Keely Keelan, Financial Advisor

10/16/2026

Frugal Friday-Thinking TAXtically

Strategic adjustments now can have major tax benefits later. Find out what moves you could make before year end:

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10/14/2026

Healthy, Wealthy, & Wise Wednesday-Trust Your Inner Voice (not always the voice on the other line)

I've experienced this firsthand.

A scammer stole one of our client's identities and used AI voice cloning technology to try to access her accounts. The voice was eerily similar to the real client, but because we knew her well and had strong verification procedures in place, we recognized that something wasn't right.

We immediately placed additional security measures on the account and prevented any unauthorized withdrawals or transfers. Fortunately, this story had a happy ending. Many don't.

As AI continues to make scams more sophisticated, it's becoming harder to trust what you see and hear. Fraudsters are now using voice cloning, deepfake videos, and highly convincing messages to impersonate family members, businesses, and even government officials.

A few reminders:
*Pause before acting on urgent requests for money or sensitive information
*Verify through a trusted passphrase, phone number or known contact method
*Be skeptical of unexpected messages, even if they appear to come from someone you know
*Trust your instincts when something feels off.

raymondjames.com

10/09/2026

Listen to Larry!

The Long Voyage: Discipline Through Uncertainty

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10/07/2026

Healthy, Wealthy, & Wise Wednesday-Age 8 Nothin' But a Number

"Your biological age is the number of days you've lived. Your psychological age is the number of thoughts you've entertained. Your sociological age is the number of contributions you've made." ~ James Clear

Retirement planning is a series of important milestones. Here are 8 key ages that can impact your financial decision-making:

55 – Separation from Service Rule
If you leave your employer during or after the year you turn 55, you should be able to take penalty-free withdrawals from your employer's 401(k).

59½ – Penalty-Free Retirement Account Access
The 10% early withdrawal penalty generally goes away for IRAs and retirement plans.

62 – Earliest Social Security Eligibility
You can claim Social Security, but your benefit will be permanently reduced compared to waiting longer.

65 – Medicare Enrollment
Most Americans become eligible for Medicare. Missing enrollment deadlines can result in penalties and coverage gaps.

67 – Full Retirement Age (For Many Workers)
For those born in 1960 or later, this is the age at which full Social Security benefits are available.

70 – Maximum Social Security Benefit Age
Delaying benefits beyond age 70 generally doesn't increase your Social Security payment further.

73 – Required Minimum Distributions Begin
Many retirement account owners must begin taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from traditional IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRAs, 401(k)s, creating potential tax planning opportunities and challenges.

75 – Future RMD Age for Younger Generations
Under current law, some younger retirees will have their RMD age pushed to 75, allowing additional years of tax-deferred growth.

Every family's timeline is different, but knowing these milestone ages can help you make more informed decisions and potentially avoid costly mistakes.

09/30/2026

Healthy, Wealthy, & Wise Wednesday-Friendfillment

"What is a friend? I will tell you.

It is a person with whom you dare to be yourself. Your soul can be naked with him. He seems to ask of you to put on nothing, only to be what you are. He does not want you to be better, or worse. When you are with him, you feel as a prisoner feels who has been declared innocent. You do not have to be on your guard. You can say what you think, so long as it is genuinely you. He understands those contradictions in your nature that lead others to misjudge you.

With him you breathe freely. You can avow your little vanities and envies and hates and vicious sparks, your meannesses and absurdities and, in opening them up to him, they are lost, dissolved on the white ocean of his loyalty. He understands. You do not have to be careful. You can abuse him, neglect him, tolerate him. Best of all, you can keep still with him. It makes no matter. He likes you. He is like fire that purges to the bone. He understands. He understands. You can weep with him, sin with him, laugh with him, pray with him. Through it all—and underneath—he sees, knows and loves you.

A friend? What is a friend? Just one, I repeat, with whom you dare to be yourself." ~ C. Raymond Beran

My oldest, nearest and dearest friends gathered for our annual trip a couple weeks ago in Isle of Palms. While I never take these friendships for granted, the reality of our busy lives mean that we can go months without seeing each other or catching up regularly. That's why time together feels so special. Laughing until your sides hurt, reminiscing about old memories, sharing life's challenges, and encouraging one another though whatever season comes next.

Some of these friendships began in elementary school while others formed during middle and high school. Over the years, we have each experienced our own triumphs and trials. We have navigated career changes, marriages, divorces, raising children, caring for aging parents, tragic losses, health challenges, and countless other unexpected twists that life inevitably brings. Through it all, these friends have remained a steady source of support, perspective, and joy.

Friendships work in much the same way as building wealth over time. Rarely is it built in one grand event. Rather, it is investing consistently over time. Small, intentional deposits made year after year. And the returns on those investments can be extraordinary!

A truly rich life is measured by more than account balances or a net worth statement. Some of the best dividends in life come from our relationships that stand the test of time.

Make sure to keep depositing into your friends and the relationships that matter most! https://www.raymondjamesconnect.com/aQlaPQ

09/29/2026

Unfazed with Haze: The ABCs of 529s

Thinking about saving for college? Here's a quick primer on 529 plans, tax-advantaged investment accounts designed to help families save for education expenses!

Want some other lesser known secret superpowers of 529s.....

Did you know?

*You can "superfund" a 529 by using 5 years worth of the gift tax exclusion ($95k single, $190k married) in one year.
(This is also a great way to remove large chunks of cash from your taxable estate. Grandparents cough, cough)

*Up to $35k of money that goes unused in a 529 can be rolled into a Roth IRA for that child tax and penalty-free.
(But you gotta start the clock! The account must have been open for at least 15 years)

*You can change beneficiaries at any time meaning you keep control and if your child doesn't end up going the higher education path, you can change beneficiaries to another family member like a spouse, child, grandchild, sibling, niece, nephew.
(No time limit on when funds must be used. Funds can remain invested indefinitely and you can keep funds for future grandchildren's education!)

*529s can be used to repay up to $10k in student loans per borrower (not per account) which can be the designated beneficiary or their siblings and stepsiblings!

*Funds can be used for textbooks, tutoring, standardized test fees, educational therapies and special needs equipment for students with disabilities.

*Funds can be used for K-12 tuition expenses (up to $20k annually), trade schools, apprenticeship programs, even the Outward Bound program! https://www.raymondjamesconnect.com/aRZdW1

09/16/2026

Healthy, Wealthy, & Wise Wednesday- Go with the Flow

"When we engage in what we are naturally suited to do, our work takes on the quality of play and it is play that stimulates creativity." ~ Linda Naiman

New blog drop!

Flow requires skill and challenge to be high. When those conditions are met, a task becomes more enjoyable and the experience reaches its highest quality. As skill levels improve, the task often becomes even more engaging and rewarding, as illustrated in Csikszentmihalyi's Flow Model (pictured). People who frequently enter a flow state often report losing track of time and becoming unaware of themselves and their everyday concerns.... https://www.raymondjamesconnect.com/a3EEIw

09/11/2026

A quarter century has passed, but the memory remains. Today we honor the victims, survivors, and first responders of September 11th, 2001.

I will never forget. And I hope to be able to convey to my children, the next generation, the magnitude of that day, the heroes that emerged out of evil and terror, the sacrifices made, and the resilience our nation showed in the days and weeks to follow.

09/07/2026

Capture market potential while managing the risks. Discover how structured investments can help you pursue your investing goals, even in uncertain markets.

raymondjames.com

09/04/2026

Frugal Friday-Wealth is Health(care)!

According to Fidelity's annual Retiree Health Care Cost Estimate, a 65 year-old retiring in 2026 can expect to spend an average of $185,500 in health care and medical expenses throughout retirement! This includes out-of-pocket drug costs, Medicare Part B & D premiums, copays, coinsurance, deductibles, etc.

What can you do?
*Start investing in an HSA
*Invest in your health now! Be active, stay proactive!
*Select your Medicare plan carefully
*Get an expert to help navigate it with you

Retiring before you're eligible for Medicare? Explore these strategies to help manage health care costs until coverage begins:

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