10/01/2026
October 1776 brought one of the Revolution's most underappreciated victories. On Lake Champlain, a ragtag American fleet commanded by Benedict Arnold — yes, that Benedict Arnold, years before his infamous betrayal — engaged the vastly superior British navy at the Battle of Valcour Island.
Arnold lost the battle. But he bought the Continental Army something priceless: time. The British advance was delayed enough that they postponed their march southward until the following year, giving Washington's forces the winter to regroup and refortify. That strategic delay contributed directly to the American victory at Saratoga in 1777, which brought France into the war as an ally and turned the tide of the Revolution.
In financial planning, timing matters — but not always in the way people think. The goal is rarely to find the "perfect" moment. It is to create the conditions that let time work in your favor: diversifying in advance of uncertainty, rebalancing before the shift rather than after, and planning for tax efficiency before year-end rather than scrambling in April.
As October begins, we encourage you to think about year-end planning. Are there opportunities to harvest losses, maximize contributions, or adjust your allocations before December 31? Your Hampton Square advisor is ready to help you make the most of the months ahead.
Sometimes the most strategic move is the one that buys you time. In investing — as in revolution — patience and preparation create the conditions for eventual triumph.
Planning ahead with you.
