September 2025 Newsletter

Waterstone September 2025 Newsletter - Fall looks fine

Uniquely Waterstone for our unique Waterstone clients 

In this Issue: 

• Investor Stamina: Earnings, Events
• Family Preparedness: Estate Plan Thinking
• Appreciate Community: CHQ online, Fringe Festival, The Company Theatre
• Fun and Useful
  

The focus of our newsletters and website:

Investor Stamina – Information to strengthen your staying power during ever changing conditions.

Family Preparedness – Family (immediate, extended, chosen) are a central consideration to our clients’ lives.

Appreciate Community – Because we are all lucky, lucky to live where and how we do.

Investor Stamina

The strength of the economy as seen in the low unemployment rate and healthy balance sheets of households and corporations makes for positive economic growth.

Factors ahead per Rob Brown, Julex webinar 8/22/2025 (with permission)

The future will be determined by:

• Global trade war
• Relaxation of regulation and enforcement
• Encouraging speculation and manias
• Stimulus resulting from
  • Increased govt spending
  • Federal Reserve printing money
• Shrinkage in the US labor force
• Radical reduction in federal funding for basic research
• Preventing foreign scientists and technical-experts from working here
• Govt industrial policy
  • Taking stakes in numerous companies
  • Cutting deals to protect these companies

Each bullet can have reasons that may have positive and negative aspects.  It’s how they all come together that sets the tone for confident, actionable corporate decisions impacting earnings.

Hence, our mantras:  

“Our investment partners navigate on our behalf.”  Our partners follow the data and actions that have occurred. They then anticipate various scenarios and “fill in the flow” as it unfolds for possible insights.

Family Preparedness

-Estate Plan Thinking / Another notice   This year has brought forth lots of estate questions often surfaced with attorney retirements.  This has happened in our world of collaborators as well.  Hence, we offer the opportunity to meet Jane Graham of Bond, Schoeneck and King in Rochester.  Our brief experience with Jane has been very satisfactory.  Our longer tenure with Bond Schoeneck and King has demonstrated depth of competencies.  Communicate your interest in attending an educational session for questions and conversation. We commit to nudging you forward to firm footing.   We will be back with scheduled details.

-AssetMark adds Members Trust Company as collaborators.  Members Trust Company can assist individuals and families -  serving as trustee; functioning as custodian and bookkeeper; acting as the administrator; and serving as co-trustee with you or family members.  See memberstrust.com or connect with us to explore this resource for you.

-Young adults into the world/health care directive reminder– If you have young adults in college or in the workplace without an established independent life infrastructure, parents may need a document to be informed and/or oversee care during a young adult health crisis.  Click this link to learn about NYS policy, the declared agent form and instructions. Your attorney will likely draw this up neatly, confidently and cheaply. Each of you should have a competent copy at the ready. 

https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/1430.pdf 

-Here’s What Happened When I Made My College Students Put Away Their Phones NY Times Aug. 21, 2025 ByEzekiel J. Emanuel

This NY Times article walks through this college experience with the conclusion that students ultimately understood that dangers of distraction and the need to process information by head and hand vs technology. Connect with Josh or me for a copy of this article. You can share or talk with disgruntled students going through the pains of withdrawal during the school day.

Appreciate Community

BIG IDEAS inspire smart conversations:  Experience the Chautauqua Lecture Series at home via Assembly.CHQ.org on YouTube.  Try out several aspects of CHQ past with a subscription for $2.99/month!   These speakers are carefully vetted for smart, fair conversations for today’s world. 

Examples:

• Celina Stewart of The League of Women Voters: nonpartisan, encouraging active participation to assure fair voting practices.
• Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of presidential biographies:  traits of great leadership
• Tom Friedman, former Middle East editor of the NYTimes, journalist, author:  The Gulf States’ Emerging Influence. 

Rochester’s not-for-profit Fringe has become one of the largest and most successful fringe festivals in the nation, the largest multidisciplinary performing arts festival in New York State. taking place from September 9-20 across the city. ESL hosts this unique event with the goal of giving public access to art and platforms to performers and venues.
https://rochesterfringe.com/

AND

Honoring Tradition Through Innovation.

The Company Theatre is Rochester, NY's fastest growing theatre collective.

Since its founding in 2021, The Company Theatre has been committed to presenting and celebrating works of theatre through the vision of local artists in an innovative way that is relevant to our community and the world of today, while honoring the language and artistry of the original work. Thecompanytheatrerodc.org