This monthly communication, “Financial Bullet Points,” will quickly and easily cover the main financial issues we see affecting the markets without being bogged down with a lot of details.
Written by Bob Barber, Matthew Barrovecchio, and Don VandeVanter
Prepared on December 22nd, 2025
The Bullet Points for January are:
1. 2025 Tax Documents: As done in previous years, Schwab should produce 1099s for tax reporting by the end of February unless there is an unforeseen problem. Paper copies will be mailed, while digital copies can be accessed through the Schwab Alliance portal. If you need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us by phone or text at 830.609.6986.
2. BRI Portfolio Returns: For the third year in a row, as of this writing, 2025 returns have exceeded our benchmarks for all “in-house” Biblically Responsible Managed Portfolios. Currently, many economic indicators suggest that the markets are overvalued; therefore, we are presently taking a defensive stance in our positions, holding a sizable amount in fixed income across all portfolios to capitalize on any potential major pullbacks.
3. Oil & Gas Prices: In December, Oil hit $56 per barrel for the first time in nearly 5 years, resulting in the lowest gas prices at the pump since May 2021. Crude oil inventories are suggesting a softening in demand.
4. Low Consumer Sentiment: Consumer Sentiment reports released in December from November showed the lowest readings since June of 2022, indicating economic challenges could be ahead.
5. Interest Rates: The Fed lowered short-term interest rates in December for the sixth time since August 2024 for economic reasons. While many believe this affects long-term mortgage rates, it doesn’t, as they are based on the longer 10-year Treasury rate, which can actually increase when short-term rates decrease as happened in the past. Lower short-term rates hurt savers, fixed-income investors, weakens the dollar, creates inflation, encourages greater debt, and are a terrible recipe for long-term financial success.
6. 2026 Financial Goals: Many people never hit their financial goals because they don’t write them down and look at them daily. Procrastination is, by far, the number one reason for financial failure. We encourage you to write down at least one to two financial goals for 2026 on paper and place them where you see them daily. Aim for nothing, and that is precisely what you will hit. People don’t plan to fail; they fail to plan. Check out our episode on successful goal-setting by visiting cfa.lc/goals.
7. Continuing Education & Scripture: This month’s schedule for Christian Financial Perspectives.
- Ep 238 – Introduction to “The Biblical Worldview of Money” – 01/13/2026
- Ep 239 – The Biblical Worldview of Tithing and Giving – 01/27/2026
- Galatians 6:9 – “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
As we step into 2026 together, we’re here to help you turn fresh starts into faithful financial progress.
If you would like further explanation of any of the bullet points mentioned, please call or text (830) 609-6986 during business hours or email us by clicking here.
Bob Barber, CWS®, CKA®
Senior Wealth Advisor & President
Matthew Barrovecchio, CFP®, CKA®
Senior Wealth Advisor
Don VandeVanter, CPA
Wealth Advisor
Christian Financial Advisors®