Most people spend decades preparing for retirement. They save consistently, invest diligently, and build an investment portfolio designed to grow over time to replace their paycheck one day.

Retirement has long been treated like a finish line, but the truth is much different than that. It is a multi‑decade journey of living with purpose and meaning. The mosaic of your retirement may be composed of a mix of time spent with family and friends, travel, volunteering, and an active lifestyle.

This winter, we had the pleasure of hosting two students from Northview High School through our six-week financial literacy student shadow program in our Sylvania, Ohio office.

At SJS, we often talk about what it means to build a better life. While investing and financial planning play an important role, we know the foundation of a better life is much broader than simply making sound financial decisions. Living a more meaningful life often starts with small, consistent habits.  

Every January, Wall Street releases its newest flurry of S&P 500 year‑end predictions. And inevitably, we’re asked where we think the market is headed. At SJS, we certainly have opinions, but we don’t publish short-term market forecasts or build client portfolios around them.

Are valuations excessively high? Do record earnings justify selling? Headlines that stir fear are not new. Investors often get caught up in market noise, but recognizing that news headlines are often written to prioritize clicks over nuanced truth can reduce stress.

Do you remember when AOL was the internet? When hearing “You’ve got mail” felt like a small event, and logging on meant you were connected to the future?

The beginning of 2026 is a natural checkpoint to make sure your saving, gifting, and protection strategies still match the life you are living today. Your financial planning can benefit from a fresh look at the start of each year and we have a some actionable ideas to start the new year on the right foot, financially.

As we excitedly look forward to the year ahead, we remain deeply committed to empowering you to build a better life and providing the peace of mind you deserve.

Each quarter, we create an outlook that covers topics including general investment market conditions, financial planning considerations, and SJS news.

This fall, we had the pleasure of working with Isaac Saffold, an intern from Georgetown University. Isaac joined us through a meaningful connection — he was referred by the Georgetown football coach, as SJS Senior Advisor Andrew Schaetzke also played on the team. It’s a great example of how strong relationships open doors and create opportunities.

As you look ahead to 2026, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the new financial and tax updates. To make things simpler, we want to highlight the key numbers to keep on your radar this year.

As we discussed in our last blog post, Congress passed the long-anticipated One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). True to its name, this legislation covers a wide range of tax and financial provisions. And for business owners in particular, the impact is meaningful [1].

Interest rates don’t always make headlines, but when they do, they tend to shake everything else. That’s because rates sit at the heart of the economy: they influence borrowing costs, savings yields, and business investment.

At SJS Investment Services, we’re always looking for fresh perspectives on wealth and how it impacts families, communities, and future generations. On March 11, we attended an event at the Toledo Museum of Art’s Glass Pavilion, Next Generation Philanthropy: Purpose, Not Privilege, featuring a conversation between Kristen Keffeler, author of The Myth of the Silver Spoon and Aly Sterling Philanthropy.

The SJS Q4 2023 Outlook includes our insights on small town values, MarketPlus® Investing, and planning financially for the new year. We also highlight new SJS Team members and look forward to Q1 2024.