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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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Summer Solstice

Happy June! As we reach the halfway point of the year, it’s a great time to reflect on your goals and celebrate the progress you’ve made. Warmer days and longer evenings offer the perfect opportunity to recharge, refocus, and plan ahead with clarity and confidence.

• NO JULY NEWSLETTER – Please note that we will be "pausing" the Newsletter for July. The next issue will be posted in August and we hope you will "tune in".

• AFP SUMMER HOURS – Reminder: We are currently operating on our summer hours, meaning we will close at 3 pm on Fridays instead of 5 pm. Our summer hours will last through Labor Day (September 1st). Any calls or emails received after 3 pm on Fridays during this period will be answered the following Monday.

• STAFF VACATIONS – We will each be taking some time off during the summer months. If you anticipate needing fund transfers or other issues we can assist with, please provide some lead time, if possible.

• SCHWAB DIGITAL ONBOARDING – We will be implementing Schwab's Digital Workflows for establishing new accounts, updates, and authorizations. This will apply to the processing of Required Minimum Distributions in 2026.

• STAFFING CHANGES – As of 6/9, Erik Danielson is no longer with Alexander Financial Planning. We appreciate everything he did to help us during his time here and wish him the best.

• MUSIC ON THE LAWN – Our sponsored Music on the Lawn concert went great, with the rain holding off for a beautiful evening. The Hip Replacements played some mellow Rock and Soul music that brought back some nostalgia. Thank you to those who attended!

• BEWARE OF TEXT SCAMS – Please do not reply to text messages if you are not expecting them or do not recognize the sender. This includes messages for tolls, parking tickets, banks, IRS, UPS, and similar entities.

Click below to read our June 2025 Blog edition.

How to Pass Your Airline Points Down to Your Heirs

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

STAGFLATION – The ISM Services Index fell to 49.9 in May (from 51.6), signaling contraction. For the first time since November 2007, Prices Paid hit a 2-year high while New Orders dropped to a 2-year low—a rare and troubling mix of rising inflation and weakening demand. (Source: Bloomberg)

MORE DOCTORS PLEASE – Job postings for software development and information design/documentation are down 37%+ from pre-COVID levels (Feb. 2020), as AI threatens white-collar tech roles. Meanwhile, physicians and surgeons have seen the largest increase in demand—highlighting where human expertise remains irreplaceable. (Source: Indeed)

TARIFF IMPACT – In the NY Fed district, 33% of manufacturers and 45% of service firms said they fully passed tariff-related cost increases on to customers. About 25% of firms in both sectors fully absorbed the costs themselves. (Source: New York Fed)

HOUSING ON THE RISE – The switch has flipped in the housing market, with there now being a surplus of sellers. In April, the housing market had half a million more sellers than buyers, being the biggest gap on record in seasonally adjusted data going back to 2013. (Source: Redfin)

GRADUATE UNEMPLOYMENT – Recent college and high-school graduates are facing an employment crisis. The national unemployment rate remains at around 4%, but the unemployment rate for new college graduates is 6.6% over the last 12 months ending in May. It is about the highest level in a decade, other than the pandemic unemployment spike, and up from 6% in the 12-month period beforehand. (Source: Wall Street Journal)

The annual unemployment rate for recent graduates in the United States was 6% for the 12 months ending in May 2024, compared to the rate increase to 6.6% in May 2025. The graph displays the data for both high-school and college graduates based on age.

Below is the chart displaying annual US unemployment rates among graduates for calendar years 2018 through 2025.

Source: Labor Department via St. Louis Fed

Is Pet Insurance Worth It? What to Know

By Shannon Fromma

Source: Times Union

The Times Union outlines the benefits and drawbacks of pet insurance, noting it can help cover unexpected vet bills but often excludes pre-existing conditions and requires upfront payment. It emphasizes that costs vary by pet age and coverage type, urging owners to compare plans or consider alternatives like emergency savings.

Click here to read this article.

Why You Need to Protect Yourself Against Smishing

Source: TD Bank

TD Bank highlights the growing threat of smishing—fraudulent text messages from scammers posing as trusted organizations (e.g., banks, delivery services) to trick users into revealing personal info or clicking malicious links. It advises pausing before reacting: verify the sender, avoid sharing sensitive data via text, delete or report suspicious messages, and use spam filters, two-factor authentication, and account monitoring to stay safe.

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 27+ 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

"Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you."  

- Oprah Winfrey