The State of Your Financial Union

A Mid-Year Financial Report for Families, Homeowners and Retirees

July 13, 2026

Hello!

We are halfway through 2026, and the financial landscape continues to send mixed messages.

The stock market is reaching record levels. Mortgage rates remain elevated. Home prices are still high in many areas. At the same time, fixed annuity rates remain attractive for people who want guarantees and protection from market losses.

Depending on your personal situation, today’s environment may feel encouraging, frustrating or confusing.

This report is designed to give you a clear overview of where things currently stand and what these conditions may mean for your household.

The State of Interest Rates

Interest rates remain significantly higher than the extremely low levels consumers became accustomed to several years ago.

This has created both winners and losers.

Borrowers are paying more for mortgages and other forms of financing. Savers, however, are earning more on certain fixed-interest products than they could during the low-rate years.

The important lesson is that interest rates do not affect every part of your financial life in the same way.

Higher rates can:

Increase the cost of borrowing

Reduce home-buying power

Create stronger fixed-income opportunities

Improve the income available from some annuities

Affect the value and performance of bonds and other investments

Instead of simply asking whether rates are high or low, consider how they affect the money you are borrowing, saving and protecting.

The State of Annuity Rates

Fixed annuity rates remain competitive for consumers who are looking for predictable, tax-deferred growth.

As of early July 2026, some advertised five-year Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuity rates were approximately 6.30%, although actual availability depends on the insurance company, state, deposit amount, product and contract terms.

A Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuity, commonly called a MYGA, provides a guaranteed interest rate for a specific number of years.

Think of it as a place to put money that you want to protect and grow without exposing it directly to stock market losses.

Unlike a bank certificate of deposit, an annuity is issued by an insurance company and is not insured by the FDIC. Its guarantees are based primarily on the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company.

Annuities may also have surrender periods and limitations on how much money can be withdrawn without charges. That means they are generally more appropriate for money that will not be needed for immediate expenses.

The highest advertised rate is not always the best product.

Before purchasing an annuity, it is important to understand:

How long the rate is guaranteed

How much money can be accessed each year

The surrender-charge period

Whether a market value adjustment may apply

The insurance company’s financial strength

How the annuity fits into your overall retirement plan

For the right person, a fixed annuity can provide stability and predictable growth. For someone who needs complete liquidity, it may not be the right place for all their money.

The State of Mortgage Rates

Mortgage rates continue to create affordability challenges for homebuyers.

As of July 9, 2026, the average national rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage was 6.49%. The average rate for a 15-year fixed mortgage was 5.82%, according to Freddie Mac.

These figures are national averages, not guaranteed offers. A borrower’s actual rate depends on factors such as:

Credit history

Down payment

Debt-to-income ratio

Loan amount

Property type

Occupancy

Loan program

Discount points and lender fees

At today’s rates, buyers may qualify for a smaller loan than they would have several years ago, even when earning more income.

However, interest rate is only one part of a home-purchase decision.

Buyers should also consider the purchase price, taxes, homeowners insurance, association fees, maintenance expenses, available seller concessions and how long they expect to own the property.

A lower purchase price with a higher rate may sometimes be a better long-term decision than paying an inflated price simply because financing is temporarily cheaper.

The goal should not be to wait indefinitely for a perfect market. The goal should be to purchase responsibly when the home and payment fit your life.

The State of the Housing Market

The housing market is gradually showing signs of improved activity, but conditions vary greatly by location.

Existing-home sales increased 3.2% in May 2026 compared with April, reaching an annualized pace of approximately 4.17 million homes.

The national median existing-home price was approximately $429,300, representing a 1.3% increase from the previous year.

These national numbers do not tell the entire story.

Some areas are seeing:

More homes available for sale

Longer listing times

Price reductions

Seller-paid closing costs

Greater negotiating power for buyers

Other neighborhoods still have limited inventory and strong competition for well-priced homes.

For sellers, this is not the market to choose a price based solely on emotion or what a neighbor received two years ago. Buyers have more access to information and may be less willing to overpay.

For buyers, increased inventory may create opportunities, but a home should still be carefully evaluated for condition, insurance costs, property taxes and resale potential.

Real estate is local. National headlines can provide context, but they should not replace a detailed review of the specific property and community.

The State of the Stock Market

The stock market is trading at historically high levels.

The S&P 500 closed at 7,575.39 on July 10, 2026, with a year-to-date price return of approximately 10.66%.

This is good news for many investors, but record markets can also create a false sense of security.

When markets are rising, people often become more comfortable taking risks. They may forget how they reacted during previous declines or assume recent performance will continue indefinitely.

A market reaching an all-time high does not automatically mean it is about to crash. Markets have reached many new highs throughout history and continued growing over long periods.

It also does not mean risk has disappeared.

Investors should avoid making major decisions based only on fear or excitement. Instead, this may be a good time to review:

How much of your portfolio is exposed to market losses

Whether your investments still match your age and goals

How much income you will need during retirement

Whether you have enough emergency savings

How you would react to a significant market decline

Whether short-term money is invested too aggressively

The question is not simply, “Will the market continue going up?”

A better question is, “What would happen to my financial plan if it did not?”

The State of Retirement Planning

Retirement planning is becoming less about reaching one specific account balance and more about creating reliable income.

Many retirees have money saved, but they do not have a clear plan for turning those savings into monthly income.

Common retirement concerns include:

Running out of money

Healthcare and long-term-care costs

Inflation

Market losses early in retirement

Taking too much or too little from investment accounts

Protecting a surviving spouse

Avoiding becoming a financial burden on children

Leaving something meaningful to family

A strong retirement strategy may use several different financial tools.

One portion of the money may remain invested for long-term growth. Another portion may remain liquid for emergencies. A separate portion may be positioned to create reliable income or protect principal.

There is no single product that solves every retirement concern.

The objective is to give each part of your money a specific job.

The State of Household Financial Security

Many families appear financially stable on paper but remain exposed to significant risks.

A household may have a home, retirement accounts and a strong income but still lack:

Adequate emergency savings

Sufficient life insurance

Mortgage protection

Updated beneficiaries

A retirement-income strategy

Basic estate-planning documents

A plan for disability or long-term care

Clear instructions for family members

Financial security is not simply about how much money you have.

It is also about how well your family could manage if something unexpected happened.

A good financial review should examine both growth opportunities and financial blind spots.

What Should You Be Doing Right Now?

There is no reason to panic or make rushed financial decisions.

There is, however, a good reason to review your position.

Consider asking yourself:

Is my emergency money truly safe and accessible?

Am I earning a competitive return on money I do not want exposed to the market?

Do my investments still match my tolerance for risk?

Could my family afford the mortgage and household expenses without my income?

Do I understand how my retirement savings will eventually produce income?

Are my beneficiaries and financial documents current?

Am I making financial decisions from a plan, or reacting to headlines?

You do not need to predict interest rates, the housing market or the stock market perfectly.

You need a plan that can continue working even when conditions change.

The Bottom Line

The current financial union is strong in some areas and challenging in others.

Stock market investors have benefited from rising values. Savers have access to more attractive fixed rates.

Homebuyers are facing higher financing costs, while increased inventory may provide better negotiating opportunities in some markets.

There is no universal answer that works for every household.

The right decision depends on:

What the money is intended to accomplish

When it will be needed

How much access is required

How much risk is appropriate

Which guarantees matter

How the decision affects the family as a whole

The most important step is not chasing the highest return, the lowest rate or the latest headline.

It is understanding your choices and making sure your money is properly positioned for your life.

Please feel free to reach out if you would like to review how current annuity rates, mortgage conditions, real estate trends or market risks may relate to your personal goals.

All the best,

Stina Antonopoulos
Roots & Wealth Group

This report is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as individualized investment, insurance, legal, mortgage, real estate or tax advice. Rates, product availability and market conditions can change without notice. Annuity guarantees are based on the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Fixed indexed annuities are not direct investments in a stock market index. Mortgage rates and terms vary based on borrower and property qualifications. Past market performance does not guarantee future results.

Sources

Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, July 9, 2026

National Association of REALTORS®, May 2026 Existing-Home Sales Report

S&P Dow Jones Indices, S&P 500 data through July 10, 2026

Annuity.org fixed-annuity rate report, July 2026