R.D. Smothers Wealth Management

06/09/2026

You're Not on the Wrong Train - You're Just Going to a Different Destination

My first time in New York City, I made a mistake.
I jumped on the 6 train when I should have been on the 4. The 6 is the local that stops at every single station. Meanwhile, I'm watching the 4 train fly past me on the same tracks, going twice as fast.

And standing there, a little frustrated, it hit me: that's retirement.

Just because the other train is going faster doesn't mean you belong on it.
Right now, AI is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
We're likely in the early innings of earnings, not the late ones.
The names leading this charge- Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Oracle- have real runway ahead.

But if you're in the income phase of retirement and you start chasing growth stocks without a plan, you may find yourself way past your stop with no easy way back.

Here's what I keep telling our clients: losses hurt you more in retirement than gains help you.

If a client loses 20%, it changes how they live. If they make 20%, maybe they take an extra trip. That asymmetry is everything and it's why discipline matters more than performance at this stage of the game.

If you retire without an income plan, you're not retired. You're just unemployed.

I sat down recently with Lou Bassanese on The Big Skinny to talk AI, the markets, and what most investors still aren't paying attention to.

Catch the full episode below!

270.600.PLAN Save Money. Plan Well. Live Happy.

SpaceX may be one of the most anticipated IPOs in history, but our ...

06/06/2026

🌭 HOT DOG, IT’S SAMI’S BIRTHDAY!

Since Sami is our office’s biggest hot dog fan, there was really only one way to celebrate…with a hot dog party!

Sami brings hard work, a positive attitude, and plenty of fun to the office, and we’re lucky to have her.

Join us in wishing Sami a very happy birthday! 🎉

06/05/2026

Dale Smothers discusses potential stock market tailwinds. He says in order for the S&P 500 (SPX) to hit 8,000, AI demand must continue to spark optimism, oil prices cannot climb, earnings must grow, and investors must stay calm through summer volatility. Dale also talks about how to navigate the sell-off into this weekend and his expectations for market volatility- Schwab Network

Our CEO, Dale Smothers RICP, MBA joins Schwab Network to discuss po...

06/04/2026

The Trigger Guard Nobody Talks About in Retirement Planning

A few years back, I took my son hunting.

As we were heading into the woods, he reached over and touched the trigger guard on the rifle and asked, "Dad, what does that piece do?"

I had to stop and think about it.

Honestly? That piece doesn't fire anything. It doesn't send the bullet downrange. The rifle would technically work without it.

But here's what it does do- it keeps you from accidentally pulling the trigger at the wrong moment. It adds stability. Safety. Accuracy.
And that's exactly what a complete retirement plan looks like.

Most people come to me with a solid investment portfolio. They've saved diligently for 30+ years. They've got the "rifle"- the firing mechanism, the growth engine.

But are they prepared for retirement? Or just funded for it?
There's a big difference.

Sure, if you never face a market downturn in retirement, you're fine. If you somehow earn 30% returns year after year and never hit a rough patch... you're fine.
But the odds of that? Very, very low.

The trigger guard in your retirement plan is everything around the investment portfolio- the income strategy, the tax planning, the healthcare coverage, the sequence-of-returns protection. It's the part that keeps one bad year from becoming a catastrophic mistake.

Your portfolio gets the bullet downrange. Your plan makes sure it goes where you actually intended.
If you're within 5-10 years of retirement and you've only been focused on growing your money- not protecting and distributing it- it's time to talk.

A rifle without a trigger guard isn't ready for the field and neither is a retirement plan without the right protections in place.

♻️ Repost if this resonates with someone you know heading toward retirement. 💬 Drop a comment- what's the piece of your retirement plan you feel least confident about?

https://youtube.com/shorts/eZ-gC3N95rE?feature=share

06/01/2026

🎉 Happy 1 Year RDS-iversary to Sami! 🎉

If you have joined the RDS family over the last year, there’s a good chance you’ve had the pleasure of working with Sami.

As our onboarding extraordinaire, Sami helps guide new clients through the transition process. From coordinating transfers to answering questions along the way, she brings patience, care, and genuine desire to help every client feel supported from day one. We are lucky to have her on the team.

Join us in wishing Sami a happy first RDS-iversary! 🎉

05/28/2026

Live from the New York Stock Exchange, Dale Smothers of RDS Wealth joins Lance Glinn to break down why he believes the S&P 500 could reach 8000 before year-end despite ongoing market volatility, geopolitical tensions, oil price concerns, and global economic uncertainty.
https://youtu.be/1qu0xOnOJ50?si=gSBoQ9h0irts2dDH

Live from the New York Stock Exchange, Dale Smothers of RDS Wealth joins Lance Glinn to break down why he believes the S&P 500 could reach 8000 before year-e...

05/27/2026

'Smart Retirement Investors Need Discipline Right Now'

Our CEO, Dale Smothers joined Varney & Co. on Fox Business to break down the AI stock boom, Nvidia earnings, and the investment opportunities beyond the biggest tech names. Watch full segment below!

Our CEO, Dale Smothers joins Stuart Varney on Fox Business to break down the AI stock boom, Nvidia earnings, and the investment opportunities beyond the bigg...

05/25/2026

05/22/2026

“Nvidia Is the Load-Bearing Wall of This Market”- Dale Smothers
Dale Smothers Fintech.TV

$NVDA isn't just leading the market. It's holding it up.Dale Smot...

05/21/2026

"RDS Wealth CEO Dale Smothers on What Investors Want to See from Nvidia This Week"- Yahoo Finance

RDS Wealth CEO Dale Smothers joins Lance Glinn on NYSE Live to discuss Nvidia