Michael Scutari, Financial Advisor

10/16/2026

The Social Security Administration just announced a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment for 2027, the biggest bump since 2023. For the average retiree, that’s roughly $75 more per month starting in January.

Good news, but a few things are worth keeping in mind:

🔹 Medicare may take a bite. Part B premiums are typically deducted from your check, and the 2027 premium hasn’t been announced yet. Your net increase could be smaller than 3.6%.
🔹 Open Enrollment starts today. From Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, you can review and change your Medicare coverage. It’s a good time to make sure your plan still fits your needs.
🔹 A raise isn’t a plan. A COLA helps your benefit keep pace with inflation, but it’s one piece of your retirement income picture. Year-end is a good time to look at withdrawals, taxes, and RMDs together.

Have questions about how this affects you? Let’s talk before the year wraps up, schedule a meeting with me here:

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10/12/2026

🎃 What's haunting your finances this Halloween? 👻

Some of the scariest things in your financial life aren't the ones you can see:

🕸️ The Ghost of Old Paperwork: Outdated wills and beneficiary forms that no longer reflect your wishes
🧛 The Tax Vampire: Inefficiencies quietly draining your returns year after year
🧟 The Zombie Accounts: Old 401(k)s and forgotten accounts wandering around without a plan
🦇 The Unknown Lurking Ahead: No clear strategy for what happens if life takes an unexpected turn

The good news? Unlike a haunted house, these are fixable, and a little attention now can keep them from becoming real frights later. Schedule a meeting with me here to see how I can help:

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10/07/2026

The two accounts aren't connected, and funds can't transfer between them, according to a 2026 update from Brightstart.com.

That makes things simpler for a lot of families. It's rarely a true either-or decision. Many households end up using both accounts, each one doing its own job. If you're weighing how Trump Accounts and a 529 might fit your family, bring it up the next time we talk.

#529

10/04/2026

Here's where the two accounts part ways, starting with who's in control. Trump Accounts is opened for a child, and the money stays locked up until January 1 of the year they turn 18. After that, it works like a traditional individual retirement account. The IRS in 2026 clarified that family, friends, and employers can contribute up to $5,000 per child per year, with employers capped at $2,500 of that.

A 529 runs on different rules. There's no federal cap on yearly contributions, though each state sets its own lifetime limit. The IRS says that a parent can contribute up to $19,000 per year ($38,000 for a couple) without any gift tax paperwork. Money can be withdrawn at any time for qualified education costs, and the earnings are exempt from federal tax.

#529

10/01/2026

Trump Accounts and 529s keep coming up in the same conversation. Both put money aside for a child's future. The similarity ends there. One is designed for educational expenses, but the other is open-ended. College, a first home, retirement, or anything else.

#529

09/29/2026

In our latest commentary, we explore how higher rates, geopolitical uncertainty, and shifting market expectations are shaping today’s investment landscape. Discover what’s driving the recent volatility and how investors can navigate an increasingly temperamental market environment. Read here:

In our latest commentary, we explore how higher rates, geopolitical uncertainty, and shifting market expectations are shaping today’s investment landscape.…

09/24/2026

3 financial moves worth making before year-end:

1️⃣ Review your retirement contributions. There may still be room to increase them.
2️⃣ Check your beneficiary designations. Life changes; paperwork often doesn't.
3️⃣ Look at your tax picture now, while there's still time to plan.

Small steps now can make a big difference later. Reach out if you'd like to walk through any of these together.

09/18/2026

🗞️ Treasury made an unusually large move to calm a shaky corner of the bond market.

On September 10, the Treasury bought back up to $6 billion in 10- and 20-year notes, up from its typical $2 billion operation. Despite the move, yields kept climbing: the 10-year note reached 4.841%, the 20-year hit 5.314%, and the 30-year climbed to 5.307%, levels not seen since before the 2008 financial crisis.

🛢️ The pressure isn't coming from one place. Government debt has grown, tariffs and geopolitical tension have kept inflation concerns alive, and oil prices have climbed back above $100 a barrel.

Higher Treasury yields don't stay contained to the bond market. They tend to show up in mortgage rates 🏠, auto loans, and credit cards, which is why moves like this are worth watching even if bonds aren't something you follow day to day.


Source:

The much-anticipated announcement triples the normal buyback operation and follows an announcement from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

09/15/2026

For a lot of retirees, filing for Social Security felt like crossing a finish line. But the strategy behind that decision doesn't have to stay frozen the day you filed. Life shifts, and so does the way Social Security fits into your income picture. Revisiting it can be an important part of a good retirement income plan that spans a 20- or 30-year retirement, and there are a few developments right now that make this a good year to take another look. Read more here:

For a lot of retirees, filing for Social Security felt like crossing a finish line. But the strategy behind that decision doesn't have to stay frozen the day…

09/09/2026

For many Gen Xers, retirement is starting to feel less like a distant milestone and more like a looming financial reality.

The oldest members of the generation will turn 62 next year, the earliest age to claim Social Security. At the same time, many are approaching retirement with limited savings and fewer pensions than previous generations had.

The median Gen X retirement savings balance is about $107,000, while members of the generation estimate they’ll need roughly $700,000 for retirement. Social Security may also become an increasingly important source of income, with 41% of workers over 55 saying they expect it to be their primary source in retirement.

That gap is prompting some Gen Xers to rethink when they’ll stop working, how much they may need to save, and what retirement could realistically look like.

If retirement is getting closer, this may be a good time to review your savings, expected Social Security benefits, and other sources of retirement income.


Source:

Millions of Generation X Americans expect to depend on Social Security as their main — or only — source of retirement income.