, marking their worst slide since the pandemic decline in March of 2020. (1) Monday’s market dip put the S&P 500 down over 10%, which is officially called a “correction” on Wall Street. (2)

In addition to the stock market decline, inflation has been causing concerns. Because inflation is reaching 40-year highs, it is expected that the Federal Reserve will begin raising interest rates in the spring, which could potentially slow the economy. (3)

Investors are understandably nervous about their investments and their purchasing power. If you are worried about your portfolio, you’re not alone. But during stock market volatility, it’s important to keep a level head to avoid financial mistakes.

By Colleen Weber, CFP^®, CPA

I’ll let you in on a secret: one of the best ways to retain more of your wealth is to reduce the burden of taxation. And this isn’t something to deal with once a year when tax day comes; ongoing tax planning can help you strategically reduce your tax bill so the IRS doesn’t get more of your money than they should.