Joshua Lerma, Founder of Affluent Wealth Strategies

10/01/2026

💰 October is National Financial Planning Month

Most people hear “financial planning” and immediately think investing or retirement.

But a financial plan is really much bigger than that.

It includes things like:

✅ Having enough emergency savings
✅ Managing debt
✅ Protecting your family with the right insurance
✅ Saving for retirement
✅ Planning for college or other major goals
✅ Making sure beneficiaries and estate documents are updated
✅ Understanding where your money is actually going each month

You do not have to be wealthy to have a financial plan.

A good plan simply answers three questions:

Where am I today?
Where do I want to go?
What do I need to do to get there?

Since October is Financial Planning Month, I thought it would be helpful to share a few simple financial planning tips throughout the month that families in our community can actually use.

To start:

What is the one financial topic you wish someone had explained to you sooner?

Retirement? Investing? Insurance? Taxes? College savings? Budgeting? Estate planning?

Drop it in the comments. I may use some of the answers for upcoming posts this month.

09/24/2026

Most people think protecting wealth means protecting their investments.

But today, your financial life has a digital perimeter too.

Identity theft, exposed personal information, weak account security, and compromised devices can create risks that have nothing to do with the market.

I’m sharing the first 3 steps here, but I also put together the full Digital Security Checklist with additional ways to help protect your financial life.

Get the complete guide here:

https://www.affluentws.com/digital-security

08/27/2026

🗂️ Could You Find Your Most Important Financial Documents in 5 Minutes?

September is National Preparedness Month, so this is a good time for a quick household financial checkup.

If you ever had to leave your home unexpectedly because of a fire, major storm, flooding or another emergency, would you know exactly where your important information is?

A simple financial emergency folder can make a stressful situation much easier.

Consider keeping copies of:

✅ Homeowners or renters insurance policies
✅ Health and auto insurance information
✅ Driver’s licenses and identification
✅ Bank and investment account information
✅ Wills, trusts and powers of attorney
✅ Mortgage or lease information
✅ Important medical information
✅ Emergency contact numbers

A few other smart steps:

💵 Keep a reasonable amount of emergency cash somewhere secure in case ATMs or card systems are unavailable.

📱 Store encrypted digital copies of important documents so you can access them away from home.

📸 Take photos or video of the major belongings inside your house for insurance purposes.

🔥 Keep original documents in a secure fire- and water-resistant location.

You hopefully never need any of it, but getting organized before an emergency is much easier than trying to piece everything together afterward.

Could your family locate all of this information today?

And if you already have an emergency folder or binder, what else do you keep in yours? Share your ideas so we can help each other prepare.

07/21/2026

🎒 A Back-to-School Money-Saving Reminder for Texas Families

Back-to-school shopping can add up quickly, especially when you are buying clothes and supplies for more than one child.

Texas’ sales tax holiday will be held Friday, August 7 through Sunday, August 9 this year.

During the holiday, most qualifying:

✅ School supplies
✅ Backpacks
✅ Clothing
✅ Shoes

priced below $100 per item can be purchased without paying sales tax.

A few ways to make your back-to-school budget go further:

📝 Make a list before shopping. Check what your children can reuse from last year before buying everything new.

💵 Set a spending limit for each child. This can help prevent small purchases from turning into a much larger bill.

🔍 Compare prices before the tax-free weekend. A sale during another week may save you more than the tax break alone.

🛒 Prioritize the necessities. You can always purchase optional or specialty items later.

📦 Remember that eligible online purchases may also qualify. Just make sure the purchase is completed during the tax-free weekend.

Not every item qualifies, so it is a good idea to review the Texas Comptroller’s official list before shopping.

What are the best places in our area to find affordable school clothes and supplies? Share your recommendations so we can help other families in the neighborhood.

07/13/2026

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/joshua-lerma_9-facts-about-retirement-activity-7482459672655069184-YZ3M?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAACmRL78BkIYz8N-VIJQUGeK8Xe-2BjVUyVY

Just entering retirement? Here's what you need to know. https://lnkd.in/ghxwV9W5

06/12/2026

Retirement Red Flag 🚨

If you’re approaching retirement and your portfolio looks like this:

✅ 99.94% Stocks
❌ 0.06% Cash

…you may be taking more risk than you realize.

When you’re 25, a market correction is an inconvenience.

When you’re retired, a market correction can permanently impact your lifestyle.

Imagine retiring with $1,000,000 invested and experiencing a 30% market decline shortly after leaving work. Your portfolio drops to $700,000, and you’re still withdrawing money to pay the bills.

This is called sequence of returns risk, and it’s one of the biggest threats retirees face.

The question isn’t:

“Can the market recover?”

The question is:

“Can your retirement plan survive while waiting for it to recover?”

Every retiree should consider:

✔ How much market risk they’re actually taking
✔ Where their next 3-5 years of income will come from
✔ Whether they have a strategy for a prolonged downturn
✔ How much loss they can emotionally and financially tolerate

Growth is important. But retirement planning isn’t just about maximizing returns.

It’s about creating a paycheck that lasts as long as you do.

📊 If you’re within 5 years of retirement, when was the last time you stress-tested your portfolio against a 2008-style market decline?

05/18/2026

Most people work hard for their money.
Very few have a real strategy for making their money work for them.

Building wealth is not about chasing trends or trying to time the market perfectly. It’s about having a clear plan, staying disciplined, and making intentional decisions over time.

Whether your goal is retirement, financial freedom, creating passive income, or leaving a legacy for your family, the right strategy matters.

The earlier you start, the more powerful time becomes.

Invest for a better future.

If you’d like a second opinion on your current financial strategy or want help building a plan designed around your goals, send me a message.

05/13/2026

Studies show employees spend up to 40% of their workday thinking about their financial future. Financial stress doesn’t just impact morale — it can affect productivity, focus, retention, and overall workplace engagement.

To help address this, we offer complimentary virtual Financial Wellness Workshops designed to educate and empower employees with practical strategies around budgeting, debt management, retirement planning, savings, and overall financial confidence.

These workshops provide employers with an opportunity to:
• Demonstrate genuine care for employee well-being
• Improve retention and workplace satisfaction
• Help employees stay more focused and productive during the workday
• Support a healthier, more financially confident workforce

Our sessions are informative, engaging, and tailored to fit the needs of your organization — all at no cost to your company.

I’d love the opportunity to share more information or schedule a brief conversation to see if this could be a valuable resource for your team.

05/12/2026

The IRS just opened a powerful new retirement savings window, and most people won’t even realize it exists.

Starting in 2026, the SECURE 2.0 Act introduces a “Super Catch-Up” contribution for people ages 60–63.

Here’s why it matters:
• Standard catch-up contributions help, but this takes it to another level.
• Eligible individuals can contribute up to $35,750 into their 401(k) in 2026.
• That means more tax-advantaged growth during the final years before retirement.

The opportunity is short-lived though.

Once you turn 64, the enhanced contribution limit drops back down to the standard catch-up amount.

This creates a narrow but incredibly valuable window to accelerate retirement savings and potentially change your long-term financial picture.

The people who understand these rules early are often the ones who benefit the most.

05/05/2026

"I don't have enough to work with a financial advisor."

This thought is a common mistake! A financial plan doesn't start when you become wealthy, it's how you become wealthy. If you're waiting to "have more money", it could mean making mistakes that slow you down.

A financial advisor can help you get intentional with your income, make smarter decisions, avoid common mistakes, and build a plan that moves you forward.

You don't need a million dollars to have a plan. You need clarity, direction, and discipline.

How do we change your question from "Do I have enough money?" to "Am I making the most of what I have right now?" Let's schedule time to talk about what's right for you!