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MONTH-2-MONTH

JULY 2026

MONTH-2-MONTH is intended to provide you with updates on AFP and timely financial planning and investment information on a variety of topics. 

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MID-SUMMER MOMENTS

It's hard to believe we're already halfway through the year. July is a great time to reflect on the progress you've made this year, but it also provides time to pause and check in with yourself before the year is over.  A quick review now can help you stay on track while still enjoying everything this season has to offer. 

CLIENT APPRECIATION EVENT- Save the date! Join us on Friday, August 21, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. for our Client Appreciation BBQ. An email invite is on its way! Enjoy delicious food, refreshments, and a relaxed afternoon with the AFP team and fellow clients. Feel free to bring your neighbor or a friend.



OFFICE SIDEWALK REPAIR- The sidewalk replacement project originally scheduled around our office has been delayed. Construction has not yet begun, and we have not received an updated timeline. We will provide further updates as they become available. 

Click below to read our July 2026 Blog edition.

Financial Planning for Loved Ones with Special Needs



We would enjoy receiving your feedback on our Blog. Please share any comments or suggestions for future topics with us via email.

HOUSING - The 30-year fixed mortgage rate stands at 6.55%, near the 5-year average of 6.32%, while the median home price of $403,200 is 2.2% below one year ago, per Federal Reserve (FRED) data. Year-over-year home price growth accelerated to 0.8% in May 2026, up from 0.6% in April, according to Cotality. (RealestatedataliveCotality)

INFLATION - The Consumer Price Index fell a seasonally adjusted 0.4% in June, bringing annual inflation down to 3.5% from 4.2% in May — the biggest monthly decline in more than six years, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics (as reported by CNBC). Core CPI (excluding food and energy) was unchanged in June, rising 2.6% over the year, per BLS. (CNBC)

ENERGY - The Federal Reserve has held its benchmark federal funds rate at 3.50%–3.75% through four consecutive meetings, with its next decision scheduled for July 29, 2026, under new Chairman Kevin Warsh. CME FedWatch currently assigns roughly a 25% probability to a 25-basis-point hike at the July meeting. (Intellectia.AIIntellectia.AI)

EMPLOYMENT- U.S. nonfarm payrolls rose by a seasonally adjusted 57,000 in June, well below the 115,000 consensus forecast, while the unemployment rate dropped to 4.2%, per BLS data (via CNBC). The decline in unemployment was accompanied by a 0.3 percentage point drop in labor force participation, to 61.5% — the lowest since March 2021, per BLS (CNBCU.S.)

INTERNATIONAL MARKETS/GLOBAL ECONOMY - The IMF projects global growth of 3.0% for 2026 and 3.4% for 2027, broadly unchanged from its April forecast, though the war shock is weighing on energy importers while AI-driven demand lifts economies tied into the tech supply chain. Global headline inflation is expected to rise from 4.1% in 2025 to 4.7% in 2026, before easing to 3.9% in 2027, per the IMF's July World Economic Outlook Update. (International Monetary FundInternational Monetary Fund)

The second quarter earnings season kicked off last week. Analysts are projecting the S&P 500 earnings to rise 23% year over year. Energy is expected to have grown 120%, while IT's projection is 61%. This Chart shows the shift within IT, between Hyperscale and semiconductors, since the demand for chips and memory has outpaced supply. Looking forward, the pace at which earnings have been growing may be at its peak.

Source: J.P. Morgan Asset Management, "Weekly Market Recap July 20, 2026

J.P. Morgan

Trump Accounts Are Now Live. Here’s What You Need to Know

By Jeanne Sahadl

Source: CNN Business

Image by Canva

A new federal savings and investment account for children, called Trump Accounts, was rolled out on July 4th. These accounts are available to any U.S. child under the age of 18, where parents, grandparents, and other family members can make contributions for a child’s benefit.  One key feature, the federal government will contribute $1,000 per child born between 2025 and 2028 to their account. Additionally, some children may qualify for additional contributions from philanthropic organizations and private donors, especially if they are in lower- and middle-income communities. 

With any new type of account created, one needs to determine if this is appropriate for their family’s situation. This article provides some nuts and bolts for one to consider before taking the next step of establishing this type of account.   

Click here to read this article.

Mid-Year Market Outlook

By Teri Alexander

Source: Numerous, see Disclosure

Image by Canva

As we turn the page on the first half of 2026, we enter the second half of uncharted territory. Despite the geopolitical tensions, a change in the U.S. Federal Reserve chair, rising inflation, and fluctuating energy prices, the markets chugged along, driven by positive earnings. 

Given the feeling of uncertainty, many investors are perplexed by how resilient the markets have been. If we can look past the headlines, perhaps this will help. Our Market Comment may help to put some of this into perspective.  

Click here to read this article.

Do you know someone who can benefit from FINANCIAL PLANNING?

At Alexander Financial Planning, we are passionate about financial life planning. We also know that it is not just about the numbers. While numbers are important, they are there to support your hopes, dreams, and desires. When we can put all the components of financial planning together, (cash flow, insurance, investing, taxation, and estate planning) your unique picture of a path forward comes into view. For 28+ years, we have been helping individuals and families develop their plan and navigate the twists and turns each year.

Whether you’re planning for retirement, becoming an empty nester, or navigating how to take retirement distributions, we are your thinking partner. We are here to make sense of it all, one step at a time. If now is the time for you or someone you know to get serious about your financial future, contact us. We’d love to be of service. 

WHAT SETS US APART

In Honor of National Ice Cream Month

"Age does not diminish the extreme disappointment of having a scoop of ice cream fall from the cone."



- Jim Fiebig