Joe Shearrer, CPFA - Wealth Advisor

10/08/2026

The Price Is Noise. The Income Is the Return.

One of the biggest misconceptions about bonds is that when interest rates rise, bonds are automatically a bad investment.

That’s not necessarily true.

Yes, bond prices fall when rates rise. You’ll see that decline reflected in the value of a bond fund or ETF.

But here’s what often gets overlooked:

Bonds aren’t just about price. They’re about income.

Consider a five-year bond yielding 4.5%.

If rates rise by 1%, the bond might lose roughly 4.4% in value.

But it’s also paying you about 4.5% in interest that year.

Over five years, that’s roughly 22.5% of income.

And if you hold an individual bond to maturity, you generally receive the face value back at maturity, assuming the issuer makes its payments.

That changes the way I think about rising rates.

Higher rates aren't necessarily the enemy of an income investor. They can actually be a raise.

As bonds mature and the proceeds are reinvested at higher yields, the income generated by the portfolio can increase.

And historically, starting yields have been a powerful indicator of longer-term bond returns.

That’s especially important today.

In 2022, bonds suffered one of their worst years ever. The Bloomberg Aggregate Bond Index fell roughly 13%.

But the bond market entered that year yielding less than 2%.

There simply wasn't much income to cushion the decline.

Today, yields are considerably higher.

That means investors have a much larger income cushion than they did heading into 2022.

So the next time you see a headline saying “Bonds are falling,” don't just look at the price.

Ask:

What am I getting paid to own them?

And perhaps even more importantly:

What will that income look like over the next 5–10 years?

Price matters if you need to sell tomorrow.

But if you're investing for retirement income, stability and long-term cash flow, the income is the part that compounds.

Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for educational purposes only and is not investment advice.

09/23/2026

The most expensive financial mistake in retirement may not be a market downturn, it may be making a decision without understanding the tradeoffs.

Before signing anything, ask: What does it cost? How liquid is my money? What are the tax consequences? And what am I giving up?

Good retirement planning starts with understanding the decision, not just the product.

09/01/2026

Always get a second opinion before signing a contract.

08/20/2026

08/04/2026

The Question Every Investor Should Ask

07/20/2026

Are you within 5-10 years of retirement?

The biggest retirement mistakes usually don't happen after you retire, they happen before you ever leave your job.

In my latest YouTube video, I walk through 10 critical things you should do before retiring, including:

✅ Creating a retirement income plan
✅ Developing a Social Security claiming strategy
✅ Stress-testing your retirement plan
✅ Planning for healthcare costs
✅ Reducing taxes in retirement
✅ Reviewing your investment risk
✅ Updating your estate plan
…and more.

Retirement isn't just about how much you've saved, it's about turning those savings into a reliable income that can support the lifestyle you've worked so hard to build.

If you're approaching retirement, this video could help you avoid some of the most common and costly mistakes I see.

🎥 Watch the full video here:
https://youtu.be/hSQN1p3HQkA

If you find it helpful, I'd appreciate it if you'd like the video, subscribe to the channel, and share it with someone who's preparing for retirement.

What if I told you that some of the biggest retirement mistakes hap...

07/17/2026

Earnings season is off to a much stronger start than many expected.

Here's what we've seen so far:

📈 89% of financial companies in the S&P 500 that have reported second-quarter earnings have beaten Wall Street's expectations.

📈 On average, those companies exceeded earnings estimates by an impressive 21%.

📈 As a result, the financial sector is now on pace for approximately 18% year-over-year earnings growth, helping lift projected S&P 500 earnings growth to 25%—and only about 10% of the companies in the index have reported so far.

So what does this mean for investors?

Corporate earnings are one of the biggest long-term drivers of stock prices. When companies consistently earn more than expected, it often reinforces confidence in the overall economy and provides support for equity markets.

Of course, one strong week of earnings doesn't guarantee where markets go next. There will still be headlines, volatility, and surprises along the way.

That's why it's important to focus on long-term fundamentals rather than day-to-day market noise.

The story of this earnings season is still being written, but it's off to an encouraging start.

Are you paying more attention to the headlines—or to the fundamentals behind them?

07/16/2026

One of the biggest investing mistakes isn't panic selling...

It's assuming the future will look exactly like the market expects.

While it's important to respect long-term trends and recognize that great companies can remain great for years, the most successful investors also understand that the future is never guaranteed.

The real risk isn't just being wrong.

It's building your entire financial plan around a single outcome.

That's why every retirement strategy should answer questions like:

✅ What if inflation stays higher for longer?
✅ What if markets experience another prolonged downturn?
✅ What if you retire earlier than expected?
✅ What if you live 10 years longer than planned?

Good investing isn't about predicting the future.

It's about preparing for multiple possibilities so your plan can withstand whatever comes next.

The strongest retirement plans aren't built on hope—they're built on flexibility.

How often do you review your plan for "what if" scenarios?

07/01/2026

10 Books Every 20-Year-Old Should Read Before Investing Their First Dollar

One of the biggest advantages a young investor has isn't picking the "perfect" stock...

It's time.

Someone who starts investing at age 20 has decades for compound growth to work in their favor. But before opening a brokerage account, it's worth investing in something even more valuable—financial knowledge.

Here are 10 books that can help build a strong foundation:

📚 The Simple Path to Wealth – J.L. Collins
📚 The Psychology of Money – Morgan Housel
📚 The Little Book of Common Sense Investing – John C. Bogle
📚 I Will Teach You to Be Rich – Ramit Sethi
📚 The Millionaire Next Door – Thomas J. Stanley & William D. Danko
📚 The Richest Man in Babylon – George S. Clason
📚 The Automatic Millionaire – David Bach
📚 A Random Walk Down Wall Street – Burton G. Malkiel
📚 Rich Dad Poor Dad – Robert Kiyosaki
📚 The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing – Taylor Larimore, Mel Lindauer & Michael LeBoeuf

If I could give one piece of advice to every young adult, it would be this:

Start early. Stay consistent. Let time do the heavy lifting.

You don't need to beat the market—you need to give your money enough time to grow.

📈 Which book had the biggest impact on your financial journey? Share it in the comments. Your recommendation could help someone just getting started.

06/25/2026

The Federal Reserve may be changing how it communicates—and that could matter just as much as what it does.

One of the biggest takeaways from last week's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting wasn't an interest rate decision. It was the expectation that the Fed may provide less forward guidance in the future.

What does that mean?

Instead of signaling every potential policy move well in advance, the Fed could return to a communication style similar to the Alan Greenspan era—shorter statements, fewer clues, and more ambiguity. The goal is to allow markets to determine prices more naturally rather than relying on constant guidance from policymakers.

For investors, this likely means:

✅ More volatility in short-term interest rates
✅ Greater uncertainty surrounding future Fed decisions
✅ More opportunities for disciplined, long-term investors

History shows that while different Fed Chairs have significantly impacted volatility in the front end of the Treasury market (1-5 year maturities), the long end has remained relatively stable. In other words, communication styles may influence market swings more than they influence the overall level of interest rates.

For income-focused investors, that creates an interesting opportunity. Periods of heightened volatility can present attractive entry points, particularly in the 1-5 year Treasury market, where yields remain compelling.

Market uncertainty isn't something to fear—it's something to understand. Having a well-diversified portfolio and a disciplined investment strategy becomes even more valuable when headlines create short-term volatility.