Investing

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Bracket Busting: Coping with Life’s Unexpected "Upset" Wins and Losses

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Bracket Busting: Coping with Life’s Unexpected "Upset" Wins and Losses

Out of 36 million brackets submitted to major online games for the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, only four perfect brackets remained heading into the final day of the second round.

And none of those brackets stayed perfect heading into the Sweet 16.

Still, even though "perfect" is no longer possible, the tournament will go on. There will be more upsets, more blow-outs, and more brackets busted. And fans all over the country will cheer some wins, cope with some disappointments, and find new teams, players, and storylines to root for if their favorites don't make it all the way.

Throughout the course of your financial plan, you'll often have to let go of "perfect" and adjust to the ups and downs that life throws at you. These three strategies can help you stay in the game and win round by round all the way to retirement.

A Simple 5-Step Portfolio Checkup Anyone Can Do

A Simple 5-Step Portfolio Checkup Anyone Can Do

Most people glance at their accounts, see that the balance is up or down, and move on. But that surface check can hide deeper issues like unnecessary overlap or risks that don’t match your current life situation. A simple portfolio review starts with asking the right questions and being crystal clear about what each investment is doing for you.

Here’s a five-step audit you can run on your own accounts:

Annual Market Review - 2025

As 2025 has come to a close, this annual market review breaks down the key economic forces, policy decisions, and global events that shaped market performance across major asset classes this past year. We highlight how equities, fixed income, and global markets responded throughout the year—and what those trends could mean for long-term investors heading into 2026.