May 2026 - Why Your "Why" Matters | |
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What Are Your Decisions Building | Legacy is often thought of as something we leave behind someday, but in reality, it is being built through the small decisions we make every day. It is shaped not only by what we accumulate, but by what we model, prioritize, and pass forward over time.
One behavioral tendency that quietly impacts legacy is present bias, our tendency to prioritize immediate comfort or short-term rewards over long-term impact. Most people know that meaningful things like trust, financial stability, strong families, and lasting stewardship take years to build, yet daily decisions often drift away from those deeper values.
That is one reason our Purpose-Built Planning process matters so much. It helps families move beyond simply reacting to life and instead intentionally align their financial decisions with what matters most to them over time. True legacy is rarely built accidentally.
Perhaps the most revealing question is this: if someone studied your calendar, spending habits, and daily choices over the first 5 months of this year, what would they conclude matters most to you?
Don’t aim for perfection. Aim for intention.
Visit lecontewealth.com to learn how Purpose-Built Planning helps turn intention into lasting progress. | | | |
| | Know Why, But Also Know Your Why | What keeps people moving forward through uncertainty, challenge, and major life decisions?
In this post, we explore the story of frontiersman Jedediah Smith and how his journey across unknown territory still offers a meaningful lesson today: lasting progress requires both a clear “why” and a trustworthy “how.”
From relocating a family across state lines to helping clients navigate financial decisions with clarity and confidence, this piece reflects on purpose, vision, and the value of having a proven path forward.
Click here to read the full article. | | | | | |
| | Life's Curveballs | Life has a way of throwing curveballs when we least expect them. A medical diagnosis, job loss, market downturn, or unexpected expense can quickly test even the most confident families.
In this post, we explore why financial resilience is rarely about avoiding hardship and more about preparing wisely before challenges arrive.
Using lessons from baseball, parenting, and nearly 30 years of financial industry experience, Jon outlines practical ways families can strengthen their financial foundation and stay steady when life changes direction unexpectedly.
Click here to read the full post. | | | | | |
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Recently Published On Financial Friction | Zachary Waterer Joins LeConte Wealth as Chief Practice Manager
We are excited to officially introduce Zachary Waterer as Chief Practice Manager at LeConte Wealth. Zachary joins our team with 17 years of experience from JPMorgan. He embodies a thoughtful leadership style grounded in humility, continuous improvement, and a passion for helping teams operate with clarity and purpose.
In his role, Zachary works closely with firm leadership to strengthen operational systems, improve processes, and support the continued growth of our client-centered practice. With experience in organizational leadership, operational strategy, and process improvement, he is helping build the infrastructure that allows our team to continue serving clients with excellence and intentionality for many years to come.
We are grateful to have him as part of the LeConte Wealth team and for the impact he will make. | | | |
| | Economy In Focus | The Data: - 7,563 – S&P 500 hits a fresh all-time high on May 28, driven by strong corporate earnings.
- 3.8% – Headline CPI came in above the 3.7% consensus (core 2.8% YoY); inflation remains elevated, largely from energy and travel costs.
- $4.56/gallon – Memorial Day weekend gas prices hit a 4-year high, up over 50% since the start of recent geopolitical tensions, with Brent crude surging above $110/barrel.
Commentary: May continued to show an economy that remains more resilient than many expected, although there are signs that pressure is building beneath the surface. Strong corporate earnings and steady consumer spending have helped support markets in the short term, even as higher energy prices, persistent inflation, and rising interest rates create new challenges.
Corporate earnings have been one of the biggest drivers of the recent market rally. Much of that strength continues to come from large technology companies and AI related semiconductor businesses. That momentum helped push the S&P 500 to new highs during May, while several major consumer companies also reported stronger than expected results, suggesting consumers are still spending despite ongoing concerns about the economy.
At the same time, energy markets and interest rates are telling a different story. Oil prices moved sharply higher due to geopolitical tensions and supply concerns, pushing gas prices up heading into the holiday weekend. Those higher energy and travel costs continue to feed into inflation pressures, while bond yields have climbed to levels not seen since before the Financial Crisis. Markets have also adjusted expectations around Federal Reserve policy, with investors now believing rates could stay higher for longer than previously expected.
Consumer behavior remains one of the more interesting dynamics in today’s environment. Sentiment surveys continue to show that many Americans feel pessimistic about the economy, yet spending has remained relatively healthy overall. However, after nearly three years of real wage growth outpacing inflation, purchasing power has recently started to soften again as inflation pressures remain elevated.
For investors, the environment continues to reward discipline over emotion. Strong earnings and innovation continue to support markets, but higher inflation, elevated rates, and policy uncertainty still represent meaningful risks. In periods like this, maintaining diversification, focusing on quality businesses, and avoiding reactionary decisions often matters more than trying to predict the next headline. | | | |
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| LeConte In The News | If you haven't heard, the Levitt AMP Music Series presented by LeConte Wealth is coming to the Theater in the Park this summer with FREE live music every Thursday evening (7pm-9pm). Concerts will begin June 4th and will wrap up July 30th.
Bring your lawn chairs, gather your friends and family, and we'll see you under the stars in Downtown Maryville!
For more information, visit maryvillemusic.com | | |
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| | Copyright 2026 LeConte Wealth Management, LLC. All Rights reserved. Advisory services offered through LeConte Wealth Management, LLC. an SEC registered investment adviser. |
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