In a week of extraordinary market volatility, I sat down with Cullen Roche to discuss the recent tariff-induced market mania.

We discussed:

• How tariffs actually work
• Why economists (across the political spectrum) overwhelmingly agree they are bad
• What yesterday's "90-day pause" means for the markets going forward

We also discuss how retirement investors should adjust their portfolios during this time of economic uncertainty.

Listen to our conversation on your favorite app 👇

How Tariffs Actually Work (And Why They're Shaking the Market) ​Learn how tariffs actually work, common misconceptions, what the 90-day pause means for investors, and how to adjust portfolios. 🎙️ Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube​

Fear Meets Resilience

If you’re feeling uneasy about things right now, you're not alone.

Markets are volatile, headlines are unnerving, and the future feels uncertain.

It’s a lot.

And yet, when my mind starts to spin, I find some clarity in history.

We can learn a great deal from past market crises—what caused them, how investors responded, and the process of recovery that followed.

In every case, whenever we thought, “This time is different,” we eventually made it through.

As Josh Brown recently wrote:

From the Great Depression to the oil shocks of the 70s...from 9/11 to the financial crisis...from the COVID crash to today’s geopolitical uncertainty and policy whiplash...

...investors have faced fear, loss, and doubt time and time again.

And still, historically, the long-term trajectory has been growth.

In fact, through 13 recessions and 11 bear markets over the last 70 years, U.S. stocks have delivered average annual returns of about 8%.

This doesn't mean every portfolio follows the same path.

And it doesn’t mean things aren’t painful in the short term.

But history reminds us of two things:

1. Fear is temporary
2. Resilience is real

History gives me hope, but I don’t want to oversimplify.

Just because markets have always recovered doesn’t mean every investor experience is the same, or that every moment of volatility feels manageable while it’s happening.

Yet, it is noteworthy that we don’t help our clients invest based on assumptions that everything will always go up.

In fact, we specifically design strategies to include a variety of asset types—some intended to grow, some to preserve, some to help buffer against shocks—because real life is messy, and markets reflect that messiness.

No portfolio is perfectly protected from short-term pain.

But the goal isn’t perfection.

It’s durability.

The work we do with our clients around setting retirement goals, clarifying priorities, and choosing the right mix of investments is a big part of what contributes to long-term resilience.

If you're feeling uneasy, I get it.

These are tough times, and staying invested isn’t always comfortable.

But reacting emotionally to short-term swings can often create long-term setbacks.

History repeats that pattern, too.

If you want to discuss your strategy or share what’s on your mind, I’m here.

This is exactly the kind of moment we plan for.

Stay wealthy,

Taylor Schulte, CFP®