Weekly Wrap-up

🔒 How We Keep Your Information Secure At Asti Financial Management, your privacy and security are top priorities. We understand the vulnerability clients feel when they share their financial information via the internet.  We realize how important it is to protect your...

The Bay Area was rattled last week by a 4.3 magnitude earthquake centered in Berkeley, just south of Cal Memorial Stadium. The quake struck at 2:56 a.m. and was followed by several aftershocks, including a 3.0 later that evening. More than 22,000 residents reported...

Last Wednesday, Nvidia (NVDA) shares dropped more than 2% after China’s internet regulator banned the nation’s largest tech firms from purchasing their custom AI chips designed for the Chinese market. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) instructed TikTok...

The Federal Reserve just announced its first interest rate cut of the year, lowering its benchmark rate by a quarter point to 4.0%–4.25%. The move signals concern about a cooling labor market, even as inflation sits slightly above the Fed’s 2% target.  So, what does...

Markets are buzzing with contradictions. Today (9/11) the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up over 600 points.  What’s going on??  Well, on one hand, U.S. stocks keep touching fresh record highs (like today). On the other, the bond market is flashing warning lights...

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are a  great tool for building tax-free savings. Used correctly, they give you three layers of tax benefits: contributions go in tax-free, growth is tax-free, and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are also tax-free. That’s a...

Technical finance—the laws, products, tools, and market forces shaping your financial landscape—is ever-evolving and incredibly complex. From tax law changes to the emergence of new financial products, staying current is a full-time job. While general financial...

It’s easy to assume that personal finance is all about numbers—but your brain might be your portfolio’s biggest risk factor. Emotional decision-making, cognitive biases, and family dynamics can unknowingly sabotage your financial well-being. That’s why behavioral...

Many people hesitate to hire a financial planner because the value seems hard to quantify. After all, it’s not always clear how paying an advisor really translates to tangible results.  Whether the Planner charges 1% of your assets under management, or you are working...

Cash Back vs. Miles vs. Points: Which Card Is Right for You? (Part 2) In Part 1, we broke down the three major types of credit card rewards: cash back, points, and miles. Now in Part 2, we’ll help you decide which one makes the most sense for your lifestyle—and walk...