Readers of the newsletter we sent yesterday regarding President Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs might be tempted to think “what a difference a day makes.” While we welcome the midday news of a 90-day pause of the “reciprocal” portion of the tariff (not the base 10% tariff) for those countries that have not retaliated against the United […]
Many essayists have employed the above excerpt from Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass, a follow up story to Alice in Wonderland. It is common enough that using it now risks the charge of cliché. But seldom has the misuse of a word—in this case, “reciprocal” in President Trump’s April 2nd tariff announcement—been so widely broadcast […]
As you may recall, last year we began implementing a move to an emerging market stock index that excluded investment in Chinese companies. That move did not eliminate portfolios’ exposure to Chinese equities but rather shifted the decision about investability to actively managed mutual funds. One such manager offers here their outlook for the Chinese […]
The decline of US stocks the past few weeks is neither cause for panic nor celebration. Rather, pending the development of circumstances making for a compelling trade opportunity (about which we would separately communicate), this is a chance to observe the benefits of investing broadly and limiting the stock concentration that would result from adhering […]
News from KBBS
Cameron Barsness named one of Forbes’ Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State for Washington
Seattle, WA, March 04, 2025—Kutscher Benner Barsness & Stevens is proud to announce principal Cam Barsness was named to the 2025 Washington State Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State list compiled by Forbes in partnership with SHOOK Research. This is the third year in a row that Cam was included on the list. For the past nine […]
This is the time in the calendar when we write about the prior year and our thoughts about the investment environment moving forward. This year, the timing coincides with us recommending an adjustment across client accounts (separate correspondence about the specifics of trading, if applicable, will follow as needed), so that will be the focus […]
Several days removed from the conclusion of this presidential election cycle, we find ourselves revisiting the remarkably familiar themes that surrounded the 2016 election, and observations we shared at that likewise transitional time, many of which continue to be relevant today. As was the case then, and with a second Trump administration set to take […]
As we approach election day, we expect that many of you, like us, are experiencing varying measures of anxiety, anticipation, hope and apprehension. There are many “what ifs” to contemplate, and some that may keep you up at night, but as we review historical norms, market sentiment, and analytical data, we’re comforted that elections, at […]
KBBS shareholder Gianna Giusti spoke with Ben Mattlin of Financial Advisor Magazine for an article about the final IRS rule on inherited IRAs. “The industry generally saw this coming,” said Gianna Giusti at KBBS Financial in Seattle. Two years ago, the IRS released proposed regulations that indicated what would happen, she said. But in certain […]
Summer is supposed to be the season when the only thing to pursue seriously is leisure. The culture sections of newspapers (or their online equivalents) are loaded with lists of books you should read at the beach. Of course, that’s essentially an unreachable ideal, like your author keeping his truck washed. (A little Vashon humor […]