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Your investments shouldn't scare you more than the halloween costumes you see tonight If they do, you might want to reassess your risk tolerance

Walt Disney’s 301 Rejections Walt Disney once pitched his dream of a theme park where families could laugh and imagine together. He went to the banks for funding. The first said no. The second said no. So did the next 299. Three hundred and one rejections. The 302nd banker finally said yes. That “yes” built Disneyland. Disney later said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” What he really proved was: If you can persist, you can build it. Every “no” you get today is just proof you’re one closer to yes.

Daylight savings is not enough. You need to be daylight investing.

I'm going to teach my daughter about taxes by eating 20% of her candy tonight. If she gets a bigger haul, she gets taxed 40%. Welcome to the progressive candy system.

In 1943, engineer Richard James was testing naval equipment when he accidentally knocked a metal coil off his workbench. Instead of crashing, it bounced, stretched, and walked across the floor. He didn’t see failure. He saw potential. At home, he showed his wife Betty. Together they refined the design until it moved perfectly. Betty found a word in the dictionary that fit it exactly: “Slinky,” meaning sleek and sinuous in movement. They borrowed $500, made 400 toys, and demonstrated them at Gimbels Department Store in Philadelphia. They sold out in 90 minutes. By the 1950s, the James family had six children and a thriving company built around one simple spring. Then came a setback. Richard left to pursue other interests, leaving Betty with the company and its debts. She stayed. She rebuilt. And under her leadership, the Slinky became an American icon, sold worldwide and honored in the Smithsonian. All from a small accident that someone chose to notice. Lesson: Success rarely follows a straight line. Sometimes it begins when you stop seeing mistakes as failures and start seeing them as opportunities.

Two salesmen were sent to a remote region to sell shoes. When they arrived, both made the same discovery: no one there wore shoes. The first salesman sent a message home: “No potential here. The people don’t wear shoes.” The second salesman sent this instead: “Massive opportunity. The people don’t wear shoes.” Same situation. Same facts. Completely different lens. Your outlook shapes your outcome.

2026 contribution limits are here: Bookmark this so you don’t leave free money on the table. 📍

You can’t answer these questions in a vacuum: • Should I buy a car and depreciate it? • Move to an S or C Corp? • Contribute to a Roth or traditional? • Exercise and sell my equity comp? • Buy a $2M home or a $3M home? • Take a year-end bonus or a distribution? There’s no “right” answer without understanding your goals. Great tax planning isn’t about lowering taxes. It’s about aligning money with the life you actually want. Anyone can help you save on taxes. The real value is helping you make choices that move you forward.

The most important things in life can’t be measured, only felt.

What Investors Can Learn from a Greek Myth In Greek mythology, Sirens were half-woman, half-bird creatures whose irresistible songs lured sailors to deadly rocks. Odysseus, in The Odyssey, wanted to hear the song but he did not want to die. -He stopped his crew’s ears with wax so they could not hear. -He had himself tied to the mast so he could not steer the ship into danger. Even someone as clever as Odysseus needed safeguards to resist temptation. Investing works the same way. You can know all the lessons of Evidence-Based Investing, but if you cannot resist the seductive “songs” of Wall Street hype, you will steer your portfolio straight into danger. The key is not just knowledge. It is discipline and protective systems that keep you on course.

Anyone can complain about the wind. Leaders adjust the sails.

If you’ve changed jobs and still have an old 401(k), don’t forget about it. You have a few smart options: 1. Roll it into your new 401(k). If the investment choices are strong and fees are low, this is often the best move, especially for high earners who want to do backdoor Roth IRA contributions. 2. Roll it into an IRA. Simple and flexible, but it can complicate future backdoor Roth strategies. 3. it into an IRA and convert to a Roth IRA. You’ll owe income taxes on the conversion, but this can make sense when the balance is small or when you’re in a lower tax bracket. Don’t leave your old 401(k) behind. Make it part of your plan.

The Waldorf Principle One stormy night, an elderly couple walked into a small Philadelphia hotel long after midnight, soaked and exhausted. The young clerk behind the desk explained every room was taken because of three conventions in town. But then he said something rare: “I can’t send a nice couple like you out in the rain at one in the morning. Would you be willing to sleep in my room?” They hesitated, but he insisted. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll make out just fine.” The next morning, as the gentleman paid his bill, he told the clerk, “You’re an exceptional man. People like you are rare these days. You deserve to manage the best hotel in the country. Maybe someday I’ll build one for you.” The clerk smiled, assuming it was just kindness. Two years later he received a letter from that same man with a train ticket to New York City. When they met, the gentleman took him to the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street, pointed to a magnificent new building, and said: “That is the hotel I want you to manage.” The man’s name was William Waldorf Astor. The clerk’s name was George Boldt. The hotel was the Waldorf-Astoria. One quiet act of service turned a clerk into the manager of the world’s most famous hotel. Never underestimate where humility and excellence can take you. Serve first. The reward will find you.

If an advisor jumps straight to products or portfolios without first understanding your situation, that’s a red flag. How you invest depends on your circumstances: -Are you retired or still working? -Do you have high or low risk tolerance? -Are you managing significant assets or building wealth? -Are your goals short-term or long-term? -Do you hold a concentrated stock position? -Are you facing a large future capital gain? -Will your heirs receive a step-up in basis, or will you need the funds yourself? -Are you investing through taxable, tax-deferred, or tax-free accounts? Your plan determines what you should do with your money, not the market, not the product, not the trend. Start with the plan. The investments follow.

Your investments shouldn't scare you more than the halloween costumes you see tonight If they do, you might want to reassess your risk tolerance

Daylight savings is not enough. You need to be daylight investing.

I'm going to teach my daughter about taxes by eating 20% of her candy tonight. If she gets a bigger haul, she gets taxed 40%. Welcome to the progressive candy system.

You can’t answer these questions in a vacuum: • Should I buy a car and depreciate it? • Move to an S or C Corp? • Contribute to a Roth or traditional? • Exercise and sell my equity comp? • Buy a $2M home or a $3M home? • Take a year-end bonus or a distribution? There’s no “right” answer without understanding your goals. Great tax planning isn’t about lowering taxes. It’s about aligning money with the life you actually want. Anyone can help you save on taxes. The real value is helping you make choices that move you forward.

Walt Disney’s 301 Rejections Walt Disney once pitched his dream of a theme park where families could laugh and imagine together. He went to the banks for funding. The first said no. The second said no. So did the next 299. Three hundred and one rejections. The 302nd banker finally said yes. That “yes” built Disneyland. Disney later said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” What he really proved was: If you can persist, you can build it. Every “no” you get today is just proof you’re one closer to yes.

Two salesmen were sent to a remote region to sell shoes. When they arrived, both made the same discovery: no one there wore shoes. The first salesman sent a message home: “No potential here. The people don’t wear shoes.” The second salesman sent this instead: “Massive opportunity. The people don’t wear shoes.” Same situation. Same facts. Completely different lens. Your outlook shapes your outcome.

2026 contribution limits are here: Bookmark this so you don’t leave free money on the table. 📍

If you’ve changed jobs and still have an old 401(k), don’t forget about it. You have a few smart options: 1. Roll it into your new 401(k). If the investment choices are strong and fees are low, this is often the best move, especially for high earners who want to do backdoor Roth IRA contributions. 2. Roll it into an IRA. Simple and flexible, but it can complicate future backdoor Roth strategies. 3. it into an IRA and convert to a Roth IRA. You’ll owe income taxes on the conversion, but this can make sense when the balance is small or when you’re in a lower tax bracket. Don’t leave your old 401(k) behind. Make it part of your plan.

What Investors Can Learn from a Greek Myth In Greek mythology, Sirens were half-woman, half-bird creatures whose irresistible songs lured sailors to deadly rocks. Odysseus, in The Odyssey, wanted to hear the song but he did not want to die. -He stopped his crew’s ears with wax so they could not hear. -He had himself tied to the mast so he could not steer the ship into danger. Even someone as clever as Odysseus needed safeguards to resist temptation. Investing works the same way. You can know all the lessons of Evidence-Based Investing, but if you cannot resist the seductive “songs” of Wall Street hype, you will steer your portfolio straight into danger. The key is not just knowledge. It is discipline and protective systems that keep you on course.

If an advisor jumps straight to products or portfolios without first understanding your situation, that’s a red flag. How you invest depends on your circumstances: -Are you retired or still working? -Do you have high or low risk tolerance? -Are you managing significant assets or building wealth? -Are your goals short-term or long-term? -Do you hold a concentrated stock position? -Are you facing a large future capital gain? -Will your heirs receive a step-up in basis, or will you need the funds yourself? -Are you investing through taxable, tax-deferred, or tax-free accounts? Your plan determines what you should do with your money, not the market, not the product, not the trend. Start with the plan. The investments follow.

Want to become a good investor? It’s not just about picking stocks. Here’s what actually matters: -Prioritize asset allocation -Get asset location right (minimize taxes) -Match investments to your time horizon -Focus on income & savings rate -Save or invest 20%+ of your income -Know your risk tolerance -Keep it simple -Keep fees low -Stay disciplined during downturns Master these and you’ll outperform most “stock pickers.”

One of the biggest hidden risks in retirement planning: Sequence of Returns Risk Two retirees each start with $1,000,000 and withdraw $45,000 a year (adjusted for 3% inflation). The difference between success and failure? Timing.

“What does a financial advisor even do besides tell people to buy the S&P 500?” If you’ve ever wondered the same thing, here’s what actually happens behind the scenes.

In 1943, engineer Richard James was testing naval equipment when he accidentally knocked a metal coil off his workbench. Instead of crashing, it bounced, stretched, and walked across the floor. He didn’t see failure. He saw potential. At home, he showed his wife Betty. Together they refined the design until it moved perfectly. Betty found a word in the dictionary that fit it exactly: “Slinky,” meaning sleek and sinuous in movement. They borrowed $500, made 400 toys, and demonstrated them at Gimbels Department Store in Philadelphia. They sold out in 90 minutes. By the 1950s, the James family had six children and a thriving company built around one simple spring. Then came a setback. Richard left to pursue other interests, leaving Betty with the company and its debts. She stayed. She rebuilt. And under her leadership, the Slinky became an American icon, sold worldwide and honored in the Smithsonian. All from a small accident that someone chose to notice. Lesson: Success rarely follows a straight line. Sometimes it begins when you stop seeing mistakes as failures and start seeing them as opportunities.