What pros do differently when rates feel ‘meh’ and inflation sits near 3% When rates feel… meh, and inflation hangs near 3%, pros don’t default to “kill the mortgage” or “buy the dip.” They run the math like a portfolio…
The one mistake costing people now: chasing the pop without a plan You can feel it on desks this fall. The Fed cuts, the tape rips higher for a couple sessions, and suddenly everyone who swore they’d “wait for a…
Before-and-after: the difference a real 2025 plan makes Two investors, same starting capital, same October 2025 backdrop. One wings it, sits heavy in cash because rates “still feel high,” tosses a few random tech names in the cart, and carries…
The priciest mistake: carrying a balance for tiny pump rewards The priciest mistake isn’t paying 10¢ more per gallon. It’s paying 20%+ interest while chasing 3% back at the pump. I’ve watched smart people, colleagues, clients, me years ago, fall…
Old playbook vs 2025 reality: what to do first with a windfall Old playbook said: get a windfall, wipe every debt clean, call it a day. Feels tidy, sure. But in 2025, that knee‑jerk “pay off everything immediately” move can…
No, 3% inflation doesn’t guarantee rate cuts Quick question I keep hearing on trading calls: CPI’s got a 3-handle again, so we’re getting cuts, right? Short answer: no. Longer answer: the Fed doesn’t set policy off a single headline print,…
When a plan meets a pivot: how rate cuts change retiree math When a plan meets a pivot, the math changes, sometimes quietly, sometimes like a bucket of ice water. Picture a retiree who set a steady 4% withdrawal plan…
The costliest mistake after a layoff: locking in a bad plan The costliest mistake after a layoff isn’t the layoff. It’s locking in a bad plan, fast. I’ve watched smart people make an emotional, permanent retirement decision in the first…
What pros wish everyone knew before pulling the ripcord If you’re asking yourself “should-i-retire-amid-higher-inflation-and-layoffs,” you’re not alone. The headlines feel loud this year, rate cuts keep getting pushed around, the 10‑year Treasury has hovered in the mid‑4s for much of…
The costliest mistake: hedging inflation before checking the tax bill The costliest mistake I’m seeing right now: hedging inflation the loud way, gold here, broad commodities there, then getting clipped on April 15th. If tariffs pop and price levels grind…