OUR BLOG
June 2025
Monthly Market Update for May 2025: A Positive Month Despite U.S. Debt Downgrade
Financial markets rebounded in May with the S&P 500 recovering its year-to-date losses. This positive month occurred against a backdrop of new trade agreements, mixed economic signals, and ongoing concerns about U.S. fiscal health. While many reports continued to show that the economy [...]
How to Tell if You’re Taking on Too Much Risk (Or Too Little!)
Imagine this: You check your retirement account and see a drop in value. Your stomach tightens. Thoughts race through your mind: Should I sell now before it gets worse? Is my retirement in danger? If you’ve ever felt this way, you may be [...]
May 2025
Beyond the S&P 500 Opportunities for Diversification
It’s well known that stocks are one of the foundations of long-term portfolios. When included as part of a comprehensive financial plan, stocks have historically created wealth and helped investors achieve their financial goals. However, a natural question is: what type of stocks? [...]
What Debt, Deficits, and the Moody’s Downgrade Mean for Investors
Moody's recent downgrade of the U.S. credit rating marks an official end to the country’s top-tier debt status. Following Fitch's downgrade in 2023 and Standard & Poor's move in 2011, Moody's decision to lower the rating from Aaa to Aa1 underscores growing concerns [...]
Post-Tax Season Tips for Pre-Retirees
Tax season is behind us, but for pre-retirees—those within 10-15 years of retirement—this is the perfect time to reassess financial strategies. The decisions you make now can significantly impact your retirement lifestyle, taxes, and financial security. Here are five key post-tax season moves [...]
Weathering the Storm: How Market Volatility Impacts Retirement & What You Can Do About It
Picture this: Jim and Linda, both 67, just retired after decades of hard work. They planned carefully, saved consistently, and looked forward to enjoying their golden years. But then came a market downturn. Suddenly, their portfolio dropped 20% in a matter of weeks. [...]
April 2025
Is It Time to Refresh Your Annuity? Here’s Why You Might Consider It
Annuities have long been a cornerstone for those seeking a steady income stream in retirement. However, the financial landscape is ever-evolving, and what worked a few years ago might not be the best fit today. With rising interest rates, inflation concerns, and innovative [...]
Is a Roth IRA Conversion in Your Future?
Retirees aiming to reduce their taxes in retirement can benefit from strategic conversions and transfers between traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), especially when considering the timing and financial landscape. Identifying optimal windows for Roth conversions can lead to significant tax advantages [...]
Disclosure: This commentary reflects the personal opinions, viewpoints and analyses of the O’Donnell Financial Services, LLC employees providing such comments, and should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by O’Donnell Financial Services, LLC or performance returns of any O’Donnell Financial Services, LLC client. The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice. Nothing in this commentary constitutes investment advice, performance data or any recommendation that any particular security, portfolio of securities, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person. Any mention of a particular security and related performance data is not a recommendation to buy or sell that security. O’Donnell Financial Services, LLC manages its clients’ accounts using a variety of investment techniques and strategies, which are not necessarily discussed in the commentary. Investments in securities involve the risk of loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.