River Financial Planners

07/28/2026

Heat waves can affect more than daily comfort and public health. They can also create real economic costs.

Extreme heat can reduce productivity among outdoor workers, increase utility bills, strain power grids, reduce crop yields, and keep some consumers closer to home.

One federal climate assessment found that the average number of heat waves in major U.S. cities each year has doubled since the 1980s.

Researchers have also found that more frequent extreme heat and severe droughts can weigh on gross domestic product, while heat-related economic losses have reached trillions of dollars globally in recent decades.

The impact can be especially significant for heat-exposed industries such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing, transportation, and mining.

For households and businesses, extreme heat is a reminder that weather risk can affect budgets, supply chains, labor productivity, food prices, and energy costs.


Source:

Heat waves threaten costs for the economy, sapping workers' productivity, shutting shoppers inside their homes and driving up utility costs, analysts told ABC News.

07/04/2026

06/21/2026

Happy Father's Day to the dads who make a difference in every way.

05/21/2026

Extended care is one of the biggest wild cards in retirement.

Costs vary by location, care type, and health needs—but they've all been rising faster than many realize.

These five insights can help you understand what drives costs and why they often catch retirees by surprise.



Sources:
CareScout, Cost of Care Report, July–December 2024
AALTCI, Long-Term Care Insurance Statistics & Data 2025
EBRI/Greenwald, 2025 Retirement Confidence Survey, April 2025

04/29/2026

There's a crossover moment every long-term investor experiences, and it can change how you think about money forever.

It's the point at which your total investment earnings exceed your total contributions, meaning your portfolio is now doing more work than you ever did.

As this chart shows, it doesn't happen overnight. In year 5, earnings are barely visible. But by year 25, earnings have pulled ahead.

The most powerful financial decision you can make isn't picking the right investment. It's staying committed to your strategy long enough to reach that crossover.

Where are you on this chart? Drop a year or decade in the comments.

04/15/2026

Tax Day Is Here – and So Are Extensions! If you’ve already filed and ended your yearly business with the IRS, congrats! If you are filing extensions, congratulations on getting that process underway. Alongside your tax professionals, we wish you a timely resolution to this yearly ritual.

04/14/2026

Private-sector hiring showed modest growth in March, with payrolls rising by 62,000.

While that total was slightly below February’s revised level, it came in above expectations and reflects continued, though uneven, job growth.

Most of the gains were concentrated in a few areas. Education and health services accounted for the majority of new jobs, while construction also contributed. Other sectors saw more limited growth or declines.

Smaller businesses played a notable role, with companies employing fewer than 50 workers leading hiring activity during the month.

At the same time, borrowing costs and broader economic conditions continue to influence hiring patterns, with some industries showing more caution than others.


Source:

Private sector employment growth kept pace, but health care and construction continued to provide nearly all the momentum.

03/18/2026

A tax refund can be a welcome surprise, but deciding what to do with it matters.
From tackling high-interest debt to contributing to long-term goals (or simply treating yourself), every choice can reflect what’s most meaningful to you.



Sources:
FINRA, “6 Smart Ways to Use Your Tax Refund,” March 18, 2025

CNBC Select, “5 Smart Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund,” April 11, 2025