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Someone just spent $236,000,000 on a painting. Here’s why it matters for your wallet.
Late last year, a Klimt sold for the highest price ever paid for modern art at auction.
An outlier sure, but it wasn't a fluke. U.S. auction sales grew 23.1% in 2025. The $1-5mm segment even grew 40.8% YoY.
Now, the S&P, teetering on all time highs, just posted its worst quarter since 2022, oil was up 94% (briefly), and Moody's puts recession odds at 48.6%.
Each environment is unique, but after dot-com, post war and contemporary art grew about 24% annually for a decade. After 2008, about 11% for 12 years.
It’s also had near-zero correlation with the S&P 500 since ‘95.*
Now, Masterworks lets you invest in shares of artworks featuring legends like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso.
$1.3 billion invested across over 500 artworks.
28 sales to date.
Net annualized returns on sold works held 12 months+ like 14.6%, 17.6%, and 17.8%.
Shares can sell quickly, but my subscribers can skip the waitlist:
*Investing involves risk. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. See important Reg A disclosures at masterworks.com/cd.
📊 This Week in Finance
Last week was a big one for markets, and the news heading into this week is even bigger.
The S&P 500 closed Friday at 7,126.06, up 4.5% on the week. The Dow added 3.2% to close at 49,447.43, and the Nasdaq surged 6.8% to 24,468.48. CNBC: The catalyst? A sharp reversal in energy prices. Iran's Foreign Minister declared the Strait of Hormuz "completely open" during the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, sending oil prices tumbling more than 16% on the week, the worst weekly drop for crude since April 2020. CNBC
Earnings: The first-quarter earnings season is in full swing, and results so far are strong. S&P 500 companies are on track for double-digit earnings growth for the 6th straight quarter, with a blended growth rate of 12.5% in Q1. FactSet Big banks led the charge last week, with JPMorgan posting better-than-expected results. This week, the spotlight shifts to Big Tech. Tesla reports on or about April 20, with Alphabet and Amazon expected later in the week. The Motley Fool
The Fed: Markets still aren't pricing in a Fed rate cut until at least July, as uncertainty around oil prices and the conflict's lasting inflation impact keeps policymakers on hold. Charles Schwab
Why it matters to you: Markets are recovering, earnings are holding up, and oil is pulling back. That's good news for your portfolio and your gas bill. But the ceasefire is still fragile. Stay invested, stay diversified, and don't let one good week change your long-term plan
📌 Did You Know?
Tax season is wrapping up, and this year's refund numbers tell an interesting story. The average IRS tax refund is up 10.9% compared to last year, CNBC welcomes the news for many households. But here's the catch: higher gas prices tied to the ongoing conflict could effectively offset those bigger refunds CNBC before they ever make it to savings.
Meanwhile, if you're sitting on cash in a traditional savings account, you're likely leaving money on the table. As of this week, the best high-yield savings accounts are offering up to 4% APY Yahoo Finance, a rate that won't last forever if the Fed eventually resumes cutting.
Bottom line: A bigger refund means nothing if it quietly gets absorbed by rising costs. Have a plan for it, pay down high-interest debt, top off your emergency fund, or move it into a high-yield account before it disappears into everyday expenses.
🌱 MONEY & LIFE: "We Got Our Refund. Now What?"
It's that time of year. The refund hits the account, and suddenly there's a group text: Should we finally do that trip? Upgrade the car? Put it toward the house?
It's a great problem to have, but it's still a problem if you don't have a plan.
Here's a simple framework before you spend a dollar of it:
Ask yourself three questions:
Do I have high-interest debt? If yes, that refund has one job.
Is my emergency fund under 3 months of expenses? If yes, that's your next priority.
Am I on track with retirement contributions for the year? If no, an IRA deposit now beats scrambling in April.
If you can check all three boxes, then you've earned the trip.
A refund isn't a bonus; it's money you already earned that the government held onto. Treat it like the paycheck it is.
💡 Financial Move of the Week
Check what rising gas prices are actually costing you, then adjust.
The average refund is up nearly 11% this year, which means a lot of households have a rare lump sum sitting in their checking account right now. The question isn't whether you got the money. It's whether you'll still have it in 30 days.
Here's how to make it count:
Pay down high-interest debt first. If you're carrying a credit card balance at 20%+, every dollar you put toward it is an instant, guaranteed return. No investment beats that risk-free.
Move the rest into a high-yield savings account. Top HYSAs are still paying up to 4% APY. That's free money on the table, don't leave it in a checking account earning nothing.
If you're debt-free, consider a mid-year IRA contribution. Most people wait until April to fund last year's IRA. Get ahead by starting 2026's contributions now; monthly automation beats a year-end scramble.
The refund feels like a windfall. Treat it like a tool.
10 AI Stocks to Lead the Next Decade
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These are the innovators driving real revenue, attracting institutional attention, and positioning for massive growth.
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🏛️ ESTATE & LEGACY
Does Your Family Know Where Everything Is?
Most people have a will, or at least intend to get one. But here's what most estate plans are missing: a simple document that tells your family where to find everything.
Think about it. If something happened to you tomorrow, would your spouse or children know where to find your life insurance policies? Your retirement account login? The deed to your house?
One of the most impactful things you can do this week costs nothing and takes about an hour. Create a "financial inventory," a single document that lists:
All bank and investment accounts with contact info
Life insurance policies and where they're stored
Beneficiary designations on each account
Location of your will, trust, or power of attorney
Any outstanding debts and creditors
Store it somewhere secure but accessible, a fireproof safe or a shared digital vault with a trusted family member. This one document can save your loved ones months of frustration and thousands of dollars in legal fees.
Estate planning isn't just for the wealthy. It's for anyone who has people who depend on them.
📰 Worth Reading
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Most AI content is fascinating. None of it is useful.
You’ve read the AI breakdowns. Watched the million AI explainers. Nodded along to the hot takes.
And then opened a blank doc and had no idea what to actually do.
The Shift is a newsletter built to help you in moments like this. Every tool covered works in the real world, and every prompt in the 1000+ library solves something you’ll actually hit.
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✍️ Final Word
Three topics came up a lot in conversations with clients this week: "Do I have the right life insurance?" "Why did my credit score drop?" "Where is all my money going?"
Different questions. Same root cause, most of us are making financial decisions on autopilot.
The good news is that none of this is complicated. A budget that actually works doesn't require a spreadsheet degree. Protecting your credit score comes down to a handful of habits. And the right life insurance policy is simply the one that matches where you are in life right now, not the one someone sold you ten years ago.
You don't need a financial overhaul. You need a few intentional decisions, made consistently.
That's what planning looks like in practice.
Until next week — Plan with Purpose. Prosper with Confidence.
Emmanuel S. Desmolieres, Founder, Plan & Prosper LLC, operating as Planning and Prospering.