A New Year, A Fresh Look at Your Money

I hope you all had a wonderful 2025. Like every year, it came with its share of challenges — issues, battles, losses, and unexpected events. But if you’re reading this, you made it through. And that alone is something worth acknowledging.

With everything life throws at us, there’s one thing that still deserves attention: your money.

My clients know exactly where their money went in 2025 — how it was saved, how it was spent, how it was invested, and how it performed. If you’re not a client of mine and you’re reading this, I want you to pause and ask yourself an honest question:

Do you know where your money went last year?

You deposited your income into your checking account. Is there any of it left? Did your savings increase? Did your investments move you closer to your long-term goals? Hopefully the answer is yes — but for many people, it’s simply unclear.

Knowing What to Do Isn’t the Same as Doing It

Most people already know what they should be doing when it comes to financial planning. Save more. Spend less. Invest wisely. Plan for retirement. Protect their family. The problem isn’t knowledge — it’s execution.

Life is busy. Careers, families, interests, health, and responsibilities compete for attention. That’s why working with an expert matters. Preferably a Certified Financial Planner™ professional.

If you’re not working with someone who:

• Asks you meaningful questions about your family and goals
• Takes notes and builds a plan around your answers
• Helps you make adjustments when life changes
• And most importantly, holds you accountable

…then the odds are stacked against you reaching the financial position you truly want.

Why Accountability Makes the Difference

Think about professional athletes. Even the best in the world still have coaches. They need someone watching the details, making adjustments, tracking progress, and pushing them when needed. Financial planning works the same way. Even if you’re knowledgeable and responsible with money, having a professional in your corner can make a significant difference. It’s not about control — it’s about clarity, consistency, and follow-through. That’s my role for my clients. And for many of you reading this, it’s worth considering as we move into a new year.

A Few Personal and Family Updates

Many of you enjoy hearing what’s going on with my family, so here’s a quick update. My youngest son, Jack, and my middle son, Jacob, are living together in the Bay Pines area of St. Petersburg. They’re renting a home with Baloo the Husky and Mooshka the Bully. Jack works at MarineMax near Gulfport, and Jacob works for a fire suppression company in St. Pete (Sprinklermatic). They spend many weekends on the water in our restored 1958, 15.5-foot Lyman outboard — a boat that has seen Lake Erie, the Pacific Ocean, Huntington Beach Harbor, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the Gulf Shores out of John’s Pass. That boat is seven years older than I am, which still amazes me. If only it could talk. My oldest son, Nathan, continues his work with the Canton Symphony Orchestra, handling marketing, fundraising, and event coordination. He purchased his first home this past year — a duplex with a large yard in Akron. His health is good, and we’re very proud of him.

Laura continues to deal with rheumatoid arthritis and has been through foot surgery and a lung lobectomy related to a condition she was born with. Despite ongoing back pain, she’s a real trooper and still works out with her trainer two to three times a week.

As for me — I’m doing well. I dropped some weight, enjoyed boating both up north and down south, and stayed busy at work. I ran just under 500 appointments in 2025, and still managed to carve out some vacation time. I genuinely enjoy what I do, and I appreciate the trust so many of you place in me.

Looking Ahead to 2026

As we begin a new year, I encourage you to do three simple things:

1. Write your goals down for 2026
2. Work toward them intentionally
3. Track where your money goes

Your future and your retirement will thank you.

A Quick Reminder for Tax Clients

I will be blocking off the first week of February and the first week of March for tax-intake meetings for clients who want to sit down with me personally. Please call the office to get scheduled.

P.S.

If you haven’t already, please make sure your legal documents — wills, powers of attorney, healthcare directives are up to date. Your family will appreciate it later more than you’ll ever know.