It's been a wild 2 months (as of today) for Donald Trump's second term. While there's been a lot of news, the tariff wars have spooked investors and the market as a whole. Here's how I'm recommending my clients think about what we're going through right now and what the next few years could look like.

https://forthrightfinances.com/5-ways-to-make-your-home-easier-as-you-age/

Sheryl Rowling over at Morningstar wrote a great piece on financial retirement myths that you shouldn't fall for. I go through each point in the video as well as add in my own thoughts. You can read the whole thing here: https://www.morningstar.com/personal-finance/6-retirement-financial-myths-avoid

We all know we need an estate plan, but we also need to get our financial house in order for when we pass away. By getting organized now you can make the life of your spouse/kids much easier when you eventually pass away. This episode talks about some things to consider while getting organized.

https://forthrightfinances.com/planning-for-your-passing/

Last week, the Social Security Administration announced a rule change to a program called Supplemental Security Income, which will make approx 35M more Americans eligible to receive SSI benefits ($943/mo per eligible individual) from the federal government. In the video I go through the rule change via a CNBC article (linked below)

I don't love annuities, but this strategy does make sense for the right type of person in retirement.

Being diversified in your investment portfolio isn't always easy, especially when it leads to relative underperformance. Here's why that happens and why you should still stick to being diversified.

Whenever someone in the financial media is presenting information to you, you have to be curious about not only the data they present but also their own internal biases, as well as information they may be withholding.

Should you hire a financial planner or should you DIY it? The truth is that either choice can be a great choice for you. If you love this stuff, want to keep up with changing tax laws/regulations/best practices, and you want to spend your time doing it, then it makes a lot of sense for you to DIY. And if you hate doing this and would much rather spend your time doing anything else, then it makes a ton of sense to hire someone to help.

The best time to plan for all the bad things that could happen in life is when you're physically and mentally healthy. Unfortunately, too many people delay or never get around to proper estate planning, leaving a giant headache (and sometimes worse) for their family and friends. Even though I love the lawyer Saul Goodman (from the TV show Better Call Saul), I am NOT an attorney and none of this is legal advice. It's simply education on the key things to consider with your estate plan, in conjunction with an estate planning attorney.