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Are Your Roots Being Damaged?

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A 240-Foot Tree Fell—But Not Because of a Storm 🌲 What It Reveals About Your Finances

In this week’s video, we’re digging into the surprising reason a massive sequoia tree came crashing down—and what it has to do with your financial future. (Hint: it wasn’t the weather.)

It’s easy to overlook the small stuff—being underinsured, misaligned investments, outdated estate plans, emotional market decisions. But just like with that tree, what’s hidden beneath the surface can quietly weaken your foundation over time.

If you’re curious about the little habits that might be undermining your financial stability, hit play. We’ll walk through the red flags and how to stay rooted in good habits and regular reviews.

Need a second set of eyes on your plan? At Ross Financial, we’re here to help you stay grounded and confident in your financial life. Reach out anytime—we’re just a call or click away.

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Investing in Knowledge Today, for Your Wealth Tomorrow

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We’re excited to share that Matt is beginning a six-month professional development journey to earn a high-level designation in areas like advanced wealth management, estate planning, insurance strategies, and more. This is part of our commitment to delivering the most strategic and comprehensive financial guidance possible.

Over the next few months, Matt will be traveling between our offices and the Raymond James home office in Florida, balancing time on the road with time deep in study. While Matt will still be available, there may be times when he is a bit slower to respond to emails directly. For this, he apologizes in advance.

For a faster response, please reach out to the appropriate team:

Thank you for your continued trust, patience, and support as Matt takes this step to better serve you and your financial future. 

👉 Click the video above to watch the full message!

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Are You Misjudging Risk?

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In the book Freakonomics, the author points out that we often misjudge risk—not because we lack information, but because our emotions and personal experiences cloud our thinking. Fear can overtake logic.

The same is true when it comes to investing. Market volatility can feel unsettling, making it seem like standing still is the most dangerous move. But when we zoom out and look at history, we see a different story—just like Dylan shared in last week’s video:

  • On average, the market experiences a 14% drop each year.

  • As of today, April 4th, the S&P 500 is down about 8% for the year—with 5% of that decline happening just yesterday, April 3rd.

 

Despite the noise, market cycles remain consistent:

  • It may feel different this time, but it isn’t.

  • The headlines may change, but history repeats itself.

 

📺 Catch Dylan’s video here if you missed it.

🎥 Click the video above to watch this week’s message.

 

As always, if you have questions or want to talk through your investment strategy, we’re here to help.

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Why Market Dips Don’t Mean Disaster

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With all the recent market ups and downs, it’s easy to feel uneasy. But before you let the headlines stress you out, let’s put things into perspective.

In this video, we break down why market volatility is normal and why staying invested through the dips is key to long-term success. We’ll walk through a powerful chart that reveals a surprising truth:

đź“Š Even when the market dropped significantly, it still finished strong most of the time.
đź“Š Over the last 45 years, despite average intra-year drops of 14%+, the S&P 500 ended positive 3 out of 4 times!

The key takeaways?
âś… Volatility is normal.
âś… Dips are temporary.
âś… Sticking to your plan pays off.

🎥 Watch now & if you have concerns about your investments, we’re here to help—just reach out!

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If You Know What You Know… Why Do You Do What You Do?

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We all know that market fluctuations are a part of investing, and history has shown time and again that downturns are followed by recovery. So, if you know what you know—that the market will bounce back—why do you do what you do? Why do we still worry, panic, or make impulsive decisions? In this video, we’ll dive into the psychology behind our natural tendency to stress despite knowing that staying the course is often the best strategy. It’s natural to worry, but understanding that recovery is part of the market’s cycle can bring you peace of mind and help you stay grounded in long-term investment strategies.

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This is the most important election!!! Do you know why?

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In this video, we discuss the upcoming election and why it has been hyped as “The most important one yet”. A moderator from the presidential debate last week claimed it could have the “direst consequences”.  But is that really the case?  I ask you to reflect on the last couple presidential elections—how much do they currently impact your daily life, taxes, or investments? How much time will you spend today thinking about the positive or negative effects from the election four or eight years ago. Or furthermore, the election that will be held in four years. The reality is, your personal goals and decisions shape your financial future far more than any election results. Let’s explore why the election might not be as pivotal as it seems. Click on the video above to watch my full message.

*It is important to note that while events like presidential elections hold significant national importance, our goal is to provide perspective on their potential impact on your investments, ensuring decisions are guided by long term strategy rather than short term reactions. 

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2025 Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors. As a chairman’s council member, I am licensed to promote Forbes|SHOOK awards published in 2025. The Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors 2025 ranking, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained through telephone and in person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. This ranking is based upon the period from 6/30/2023 to 6/30/2024 and was released on 4/8/2025. Those advisors that are considered have a minimum of seven years of experience, and the algorithm weighs factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass best practices in their practices and approach to working with clients. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Out of approximately 48,944 nominations, roughly 9,722 advisors received theaward. This ranking is not indicative of an advisor’s future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of individual clients’ experience. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for thisaward/rating. Compensation provided for using the rating. Raymond James is not affiliated with Forbes or Shook Research, LLC. Please visit https://www.forbes.com/best-in-state-wealth-advisors/ for more info.

Matthew Ross has been named 2024 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, developed by Shook Research, is based on the period from 6/30/2022 to 6/30/2023 and was released on 4/3/2024. 42,108 nominations were received, and 8,500 advisors won. Neither Raymond James nor any of its advisors pay a fee in exchange for this award. More: https://bit.ly/43DMgjX. Please see https://www.forbes.com/best-in-state-wealth-advisors for more info.

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