A biweekly newsletter from our Founder & Portfolio Manager, Ryan A. Hughes. Straight talk on markets, taxes, and money. Read by 2,700+ people who value clear thinking.
Key Takeaways: In early 2025, the S&P 500 fell nearly 19% from its February peak in a matter of weeks,1 then climbed back to a new high a few months later. Drops like that are normal, but they’re dangerous in a specific way for retirees: if you’re selling investments to pay your bills, a downturn...
Key Takeaways: If you’ve saved $3 million for retirement, congratulations, you’ve done something rare. According to the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances, the typical household nearing retirement has around $200,000 saved, and by the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s analysis of that data, fewer than 1 in 100 households have $3 million or more.1 You’re...
Key Takeaways: • Neither strategy is inherently better; fit depends on your plan. Both can support disciplined spending when built around your income, taxes, and risk capacity. • The two frameworks solve the same problem differently. Buckets separate money by when you’ll need it; total return manages one coordinated portfolio. • ...
Key Takeaways: Most people really don’t enjoy the budgeting process. For some people, the word “budget” brings to mind spreadsheets, expense tracking, and saying no to everything you enjoy. But budgeting doesn’t have to mean obsessing over every dollar you spend. At its core, budgeting is simply about understanding your cash flow: how much money...
Key Takeaways: • Your retirement paycheck starts with what you plan to spend. Build the target from expected after-tax spending, not a percentage of your former salary. • The money comes from several places at once. Social Security, pensions, and cash reserves cover part of the need. Investment accounts fill the...
Key Takeaways: What Retirement Ready Means at Age 55 Reaching 55 with a healthy nest egg can have a strange feeling. You’ve done the work, the balance looks solid, and yet you still can’t answer the one question that matters: whether your next paycheck could be your last. Retiring at 55 can be a gift,...
Key Takeaways: Retirement planning isn’t a single decision you make once and forget about. It’s a string of decisions that starts the day you get your first paycheck and doesn’t end until you’re gone. How early you start saving, what you do with your 401(k) every time you change jobs, and how you manage your...
Key Takeaways: Calculating your retirement number sounds like a simple exercise, right up until you open three online calculators, get three different answers, and start to scratch your head. Those calculators disagree because they’re all guessing at your life. You’re not. When you build the number from a few pieces you know, and hold onto...
Key Takeaways: If you are approaching 60 with $4M saved, you have built a strong foundation. For many households, that level of savings creates the opportunity to step away from work and start using the wealth you have spent decades building. However, the real question is not simply whether $4M is enough. The better question...
Key Takeaways: San Diego offers much of what people look for in retirement: great weather, outdoor activities, access to the coast, strong communities, and a lifestyle many want to enjoy after years of working. However, enjoying retirement here also comes with higher costs. Housing, insurance, healthcare, taxes, and everyday expenses can add up quickly, especially...
Key Takeaways: Can you retire at 55 in San Diego with $3 million? In many cases, yes. But the answer depends on far more than the portfolio balance. Housing costs, healthcare, taxes, spending habits, and how many years your money needs to last all play a role. Retiring at 55 is vastly different from retiring...
Key Takeaways: Can you retire early in San Diego with $3 million to $5 million? Perhaps. Though in many cases, the answer is yes. A portfolio of that size may feel like enough, but the answer depends on more than the balance itself. Housing costs, taxes, healthcare, spending habits, and the number of years your...
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