FINANCIaL
FIELd NOTES
The Future of Social Security (2025 edition)
Will there be anything left when I retire? Will my benefits get cut? These are some of the most frequent questions I get when it comes to someone’s retirement plan. And the media loves to talk about the Social Security problems.
Fortunately, there is data to answer these questions. Every year the Board of Trustees for Social Security reviews the financial status of the trust fund that pays out Social Security benefits. Recently, the board released its 2025 report, and below is my summary…
What I'm Teaching My 8-Year-Old About Money
Zeke turned 8 this summer, and I feel like we’re entering a whole new stage. He’s taller, faster, and somehow already negotiating with me like a mini attorney. Also, here’s Wyatt ( 3), not learning a whole lot about money, but too cute not to share!
The Stock Market Isn’t as Random as It Looks
If you log into your financial accounts every day, the stock market will feel quite random. Up, down, sideways, and completely unpredictable. You have about a 50/50 chance of seeing red on any given day, 47% to be exact.
There are about 250 trading days in a normal calendar year, which means that for 125 days every year, you will log in and see that your investments are down. Even the most resilient investor will feel the weight of that…
Health Insurance Before Medicare – Private vs. ACA Plans
For many retirees, the insurance gap between retiring and becoming eligible for Medicare at age 65 can feel like a mystery. There’s a lot of misconceptions about what is available and the costs. The two most common options include -
1. ACA Marketplace plans, and
2. Private (off-exchange) plans.
Each comes with trade-offs in cost, flexibility, and coverage…
How Being Present Increases Happiness in Retirement
A few weeks ago, the last major golf championship of the year was played - The Open Championship. During the opening round, Rory McIlroy's tee shot found the rough near spectators. If you don’t watch much golf, this can be extremely frustrating for the players but very exciting for the fans, as they get to watch a shot up close.
As you might expect in this day and age, just about every fan pulled out their phone to capture the moment. Everyone, except for an elderly couple, who were standing side-by-side, fully taking in the moment…
The Surprising Impact of Working 1 More Year
One of the most common tweaks I make to financial projections is the projected retirement date. Sometimes, we move retirement forward due to changing work circumstances, and sometimes we move it back to try to maximize earning potential at the tail end of a career.
I advise clients who are financially prepared to retire not to delay it too long. The early years of retirement are among the most exciting, and missing out on them by working unnecessarily longer can lead to regret…