News and Commentary

Wall Street experienced notable volatility in October, only to see each of the benchmark indexes listed here close the month higher. The NASDAQ led the benchmarks, reaching a new record high. This surge was heavily influenced by a surge in AI stocks. Several major tech firms posted favorable corporate earnings data for the third quarter. Overall, the percentage of S&P 500 companies reporting positive earnings surprises, at 83.2% through quarter three, was above the long-term average.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act both preserves existing tax benefits and introduces provisions that may encourage you to rethink the timing and method of your gifts.

For nearly a quarter century, employers have been able to offer their retirement savings plan participants age 50 and older a valuable opportunity — the chance to make additional catch-up contributions to their plan.1 Thanks to the SECURE 2.0 Act passed in 2022, that opportunity became even more valuable: Employers may now allow plan participants age 60 to 63 to contribute even more than their other catch-up eligible peers through "super catch-ups." In 2025, the standard plan contribution limit is $23,500. Participants who turn age 50 to 59 and 64 and older in 2025 can contribute an additional $7,500, while those who reach age 60 to 63 can contribute an additional $11,250. However, SECURE 2.0 also included a provision requiring catch-up contributions to be made on a Roth basis for certain high-earning employees. In September 2025, the IRS issued final regulations related to these mandatory Roth catch-ups, which will begin to take effect in 2026.