College costs and student loans have been a highly debated topic in the past several years, with the conversation becoming heightened in the past few months. In late April 2022 there has been talk of forgiving up to $10,000 of student loan debt through executive order. This has been met with both praise and criticism. The newest generation facing the cost of higher education has some specific opinions about the concept of the government paying off student loans.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been around for over two years, wreaking havoc in many areas of life. This pandemic, masking, and shutdowns have been challenging for everyone, regardless of what personal beliefs one has regarding the topic. Some areas of the country have handled the situation very cautiously, while others began operating close to normally quite some time ago. Some individuals feel that we need to move on and get back to normal, leaving Covid-19 and the pandemic in our rear-view mirror, while others feel that the pandemic will be an ongoing issue for many years.

Generation Z currently makes up about 20 percent of the U.S. population, with ages that range from 9 years old to 25-26 years old. These individuals are entering the workforce and changing the landscape of what is expected from employers. Generation Z investors have different priorities and are making their career decisions differently than generations before them.

Inflation is impacting everyone, even affluent households.  According to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual inflation rate at the end of May 2022 was 8.6%, the highest level since 1981, as measured by the consumer price index.  The common belief is that inflation impacts the middle and lower class more dramatically, but even wealthier households are feeling the pinch….and some of their reactions could even hurt the economy more.

Cryptocurrency has been challenged in the past few months with Bitcoin, one of the most popular cryptocurrencies, struggling to stay above $20,000. 

In a year in which the stock market has already dropped significantly, the ability for a financial advisor to create a significant investment return in 2022 will be challenging.  What are the expectations of investors?  If the market is somewhat bearish, do investors still expect their advisors to have a positive investment return?