Freedom Advisory

This chart shows how long you're expected to live based on your current age, split by gender. Here's the part people miss: the older you get, the longer you're expected to live. Hitting 80 doesn't mean you're near the end. It means your odds of reaching your 90s just went way up.

A 50-year-old man is expected to live to 80, while a woman is expected to live to 83. But if that same man reaches 80, he's now expected to make it to 89. Reach 90 and the number climbs to 94. Women live longer than men at every age, but the gap shrinks from 3 years at 50 to 1 year by 90.

Living for 30 years in retirement was rare. Now it's common. The harder problem isn't running out of time, it's running out of money before you run out of life. That means income that holds up into your 90s, a spending pace that can go the distance, and coverage that fits a longer life than most people plan for.

The S&P 500 annual return bars reflect the total percentage change in the index over a full calendar year. The diamonds reflect the largest drawdowns within each year.

From 1990 to 2025, the S&P 500 has delivered an average annual return of 10.1%. This impressive performance, however, has been accompanied by volatility, as investors have faced an average intra-year drawdown of -14.1% during that period. This shows that while gains have historically been significant in the S&P 500, they have not come without volatility.

In the current year, the S&P 500 has posted a year-to-date return of 5% and an intra-year drawdown of -9%.

Markets are sending mixed signals right now. Short-term weakness across equities contrasts with still-solid 3–5 year returns, especially in tech and large caps. Volatility picking up again is a reminder: discipline and asset allocation matter more than timing.

Recent market performance shows a divergence in global equities:

• S&P 500: -2.28%
• Dow Jones: -2.63%
• Nasdaq: -3.76%

Meanwhile:

• MSCI World ex-USA: +1.62%
• Emerging Markets: +6.25%

As U.S. markets pause after a strong run, international and emerging markets are showing renewed strength.

A timely reminder that diversification across global markets matters.

At Freedom Advisory, we focus on long-term positioning rather than short-term market noise.

This chart illustrates how the S&P 500 has historically performed in the year following 2-day oil price surges of 20% or more, dating back to 1986.

There have been 8 unique instances of oil surging 20% or more over a 2-day period (since 1986). In 7 of 8 cases, the S&P 500 was higher one year later. The S&P 500 has generated a -1.00% return since March 6, 2026.

While past performance is not indicative of future results, the chart shows that the S&P 500 has historically shown resilience in the year following 2-day oil surges of more than 20%.

The chart illustrates the rolling one-year performance spread between international and U.S. equities since the early 2000s. Positive periods indicate times when international stocks outperformed U.S. stocks over the prior year, while negative periods reflect periods of International underperformance.

The performance spread between international stocks and U.S. stocks over the past year is 13.2%.

The observed shifts in relative performance highlight how leadership between regions has varied over time. These rotations underscore that relative returns across global equity markets can change across different market environments rather than remain consistently concentrated in a single region.

The chart shows the number of years the S&P 500 has fallen into various annual return buckets, highlighting the range of market performance over time.

The data shows that the most common annual return for the S&P 500 historically has been between 10% and 20%. The second most common annual return is between 20% to 30%.

The takeaway for investors is that the S&P 500 has historically tended to deliver positive annual returns. However, it's essential to recognize that negative return years are still part of the market's history. Even in strong years, there have historically been down years, and investors should be prepared for this mix of good and bad years as part of the long-term investment journey.

The chart illustrates the power of dividends in driving long-term growth. When dividends were reinvested, the $1 invested in the S&P 500 grew significantly more over time compared to an investment without reinvested dividends.

As of January 8, 2026, a $1 investment in the S&P 500 with dividends reinvested (since 1990) would have grown to $39.97. However, a $1 investment in the S&P 500 without dividends reinvested would have grown to just $19.29 over that same timeframe.

The chart emphasizes the value of a buy-and-hold investment strategy that includes reinvesting dividends. The compounding effect of dividends has dramatically enhanced the growth of an investment in the S&P 500 over time.

A new year brings new opportunities. At Freedom Advisory, we look forward to guiding our clients through the year ahead with thoughtful planning and a long-term perspective.

Happy New Year!

This Christmas season, we’re thankful for the relationships that make our work meaningful. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your financial journey. Wishing you a Merry Christmas.