Insights

The market backdrop has shifted quickly in 2026, with AI disruption, rising oil prices from geopolitical tensions, and growing concerns around private credit replacing earlier optimism.

You chose a career in federal service. That means you have access to one of the most comprehensive retirement systems in the country — a three-legged stool that, if you understand it and use it well, can give you a genuinely secure retirement. The problem is that many federal employees spend decades accumulating benefits they barely understand. Whether you're five years into your career or approaching your final stretch, here's what you actually need to know.

The U.S. stock market enjoyed a second straight rally last week as geopolitical tensions shifted, at least temporarily, from escalation to diplomacy.

Medicare is more complex than most people expect. Many people approaching retirement assume Medicare works like a single, simple insurance policy; you turn 65, you sign up, and you're covered. The reality is quite different. Medicare is a multi-part system, and the choices you make at enrollment can affect your costs, access to providers, and financial exposure for years to come. Knowing how each piece works will put you in a much better position when enrollment time arrives.

Wall Street enjoyed a tech-led rally despite the escalation of the conflict with Iran and a pivot in fiscal policy following President Trump's request that Congress approve a $1.5 trillion total defense budget for 2026, funded, in part, by a 22.6% cut in domestic discretionary programs.