Senior Financial Planning

10/14/2026

💡 What if scientists could use light to switch specific brain cells on and off?

That idea helped earn the 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine for Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel. Their work helped create the field of optogenetics, which combines light and genetics to control selected neurons in living brains.

The breakthrough grew from research on a light-sensitive protein in green algae. Scientists found that when the protein was introduced into certain brain cells, light could be used to activate or silence those neurons with remarkable precision.

That has given researchers a powerful way to study the brain circuits involved in behavior and disease. The technique is already informing research into conditions including blindness, depression, addiction, dementia, autism, and schizophrenia. 🧠

A discovery that began with algae has become one of neuroscience’s most important tools.

The Nobel Prize in medicine has been awarded to three scientists whose work led to a tool that uses light to help unravel how the brain works.

10/14/2026

Can group and private disability policies work together?

Loss of income from disability has the potential to cause financial hardship. Disability insurance can help.

10/12/2026

If you're 50 or older, you're eligible to contribute more to your 401(k). See how those extra dollars could add up by the time you retire.

See how catch-up contributions after age 50 could significantly boost your retirement balance.

10/09/2026

Your earning potential over a lifetime is one of your biggest assets. See a projection of what your career income could add up to over time.

Estimate how much you may earn over your working years based on your current income.

10/08/2026

Stocks finished the third quarter mixed. The S&P 500 gained 2.03%, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 2.47%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 2.70%. Halloween is next on the calendar, with U.S. consumers expected to spend \$13.5 billion USD this year and 6.26 million Canadian children in their trick-or-treating years.

Stocks were mixed in the third quarter as economic, geopolitical, and corporate earnings news pushed the broad market higher while weighing on the Dow Industrials.

10/07/2026

🎨 Some of the art world's most extraordinary paintings are about to return to the public eye after nearly half a century.
On November 18, Sotheby's will auction 12 Impressionist and post-Impressionist artworks in New York. The collection, assembled by Argentine collectors Nelly Arrieta de Blaquier and Carlos Pedro Blaquier, is valued at approximately $450 million.
Among the highlights:
🌳 Vincent van Gogh's Chestnut Trees in Flower: Estimated at $180 million, the landscape was painted in 1890, shortly after the artist left a psychiatric asylum.
🖼️ Paul Cézanne's Arlequin: Estimated at $120 million, the portrait depicts the artist's son dressed as a harlequin.
🖌️ Works by Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Pissarro: The collection also includes Parisian cityscapes, a horse-racing scene, and a boating scene.
The collection has been largely unseen for about half a century, making this a rare look at works that have spent decades in private hands.
With Sotheby's anticipating international interest, the November auction could also set new records for the artists.
Which of these masterpieces catches your eye? ✨

A dozen Impressionist and post-Impressionist artworks valued at almost half a billion dollars are going up for auction.

10/07/2026

Surprises crop up every day, and they’re a great reason to work with us.

Making the most of surprises is a great reason to work with us.

10/05/2026

🌠 October is bringing a little celestial entertainment! The annual Draconid meteor shower is expected to peak on the night of October 8–9, with excellent viewing conditions thanks to an almost moonless sky.
Unlike many meteor showers that are best viewed in the early morning hours, the Draconids are an evening event. This year's peak is expected around 9 PM EDT on October 8, so there's no need to stay up until dawn. 🌌
Here's how to make the most of it:
🔭 Find a dark spot. Head somewhere away from city lights with a clear view of the sky.
✨ Give your eyes time to adjust. Allow about 30 minutes to get used to the darkness.
🌙 Leave the equipment at home. You won't need a telescope or binoculars. Just look up and take in as much of the sky as possible.
The Draconids typically produce around five meteors per hour under ideal conditions, although they've surprised skywatchers with spectacular displays in the past.
The shower runs from October 6–10, so you may have several opportunities to catch a shooting star, weather permitting.
Will you be watching? 🌠

Good news! The Draconid meteor shower peaks under almost moonless skies on Oct. 8-9.

10/05/2026

Saving early could prove very helpful down the road. Share this piece with your family and consider your choices.

This early financial decision could prove helpful over time.

10/02/2026

Many people consider paying off their mortgage in retirement an easy choice. But have you considered some of these often overlooked points?