The start of the year often brings a sense of change and the promise of new beginnings. While health and wellness often take center stage during this time, it’s important not to overlook another vital pillar of well-being: financial health.

As we close out another remarkable year at Willow Creek Wealth Management, we'd like to express our deepest gratitude for the trust and partnership you’ve shared with us.

Wouldn’t it be great to just skip the bad periods and enjoy only the good ones? Unfortunately, trying to time the market based on the perception of market valuation has been academically proven to be nearly impossible to accomplish on any consistent or reliable basis. Success hinges on time in the market, not in timing the market. The longer you stick to your allocation, the more likely you are to achieve the return your portfolio was designed for.

"Having an advisor at Willow Creek, it’s such a trusted source of information…no question is a stupid question. We feel totally comfortable asking anything."

“People say, ‘Well, why not just invest in an index fund or whatever?’ And I say, well, you still have to watch that….and you don't get all of these other personal benefits.”

"They said, 'Go to Willow Creek. Everybody we know goes to Willow Creek.' So, we did…we were able to get our questions answered and make decisions that were right for us.”

With all the benchmarks we follow currently at or near record highs – coupled with US political concerns, interest rate uncertainty, and major global conflicts – clients have raised some big questions. How do we, as investors, reconcile a soaring stock market with such negative world news? Will the markets continue to rise to even greater heights despite so much turmoil? Unfortunately, the answers to these questions are simply unknowable. There is good news though: as a diversified investor, your portfolio has been carefully crafted to adapt to whatever may be on the horizon. 

With the 2024 US presidential election on the horizon, many investors are understandably concerned about how the outcome might affect their portfolios. Given the polarized political climate where both sides see the other as a threat to the nation’s future, it's only natural to wonder how your investments will fare. However, history shows us that a disciplined, long-term investment strategy will weather the storms of political change. 

Our team had the opportunity to visit Glen Oaks Ranch, an anchor preserve in the Sonoma Land Trust system of protected open space in Sonoma County for a guided hike through the property to learn about its unique history and value as a key part of the Sonoma Valley Wildlife Corridor.