Eric Van Ness, MBA, CFP - Financial Advisor at Waddell & Reed

10/20/2026

Did you know that starting just one decade earlier can be more impactful than tripling your contributions? The math might surprise you. Read on to see how time can do the heavy lifting for you.

See how starting early—not saving more—can be the most powerful move you make for your long-term future.

10/19/2026

What happens to your cash flow when you stop earning a paycheck?

The 2026 EBRI Retirement Confidence Survey caught something interesting about that shift.

📊 Among workers, 33 percent say they turn to a financial professional for guidance.

📊 Among retirees, that number climbs to nearly 40 percent.

National Retirement Security Week (October 19–25 this year) is a reminder to check whether your strategy is evolving with your lifestyle priorities.

If retirement is within a few years, the practical step is not rebuilding the strategy today.

It's identifying the two or three moving pieces that are no longer theoretical, the day you stop working, and consider working with a financial professional who can help guide you.

10/19/2026

Does the 4% rule still work? The answer lies in your goals, time horizon and risk tolerance.

A portfolio created with your long-term objectives in mind is crucial as you pursue your dream retirement.

10/16/2026

Fidelity's 2025 wealth transfer study found that roughly 67 percent of parents age 55 and older have never told their adult children what they will inherit, or whether they will inherit anything at all.

About 33 percent would prefer the kids are kept in the dark about the amount.

Their reasons should feel familiar:
✔️ Worry that a specific number will dampen a child's drive
✔️ Discomfort talking about money at all

The same study found:
Most adult children say they are ready to handle whatever they inherit and would rather shape things while their parents are still around to explain the "why" behind decisions.

Families who have inheritance strategies share some similar habits:
💬 Kids know who the financial professionals are and how to reach them
💬 Everyone knows where the estate documents are
💬 They try to manage any surprises well ahead of time

So, do you tell your children or not?

There's no single right answer here.

Sharing exact numbers isn't necessary, but most families find that a broad discussion can help with priorities and expectations.

10/16/2026

Even the most seasoned investors are prone to biases affecting their financial choices. Learn more in this message.

Even the most seasoned investors have biases affecting their financial choices.

10/15/2026

Terrible or wonderful; Could a variable annuity be right for you?

10/14/2026

A mother in California picked up the phone and heard her daughter's voice, panicked, saying she'd been kidnapped and needed money immediately.

What she'd heard wasn't her daughter. It was an AI-generated clone of her voice.

In a 2025 study, scientists found that when people heard a cloned voice, they correctly identified the voice as AI-generated only about 60 percent of the time.

The FBI attributed more than $890 million in 2025 losses to AI-enabled fraud, and voice cloning is one of the main drivers behind that number.

It is not only older adults being targeted. Younger family members get these calls too, often framed as a sibling or friend in trouble. Older adults just tend to lose the most per incident.

Two ways to protect your family.

🔐 Agree on a private code word or question with the people a scammer is most likely to impersonate (kids, parents, spouse)

📞 If a call like this comes in and you have not set up a code word yet, hang up, then call the real person back

When in doubt, slow down and verify.

10/14/2026

Are you prepared for a 20-year retirement? How women can consider their retirement strategy.

Are women prepared for a 20-year retirement?

10/13/2026

What every parent needs to know about insuring his or her teen driver.

Tips on insuring your teen driver.

10/12/2026

C&R Research reports that the average American spends \$219 on subscriptions. Many find themselves with an unclear idea how much they are spending on their services, in many cases underestimating the amounts by upwards of \$100 per month.

A look as how autopay subscriptions can be a drain on your finances, especially when forgotten.