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Finding Balance in 2023: Save the Date & Virtual Webinar Preview for 2023 Q1

December 27, 2022
There have been few times in history quite like the past two years. From the pandemic to the recovery the following year, to rate hikes to supply and employee shortages, we have experienced a decade worth of activity in 24 months. Let's take a look at finding balance in 2023.
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"When I Change What’s on My Investment Watchlist"

November 20, 2022
While preparing for the Q4 BTWM Virtual Lunch Webinar on November 3, I received a question via email, which I answered during the 35-minute meeting. How often do you change the top stocks you're watching closely, and what makes you move on from tracking one company to another?
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Reasons for Hope and Controlling What We Can: Q4 BTWM Lunch Webinar Recap

November 19, 2022
Ryan O'Connell started the Q4 BTWM Virtual Lunch Webinar with a discussion on the impact midterm elections will have on the market, which appears to be minimal. Generally speaking, the market likes gridlock. The market benefits from gridlock because it protects us from what some believe to be rogue policies, which put the future....
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What's at the Top of My Watchlist

October 25, 2022
In a post published earlier this month (read here!), we talked about wide-moat stocks. To summarize, wide-moat stocks are companies that have a significant competitive advantage over their competitors. A silver-lining to the dramatic reduction in P/E this year is that some of these wide-moat companies are trading at steep discounts to their fair value.As indicators show that a recession is likely, companies that are almost certain to survive even a lengthy recession, like wide-moat companies, be
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Recession Protection: Quick Introduction to “Wide-Moat” Assets

October 15, 2022
Is the economy coming to storm your retirement castle? Learn how wide-moat stocks may provide you some relief during difficult times.
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Recession is Coming; Now What? BTWM Q4 Webinar Preview

October 11, 2022
Take a look at the weather in the market. A storm (recession) is imminent. What we don’t know is how strong that storm will be. We’re not sure if we need to take shelter or simply dust off the umbrella. With unemployment remaining low, company earnings staying strong, and the FED paying close attention to market conditions, the incoming storm appears to be an extended drizzle. What Should We Do About It? When you know something is coming, you can plan for it, right? Well...
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Get Your Records in Order NOW: BTWM Virtual Seminar with Sonja Reece

September 23, 2022
Who has time to organize records?  Well, there are some things you have to make time for, and organizing records is one of them. After all, if you don’t take the time to organize your records before or during retirement, who will? The answer is those you love, that is if they can even find the records they’ll need.  The types of documents that you need to organize include:   HealthHomeCar InsuranceFinancial Will And more   In an upcoming virtual seminar hosted b
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Pantagraph Readers’ Choice Results Announced

September 16, 2022
  Last month, we were excited and proud to be alerted that we were nominated for not one, but two Pantagraph Readers’ Choice Awards. We shared that news with you and asked for your continued support through votes for us in both categories. Today, we received the official results of the awards.  But before we share the final results, we want to thank you for voting for Blooming Tree Wealth Management!  We were pleased to learn that we placed 2nd for Best Financial Office
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Q3 BTWM Virtual Lunch Webinar Recap

August 18, 2022
On Thursday, August 4, Ryan O'Connell hosted the quarterly BTWM Virtual Lunch Webinar. Here is a short recap of the webinar.
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What is Causing the Selloff, and Should We Be Worried? BTWM Webinar Preview

August 17, 2022
Make no mistake about it, the market is down. But this is not 2007 or 2008. Despite experiencing a significant dip in the market, we need to look past the red in our portfolios to look closer at what is causing the selloff. There is no forced shutdown or recession like there was in 2007, no bubble has popped, and massive government bailouts for companies aren’t needed to save the market from bottoming out. The current selloff in the market is not due to corporate weakness; it’s
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What is Causing the Selloff, and Should We Be Worried? BTWM Webinar Preview

August 17, 2022
Make no mistake about it, the market is down. But this is not 2007 or 2008. Despite experiencing a significant dip in the market, we need to look past the red in our portfolios to look closer at what is causing the selloff. There is no forced shutdown or recession like there was in 2007, no bubble has popped, and massive government bailouts for companies aren’t needed to save the market from bottoming out. The current selloff in the market is not due to corporate weakness; it’s
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BTWM Q3 Virtual Lunch Webinar Preview: Join Us on August 4 at 12 PM

July 30, 2022
Imagine moving from a Chicago high-rise apartment to your own two-story home here in Bloomington-Normal. While each has benefits, there is one clear difference between a high-rise apartment and a two-story home – the space between you and the ground. In the first half of 2022, the market moved into a two-story home after a massive rise, and the ground floor is currently much closer than it was to start the year. While the value of assets has dipped, the good news is...
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Save the Date for BTWM’s Q3 Virtual Lunch Webinar 8/4 12pm

June 17, 2022
Put an hour time block in your Outlook or Google calendar for August 4 at 12pm Central to join us for a free Virtual Lunch Webinar! Every quarter, Blooming Tree Wealth Management hosts a free Virtual Lunch Webinar that is open to anyone. Each webinar, led by Ryan O’Connell, includes the following: A look at the current market A preview of what experts and research are saying about the near future What Ryan is keeping an eye on in the market Trends to trackOpen Q&A session Take a lo
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Waiting for Positivity: BTWM Q2 Webinar Recap

May 27, 2022
Are you waiting for something positive to happen in the market? Don't wait for positivity, go out there and find it. In this post, we look at the recent BTWM Virtual Lunch Webinar and what there is to be positive about in the current market.
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Finding the Next FAANG & Discussing Recession: BTWM Q2 Webinar: Join Us on 5/19

April 13, 2022
How are you feeling about the current state of the market? For many of our clients at BTWM, there are concerns, and rightfully so. The first quarter of the year has been a bumpy one with many ups and downs, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the fallout from the Russian attack.On May 19, 2022, at 12pm, Blooming Tree Wealth Management’s Ryan O’Connell will host the second BTWM Virtual Lunch Webinar of the year. The webinar will cover the current state of the market, finding
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The Fed, Omicron, Earnings, & More: Q1 BTWM Virtual Lunch

February 24, 2022
On February 10th, Blooming Tree Wealth Management hosted our first Virtual Lunch Webinar of the year and discussed the Market outlook for 2022.We started the virtual lunch by taking a peek at the 2022 LPL Outlook. We also looked at the Market’s current state and discussed what actions the Fed (Federal Reserve) may feel forced to take. At present, the Market is focused on and reacting to three main Fed moves: Raising ratesTaperingReducing the balance sheet One question submitted during th
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Preparing Your Portfolio for 2022: Your Invitation to BTWM’s Q1 Webinar

January 26, 2022
Welcome to 2022. Here at Blooming Tree Wealth Management (BTWM), we are optimistic about 2022, but risk-aware. The new year brings new opportunities, but some of the same old questions. Learn more and join us for our Q1 webinar.
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What is Thematic Investing, and Why Should You Care?

January 22, 2022
Netflix wasn’t the first company to offer streaming services, and Tesla wasn’t the first company to offer electric vehicles. While predicting a company that will turn into a unicorn is challenging, to say the least, identifying themes that will grow over the next 20-30 years, like electric vehicles and internet traffic, is much more feasible. On October 21, BTWM hosted a virtual lunch webinar to discuss thematic investing. We hosted guest speaker Sara Tunnell, Analyst and Produc
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Protecting Your Purchasing Power: BTWM Virtual Lunch Webinar Recap

November 30, 2021
What do you expect from your financial advisor? Clients work with Blooming Tree Wealth Management (BTWM) to protect their purchasing power in retirement. Everyone’s purchasing power appears to be at risk because of the current state of the market. Inflation, which decreases our purchasing power, is on the way after adding nearly 30% of the total amount of money in circulation (USD). We discussed purchasing power, thematic investing, and where opportunities can be found in the mar
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Uncovering Opportunity in Today’s Stock Market: BTWM Q4 Lunch Webinar Preview

October 13, 2021
Join us for the next BTWM virtual webinar to discuss uncovering opportunities in today's stock market. We will host this free virtual webinar lunch on 10/21 at 12 pm, and we will be joined by a special guest.
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How Bond Yields Make the Stock Market a “TINA” Trade

September 13, 2021
On Thursday, July 29th, I held a virtual lunch webinar on behalf of Blooming Tree Wealth Management. During the talk, we discussed “speeding slower,” meaning we expect the economy to continue to move forward but at a slower pace than the first half of 2021. One of the main topics was the “TINA trade.”TINA = there is no alternative.TINA refers to the stock market in relation to bonds. In past generations, bonds have been a safe and useful investment tool for retirement fun
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Virtual Lunch Takeaways: “Opportunities of a Hot Economy” with BTWM

September 8, 2021
The three quarters of 2021, in a word, have been overwhelming for investors. We have seen strength in the economy that I have not witnessed in my entire career, powered by an unprecedented amount of money being poured into the country.But where are we headed, and how should you adjust your retirement portfolio?On Thursday, July 29th, I held a virtual lunch webinar on behalf of Blooming Tree Wealth Management. The theme of the talk, which covered the LPL Mid-Year Outlook, was “speeding slow
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Challenges, Consequences, and Opportunities of a Hot Economy: Join BTWM for Our

July 21, 2021
The first half of 2021 has been almost as exciting as 2020 was concerning for investors. Mentioned in the LPL Mid-Year Outlook 2021, the U.S. GDP has seen growth between 6.25-6.75% and the S&P 500 is currently over 4,300.There is a lot to be happy about as an investor, but market trends don’t always last, and the current rate of growth we are seeing is not sustainable.  If you have been following recent chatter about the stock market, you are well aware that a market correction, a
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5 Takeaways from BTWM’s Virtual Lunch

May 8, 2021
On April 30, we hosted a free virtual lunch using GoToMeeting. Ryan O'Connell led our discussion about the last year in the market, where we are now, and how to view the future as an investor. Here are 5 takeaways from the 40-minute conversation.
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“Is the Glass Half Full or Half Empty?!” Join BTWM on 4/30 for Virtual Lunch

April 20, 2021
It is hard not to be pleased with the performance of the market over the past year. After a severe dip at the start of the worldwide pandemic, we have seen a record-setting uphill climb that has led us to new highs. Despite gains, here at Blooming Tree Wealth Management, we are hearing a blend of excitement, caution, and fear in the tone of our clients in emails, calls, and visits.It is hard to believe how well the market has performed over the past 12 months as we reach yet another S&P 500
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Taking a Look Back and Forward with LPL’s 2021 Research Outlook

December 22, 2020
2020 is winding down. Before we begin to look ahead to 2021, let's quickly reflect on the past year and what lessons we can take with us while we're positioning ourselves for a great financial year.We have recently received the LPL Research Outlook for 2021, and we would like to share that full report along with a few of our takeaways.
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10 Truths No Matter Who Wins: Investments and the Election; Attend our Workshop

October 5, 2020
There is nothing permanent except change. Change is scary, and an election is upon us, meaning change is imminent. Regardless of who you are voting for in November (11/3), the outcome is going to affect us all. But what impact will the president have on your investments, and to what degree?There are positives to take away from either scenario we are facing in terms of your future and the future standing of your retirement account. While we all have thoughts on how p
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Nearing Retirement? Free Workshop on How to Tiptoe Through the Medicare Minefiel

September 10, 2020
Nothing in life is free, including Medicare. Not only do you pay for it with your taxes throughout your professional career, you will also have out of pocket health care expenses in retirement. On average, retirees spend from $6,000 - $8,000 annually even with Medicare. Spread out over a 25-30-year retirement, you could end up spending $250,000 on health-related expenses alone.The thought that Medicare is free is just one of many “mines” you can run into when navigating the Medicare
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Nearing Retirement and Facing Change? Avoid This Huge Mistake – Sequence of Retu

July 28, 2020
Change can be challenging to navigate, especially when you have specific goals that are impacted by that change. When your employer merges with a competitor several years before your planned retirement, change is inevitable. How you react to that change will determine your future. Learn more in this article that explains sequence of return risk.
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“Financial Planning in Transition” Free Workshop for Advocate BroMenn Employees

June 19, 2020
When big changes happen in your life, it’s time to review your goals and ensure that your current path is aligned with what you want your future to be. With the news of a merger with Carle health system, Advocate BroMenn employees find themselves in a period of change and uncertainty.  To help guide you through this transition, Blooming Tree Wealth Management Founder Ryan O’Connell, in conjunction with the Community Health Care Clinic, will host a free “Financial Plan
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Market Update from Ryan O’Connell of Blooming Tree Wealth Management

March 23, 2020
The market is down during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The market has responded to the unknown and uncertainty of our current situation. Are the losses in the stock market justified? At this point, it's hard to tell. We do not know how this pandemic will impact companies' earnings. Uncertainty causes fear...
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Creating Retirement Streams of Income: What You Need to Know

December 13, 2019
Take a second to picture what you want retirement to look like. Are you sipping a margarita at the beach? Relaxing at a new home in Florida? Taking trips to visit your grandchildren? Traveling around the world?Whatever it is you want to do to get the most out of retirement, income is going to be an important part of it. By building streams of income, you can protect yourself against fluctuations in benefits, inflation, the stock market, and other uncertainties. Retirement Income Streams: What an
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Your Retirement Planning Guide: When and How to Start Planning

December 13, 2019
Retirement, sooner or later, is coming. Are you prepared? You deserve to retire happy, healthy, and wealthy enough to live out the rest of your life the way you want to. You also deserve to rest assured that your financial future is in good hands. In this short guide, we will cover misconceptions, when you should start planning for retirement, what to do if you're starting late, how to get started planning for retirement, and more.
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