Austin Stagman

Portfolio Manager, Bedel Financial Consulting Inc.

Spooky times for first-time home buyers

It's no secret that the housing market is experiencing spooky times, with home prices around all-time highs and mortgage rates at multi-decade highs. This isn't good news if you are looking to buy a home right now, especially if you are a first-time home buyer. ... Read More

Equity compensation: The benefits and dangers

Your employer has a plan to provide a portion of your compensation via company stock. Is this a good deal? It can be! However, it is important to familiarize yourself with how the different forms of equity compensation work in order to maximize your potential return and minimize your tax implications. Let's examine a couple of common company stock compensation plans.... Read More

How strong is the U.S. consumer?

The strength of the consumer is a vital part of economic growth in the United States. Over 70% of the U.S. economy, as measured by GDP, is based on personal consumption. Therefore, studying the consumer's habits—how much we spend, save, and borrow—can help provide a sense of the short-term direction of the economy. So how strong is the U.S. consumer right now? ... Read More

Inflation hedge in 2022: Bitcoin vs. gold

Last year, a spike in inflation caught the attention of investors (and the Fed). As a result, many Bitcoin enthusiasts were excited about the opportunity to prove the coin’s value against inflation as “digital gold.”... Read More

Used car prices finally starting to cool off

Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, the used vehicle market has been anything but normal. Inventory dropped precipitously, causing used car prices to hit record highs in 2021. But, finally we have some good news.   ... Read More

Is there relief in sight for housing prices?

Prices for new and existing homes across the United States have been rising for the past couple of years. This increase has been fueled by several factors: historically low mortgage rates, a low existing home supply, and increased labor and materials costs. Is there relief in sight? ... Read More

Why is Gas so Expensive?!

We have all experienced that dreadful feeling watching the digital price meter at the pump going higher by the second.  Why is gas suddenly so expensive?  How does the price increase Hoosiers are experiencing compare to other states?... Read More