Dorval & Chorne Financial Advisors

10/16/2026

🏡 Should you pay off your mortgage before retirement? And is snowbirding really worth it? 🌴

The answer depends on your goals, your cash flow, and the quality of life you want, not just the numbers.

In this conversation, we talk through:
✅ When accelerating mortgage payments can make sense
✅ Why your plans for the home matter
✅ How to balance mortgage payments with retirement savings and emergency reserves
✅ The often-overlooked costs of maintaining two homes
✅ Why community and shared interests matter in retirement

🎥 Watch here: https://youtu.be/pWaZUYCxkbY

Want to talk through your own retirement plans? Visit https://dorvalchorne.com

10/09/2026

🎧 Stop listening to the noise.

Market headlines, hot takes, and what everyone else seems to be doing can make it hard to stay focused on your own plan. In Part 2 of our conversation, we talk about why your goals, time horizon, and need for your money should drive how you invest, not the noise. 🎯

We also explain the difference between asset allocation and diversification, and why two people the same age, both planning for retirement, may need very different allocations.

▶️ Watch here: https://youtu.be/6c5XiJ3shHA

10/04/2026

Another DC Adventure: our annual smallmouth fishing day on the Mississippi River! 🎣

Honest report: it was the worst fishing trip ever. The first real frost hit the night before and the fish shut down, though Bret did land a nice 18" smallmouth.

The evening at Dan's house made up for it, with bocce, a fantastic steak dinner, and chocolate ganache cake by the fire.

Read the blog for all the details: https://dorvalchorne.com/blog/another-dc-adventure-dorval-chornes-annual-smallmouth-bass-fishing-day/

10/02/2026

💙 Our October 2026 Quality of Life Nurse Award goes to Ashley! 🩺

Here's what her nominator shared:

"Ashley went above and beyond to encourage and connect with me while I was on an extended hospital stay. Very thoughtful and kind, compassionate during a difficult time."

Watch the full announcement here: https://youtu.be/eLPvzcLvoVg

After more than 25 years of providing financial planning and advice to primarily nurses, we felt it was time to give back and recognize nurses for the quality of life they bring to others. We've given this award every month since April 2024. 🎉

09/24/2026

🎉 Celebrating 20 Years with Ellen Kvenild! 🎉

Today we're celebrating a huge milestone: Ellen has been part of the Dorval & Chorne team for 20 years! As our COO, Ellen has been the steady hand behind our client relationships and operations since 2006, and we couldn't be more grateful for her dedication and heart.

We celebrated with lunch at Benihana with the team (missing a few who couldn't be there!), and couldn't resist pulling out this throwback from 10 years ago at that same spot. Look how far we've come!

Congratulations, Ellen, and thank you for 20 amazing years. Here's to many more!

09/24/2026

Risk and volatility are not the same thing. 📉 One is the chance you don't reach your goal. The other is the bumpy ride along the way.

In Part 1 of our Investment Alternatives series, we go back to the Investment Alternatives chapter of Financial Success for the Rest of Us and talk through a different way to think about investing: investments are tools, not a way to simply get rich. 🛠️

We get into:
✅ Why your goals should decide how you invest
✅ Stocks as a growth tool for the long haul
✅ How bonds buy time for your stocks to do their job
✅ Why a "safe" investment may be the wrong fit for a 30-year goal

A better question than "What's the best investment?" may be "What is this money supposed to accomplish?" 🎯

Part 2 is on the way. Watch Part 1 here 👇
https://youtu.be/dRD8-6EtBNA

09/21/2026

Picking a pension payout option is a big decision, and once you choose, you usually can't change it. 😅

So what's the difference between a 100% survivor benefit, 50%, and life-only? And how do you know which one is right for you and your spouse?

Our latest video walks through how these options work, what to consider before you decide, and a few common mistakes couples run into along the way.

Take a look 👇

Choosing a pension payout option can be one of the most important a...

09/16/2026

🌟 Do you know a nurse who goes the extra mile?

Nominations are open for our Quality of Life Nurse Award! 💛

Every month, we spotlight one nurse whose compassion and dedication leave a lasting impact — on patients, on families, on their whole community.

If there's a nurse in your life who deserves to be recognized, it only takes 2 minutes to nominate them.

👉 https://dorvalchorne.com/financial-programs/quality-of-life-nurse-award/

Let's celebrate the nurses who show up with heart, day after day. ❤️

09/10/2026

💰 How should you split your retirement savings between a 401(k), Roth IRA, and brokerage account?

Spoiler: it's not just "save as much as possible in your 401(k) and call it a day."

In our latest video, we talk about tax diversification and why having different "buckets" of money (taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free) gives you way more flexibility down the road. We get into:

✅ Why maxing out a traditional 401(k) isn't always the best move
✅ How withdrawals can bump up your tax bracket (and even your Medicare premiums!)
✅ Why a Roth IRA might be one of the most flexible tools in your retirement toolkit
✅ How brokerage accounts can help you before age 59½

Watch here 👉 https://youtu.be/VM4UPgyeoPs