The Chirp: Financial Insights from Ariel Dangelo – October, 2026

It’s hard to believe we are already heading into the final stretch of the year! This is always a busy season, both in the markets and in our financial lives, so here are few things worth keeping on your radar.
 
First, we recap the Fed’s September meeting, where it raised rates since the first time since 2023 and what it could mean for your savings, borrowing and investments. Next, we explain why the end of the year is one of the most valuable times to check in with your financial planner. There’s still time to make moves that can benefit you now and set you up well for 2027.
 
Finally, I’m excited to invite you to our Real Estate Investing Workshop on October 21st, an honest look at how real estate fits into your financial plan and when it adds to your life verses when simplifying could give you more freedom.
 

Insights from the Latest Federal Reserve Meeting

 
The Federal Reserve (Fed) concluded its September 15th-16th meeting by raising the federal funds target range by a quarter of a percentage point to 3.75%–4.00%.
 
Developments from this meeting provided additional insight into how the Fed is thinking about inflation, economic growth, and the path of monetary policy. Below is our breakdown of the key takeaways and what they could signal moving forward.
 
1. The September decision marks a change in direction.
 
September’s quarter-point rate hike is significant for several reasons. First, this marks the first interest rate increase since 2023. Second, this decision follows several meetings in which policymakers held rates steady while monitoring persistent inflation.
 
Fed chair Kevin Warsh pointed to several shifts since the July meeting, including continued strength in the economy and labor market, inflation that remains elevated, and changes in the geopolitical environment. Together, those conditions led the committee to raise rates unanimously.
 
2. Inflation remains the Fed’s primary concern.
 
In his post-meeting press conference, Warsh said the Fed’s “predominant focus” is currently on price stability, noting that, in the eyes of the Fed, inflation remains too high and has been elevated for too long.
 
The Fed’s latest projections, which reflect policymakers’ individual assumptions about the appropriate path for monetary policy, call for overall personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation to finish 2026 at 3.7%, before declining to 2.3% in 2027. Warsh reiterated the Fed’s commitment to its 2% inflation objective and said the September rate increase shows the Fed’s “resolve to achieve price stability on a timelier basis.”
 
3. The economy continues to show strength.
 
Despite higher interest rates and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, the Fed described economic activity as expanding at a solid pace. Domestic spending has remained resilient, productivity growth has been strong, and capital investment remains robust.
 
The Fed’s latest projections also point to slightly stronger economic growth. The median projection among the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) participants calls for real gross domestic product (GDP) to grow 2.3% in 2026 and 2.4% in 2027, compared with June projections of 2.2% and 2.3%, respectively.
 
With the economy and labor market remaining relatively strong, Warsh said the Fed’s “predominant focus” could remain on price stability.
 
4. The labor market remains healthy.
 
The Fed also continues to describe the labor market as strong. Warsh said employment is currently near full-employment levels, allowing the Fed to place greater emphasis on the price-stability side of its mandate. Additionally, job gains have kept pace with workforce growth, and the unemployment rate has remained relatively steady. The Fed now projects unemployment at about 4.1% at the end of 2026, down from its 4.3% projection in June.
 
Of course, future labor market conditions remain important. Warsh said risks to the labor market are currently “roughly balanced,” but a meaningful slowdown in hiring or increase in unemployment could alter how policymakers balance inflation concerns against supporting employment.
 
5. Another rate increase remains possible this year.
 
Alongside projections for PCE and unemployment, the Fed also released projections for the federal funds rate. The median policymaker projection places the federal funds rate at approximately 4.1% at the end of 2026. That would be consistent with an additional quarter-percentage-point increase from today’s new range.
 
However, these projections are not commitments. Individual Fed officials have different expectations, and Warsh reiterated that the Fed will evaluate economic conditions and make decisions based on the information available at each meeting.
 
6. What this could mean for your finances.
 
Here are a few considerations:
 
Borrowing costs could move higher. Credit cards, home equity lines of credit, auto loans, personal loans, and some business financing tend to be more directly influenced by short-term interest rates. The Fed’s latest increase could therefore add to borrowing costs for consumers and businesses.

Mortgage rates may not move in lockstep with the Fed. Fixed mortgage rates are influenced more directly by factors such as inflation expectations and longer-term Treasury yields than by the federal funds rate itself. Mortgage rates had already moved higher ahead of the September meeting as markets responded to inflation data and expectations of a Fed rate hike.

Savers could continue to benefit from higher rates. High-yield savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit (CDs) may continue offering relatively attractive yields while short-term interest rates remain elevated.

Markets could experience some volatility. Rate-hiking cycles can contribute to periods of market turbulence, although Fed policy is only one of many factors that can influence changes in investment markets.

Staying focused on your long-term financial plan remains important. Fed decisions can influence short-term market conditions, but long-term investing is generally built around your goals, time horizon, diversification, and disciplined decision-making rather than any single interest rate announcement.
 

Featured Workshop – Real Estate Investing – October 21

 
Real estate can be a powerful wealth-building tool. But not all properties, or strategies, are created equal. Come learn from the experts – Tammy DeWolfe, founder of DeWolfe Living and a realtor with Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty with more than 25 years of experience, and Dan Jaros, a seasoned loan officer with Prestige Home Mortgage, who focuses on helping investors structure their financing to support their returns. Whether you are accumulating wealth, approaching retirement, or evaluating an exit, you need to know if your real estate strategy is strengthening your financial structure or introducing unnecessary risk, tax exposure, and complexity. Before buying, refinancing, holding, or selling, Ariel will share how critical it is to understand how real estate fits within your broader wealth strategy.
 
In This Session, You’ll Learn:

– When rental income enhances vs. detracts

– The risks of leverage and concentration

– Direct ownership vs. REITs vs. private funds

– Tax considerations, 1031 exchanges, and exits

– How real estate income interacts with retirement and tax planning

– When simplification may increase freedom
 
Don’t worry, this is not a real estate sales presentation. It is a strategic discussion. And yes, there will be coffee, tea, and snacks!
 

Date: October 21st, 2026
Time: 6:30-8pm
Location: Needham Public Library

Reserve your Spot Here!