The Financial Risk Most Investors Aren’t Thinking About 

Six Things You Should Know

1. Equity Markets – were down this week with U.S. stocks (S&P 500) falling-1.54% while international stocks (EAFE) declined -0.96%.
2. Fixed Income Markets – were up this week with investment grade bonds (AGG) climbing 0.12% and high yield bonds (JNK) edging up .05%.
3. U.S./Iran Tensions Reignite – Optimism on a clean resolution has dwindled from the June ceasefire as military action has resumed, with the focus largely aimed at the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. has carried out six straight days of strategic strikes with Iran expanding their retaliation in response. Oil prices and shorter-term yields moved higher as a result.
4. Inflation Cools for Now – June CPI increased 3.5% year over year, down from 4.2% in May, in turn reducing expectations for an interest-rate increase at the upcoming Fed meeting. Oil and geopolitics remain the primary risk to forward-looking inflation data.
5. Cybersecurity Reminder- Scammers are increasingly using Remote Access Tools (RATs) along with phishing emails or texts to take control of devices like phones, tablets, and computers. Once installed, these tools can give cybercriminals access to sensitive information, including your Schwab accounts. These attacks can be hard to spot, so if something doesn’t feel right- like unusual account activity or suspicious messages- trust your instincts. If you sense suspicious activity, please call us immediately or report any concerns to Schwab at 800-515-2157. 
6. Key Insight – [VIDEO & ARTICLE] Cybersecurity is no longer just a technology issue—it’s become a very real financial planning issue for families, investors, and anyone with accounts online. In this week’s commentary, we look at why cybercrime is becoming more personal, what information criminals are targeting, and three practical layers of protection that can help safeguard both your identity and your wealth.

Insights for Investors

By Jon Heideman

The Financial Risk Most Investors Aren’t Thinking About

Cybersecurity, Identity Protection, and Digital Wealth Protection 

Most people don’t wake up in the morning worried about cybercrime. We worry about the markets, inflation, interest rates, and whether we’re on track for retirement. 

Yet one of the fastest-growing threats to your financial life isn’t happening on Wall Street. It’s happening online. 

Consider those three sobering statistics above. The numbers are staggering, but they also reveal an important reality: cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue. It’s a financial planning issue. 

At TEN Capital, we spend a great deal of time helping clients protect and grow their wealth. Increasingly, that conversation includes helping protect the information that gives access to that wealth. 

The New Risk to Your Financial Life 

For years, protecting your finances meant diversification, prudent investing, and maintaining an emergency reserve. 

Those things still matter. 

But today’s cybercriminal doesn’t need physical access to your home or wallet. They only need access to enough information to impersonate you. 

Social Security numbers, bank account information, dates of birth, and online credentials remain some of the most valuable pieces of personal information criminals seek. Once obtained, that information can be used to gain access to sensitive accounts, facilitate fraudulent transactions, or become part of larger identity theft schemes. 

What makes this particularly challenging is that cybercrime often feels distant — until it becomes personal. 

Many victims don’t realize anything has happened until they receive a suspicious banking alert, discover unauthorized activity, or are contacted regarding accounts they never opened. 

Why Cybercrime is Becoming More Effective 

Unfortunately, cybercriminals are getting better at their jobs. 

Artificial intelligence is helping bad actors create increasingly sophisticated scams. Deepfake technology can mimic voices. AI-generated emails can closely resemble legitimate communications. Fraudulent websites look more convincing than ever. 

At the same time, phishing attacks remain one of the most common points of entry. 

Many successful attacks don’t rely on advanced technology. They rely on trust, urgency, and distraction. Fraudulent emails often pressure recipients to act immediately, click a link, open an attachment, or disclose sensitive information. 

That’s why one of the most effective cybersecurity tools remains surprisingly simple: 
 
Pause. Verify. Then act. 

The encouraging news is that while the threats are becoming more sophisticated, the steps families can take to protect themselves remain surprisingly straightforward. 
 
Three Layers of Protection 

Think about cybersecurity the same way we think about financial planning. We do not rely on one single tool. We build layers of protection. 

1. Cyber Hygiene Use strong, unique passwords. Enable multi-factor authentication. Keep devices and software updated. Reboot devices regularly and avoid public Wi-Fi for sensitive financial activity when possible.  

2. Identity Monitoring Consider a reputable identity monitoring service that can monitor personal information, credit activity, dark web exposure, and suspicious account activity. You cannot prevent every breach, but you can often respond faster when you know sooner.  

3. Insurance & Recovery Review whether you have identity theft or personal cyber coverage. The right coverage may help with fraud resolution, recovery expenses, legal support, and identity restoration if something does go wrong. 

The same disciplined approach that helps someone become a successful investor often helps them stay safe online: slow down, verify information, and avoid emotional decision-making. 

Much like diversification in investing, these layers of protection are not designed because we expect something bad to happen. They are designed because preparation matters. 

How We Help Protect Your Accounts 

One of the advantages of working with a trusted advisory team is that account security is not something you have to navigate alone. At TEN Capital, protecting your financial life is every bit as important as helping it grow. While we encourage every client to practice good cyber hygiene, we also work alongside world-class custodial partners such as Charles Schwab, whose systems and processes are designed to help safeguard client accounts and personal information. Our partners view security as a partnership among clients, advisors, and the custodian, combining advanced security measures, account monitoring, verification procedures, and account protection programs to help guard against unauthorized activity. 

The reality is that no single tool or safeguard provides complete protection. That’s why we believe in multiple layers of defense. When you combine your vigilance, TEN Capital’s guidance and oversight, and the security infrastructure of trusted partners, you create a much stronger foundation for protecting what you’ve worked so hard to build. Our goal is simple: to help you move forward with confidence, knowing that your wealth is supported not only by a thoughtful financial plan, but also by a commitment to protecting it.  

Final Thought 

Financial planning is ultimately about protecting what matters most. 

That includes your investments, your retirement plan, your family, and increasingly, your digital identity. 

If there is one takeaway from today’s discussion, it is this: protecting your wealth today means protecting both your financial assets and your digital identity. That is why we encourage clients to focus on three simple actions: enable multi-factor authentication, utilize identity monitoring services, and review whether identity theft or cyber insurance coverage makes sense for your situation. 

Those steps will not eliminate every risk, but they can dramatically reduce both the likelihood and the impact of a cyber event. 

The cyber threat landscape will continue to evolve. Criminals will find new tactics. Technology will continue to change. 

But the fundamentals remain remarkably consistent: be vigilant, verify before you trust, and remember that protecting your information is every bit as important as protecting your portfolio. 

Because in today’s world, those two things are becoming increasingly connected.

Have a great weekend,

Jon and the team at TEN Capital

Reference links: SecurityHero identity theft statistics | Insurance Information Institute identity theft and cybercrime facts 

Data, Just the Data

• U.S. Jobless Claims – initial claims fell by 8,000 last week to 208,000, well under expectations and a 2 month low. Continuing claims also fell by 16,000 to 1,805,000. 

• U.S. Retail Sales – rose 0.2% in June for the smallest increase in 5 months but in line with expectations. Sales have now improved for the 8^th consecutive month.  

• U.S. Housing Starts – spiked 19% in June to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 1.427 million units, the highest level in 3 months.  

• U.S. Industrial Production – expanded slightly by 0.1% in June but fell short of expectations. For Q2 industrial production expanded at an annualized 4%.