College graduates looking to join the workforce this year encountered the most discouraging labor market in recent memory. The class of 2025 saw the number of job postings on Handshake (a career platform used to recruit college graduates) decline 15% from the previous year. The number of applications per job increased by 30%.
Throughout your career, retirement planning will likely be one of the most important components of your overall financial plan. Whether you have just graduated and taken your first job, or are starting a family, enjoying your peak earning years, or preparing to retire, your employer-sponsored retirement plan can play a key role in your financial strategies.
There’s no denying the benefits of a college education: the ability to compete in today’s job market, increased earning power, and expanded horizons. But these advantages come at a price. And yet, year after year, thousands of students graduate from college. So how do they do it?
There are five estate planning documents you may
need, regardless of your age, health, or wealth:
1. Durable power of attorney
2. Advance medical directives
3. Will
4. Letter of instruction
5. Living trust
Over the past several years, news reports have grown more intense about the precarious global supply of rare earth minerals. Yet outside scientific and national security arenas, many people may not fully understand the importance of rare earths. What are these mysterious materials and why are they receiving so much attention?
On April 2, 2025, an executive order was issued eliminating the de minimis exemption for low-value imports from China, which previously allowed U.S. consumers to buy goods worth up to $800 directly from online marketplaces based outside of the United States without paying duties. Since the order took effect on May 2, some U.S. shoppers have been surprised by notices from shipping carriers requesting duties that in some cases surpassed the value of the items that were ordered.1
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into law on July 4, 2025, after months of deliberation in the House and Senate. The legislation includes multiple tax provisions that will guide individuals, business owners, and investors in planning their finances for many years to come. It makes permanent most of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) tax provisions that were set to expire this year, while delivering some new deductions and changes.
Buffett’s investment strategy evolved into a blend of quality and value — which means he identifies well-run companies with solid balance sheets that are priced fairly based on their intrinsic value (the earnings and cash flow that the underlying business produces for shareholders). Having bought his first stock at age 11, he became known for diligent research and diving deep into the financial statements of his businesses and acquisition targets.
After you die, somebody must take charge of your estate and settle your affairs. This person will take your estate through probate, a court-supervised process that winds up your financial affairs after your death.
Armstrong Dixon
1500 Sulgrave Ave.,
Baltimore, MD 21209
443-563-1111
Armstrong Dixon is a private wealth management firm, founded in 2013 and headquartered in the Mt. Washington Village of Baltimore City, MD.
Stay up to date with our monthly newsletter.
The LPL Financial Registered Representatives associated with this site may only discuss and/or transact securities business with residents of the following states: DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, MD, MO, NC, NY, OR, PA, VA and WV
Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through ADE, LLC, a registered investment advisor. ADE, LLC and Armstrong Dixon are separate entities from LPL Financial.