Susan McDermott

I was the last one to ask my question which I had prepared. Surely the congressman would have some answers. The question was, “Who in the government is looking into the $21 trillion missing from the Department of Defense (DOD) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) years 1998 to 2015?” Our national debt, according to the debt clock is $21,153,150,747,369, it changes so fast to write it down. The money missing from DOD and HUD is approximately the same amount as the debt clock. Wow.

Although markets began 2018 against a rather benign backdrop, history suggests it's unlikely that the remainder of the year will be a repeat of the relative calm of 2017. As a result, investors should be mindful of the current environment and its potential risks, and begin preparing for a more uncertain future. This isn't to say that broad asset allocation shifts are necessary, but rather a review of a current portfolio's positions and preparations for a timely transition when conditions warrant.