Sarah Santeufemio, Financial Planner with Statera Retirement

10/26/2026

US equity markets finished the week mixed, as rising oil prices and renewed concerns over the sustainability of AI capital spending drove a rotation out of technology and communication services stocks and into defensive sectors and government bonds. The S&P 500 fell 0.5% for the week, pressured by a sharp selloff in communication services shares after Meta Platforms announced plans to significantly increase capital spending, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted a modest gain as investors sought shelter in more defensive names. Treasury yields declined across the curve, as flight-to-safety demand outweighed lingering inflation concerns following the prior week’s hotter-than-expected September CPI report. WTI crude oil rose approximately 4.3% on escalating Middle East tensions, while gold fell 4.1% amid a broader cross-market selloff ahead of the October Fed meeting. On the economic front, the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index fell to its lowest level since June 2012, as mortgage rates above 7%, labor shortages, and elevated supply costs continued to weigh on builder sentiment.

10/23/2026

Everyone has their version of Retirement. Your Retirement SHOULD be about doing what you want to do.

For my daughter, that means buying a boat. 🚤 😏 Whatever your “boat” is, let’s make a plan for it.

10/23/2026

Three things for an employee to look at if your ESOP company is sold:

1️⃣ What does this mean for you financially? It’s important to be clear on the details – price per share, deal structure, and your voting rights are all important considerations.

2️⃣ How and when you’ll get paid – this varies, so it is important to be clear on the details about vesting, payout timing, and form of payment to expect.

3️⃣ Taxes and distribution options – for many employees, this may be the largest sum of money ever received, so it’s important to understand how it is taxed and how it fits in your overall financial plan.

Don’t go it alone – I can help you understand these considerations and more. Let’s connect.

10/22/2026

The best financial lessons often start at home. As Halloween approaches, consider using candy budgets, costume spending, or trick-or-treat rewards as opportunities to teach children healthy money habits.

This Halloween, candy as currency can become a lesson on budgeting, market value, even taxes. This article covers suggested lessons parents can teach kids.

10/21/2026

Are you keeping the right score when you look at your investments? Not all returns tell the same story. Some measure performance differently.

The team’s score tells you one thing. How many goals you scored tells you something else. Same game. Different measure.

Understanding the difference in Retirement can give you a better picture of what your money is really doing.

10/19/2026

US equity markets delivered a mixed and volatile performance for the week, as a deepening selloff in AI-related stocks and a hotter-than-expected inflation report pressured growth-oriented areas of the market while defensive sectors held up. The S&P 500 fell 1.9% for the week, its worst weekly loss since June, as surging crude oil prices renewed inflation fears and chipmakers declined for an eighth consecutive session. Treasury yields moved lower on the week, as a mid-week spike following the inflation report was reversed by a flight to safety amid the equity selloff. WTI crude oil rose approximately 8.4% as supply disruptions tied to conflicts in the Middle East and Russia pushed prices above $100 per barrel. The September Consumer Price Index showed headline inflation of 3.7% year-over-year and core prices rising 0.3% month-over-month, both above expectations, while September retail sales increased 0.8%, driven largely by higher gasoline spending.

10/19/2026

We spend a lot of time talking about retirement planning; saving, investing, Social Security strategies etc. THIS right here, is what all that planning is meant to support. 🎣

More time. More choices. More ordinary days spent doing the things you enjoy.

10/16/2026

You’re not alone if you struggle with this in retirement… But hey, we may have more in common than just figuring out how to make the numbers work. 😉

10/15/2026

“Someday” isn’t a retirement strategy. Retirement has a way of sneaking up on you. Know what you’re working towards. Understanding your options so you can make adjustments before things become urgent. 💀 The sooner you have a plan, the more options you have later.

If retirement has been on your “I’ll get to it” list, maybe it’s time we talk.

10/14/2026

What will your Starbucks run cost you in retirement? ☕ Apparently INFLATION isn’t on everyone’s radar. 😂