Ryan Landmark - Financial Planner

09/10/2026

Markets moved higher in August, led by technology stocks as strong corporate earnings and continued investment in artificial intelligence fueled investor optimism. The NASDAQ gained 4.24% for the month, outpacing the S&P 500 and Dow...

09/04/2026

It’s Faithful Friday!

One week in with my partnership with my new firm, Meadowland Financial.

Isaiah 43:19 is fitting this week: “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”

God doesn’t waste transitions.

Grateful for those trusting me with this next chapter. Grateful for a team that leads with integrity. Grateful for a God who goes before us into every new season.

Excited for what’s ahead.

Cheers!

-Ryan

09/02/2026

Excited to continue the great financial planning work we do, powered by the Meadowland team!

🎉 Please join us in welcoming Ryan Landmark to the Meadowland Financial team! 🎉
We’re excited to welcome Ryan as our newest Financial Advisor at Meadowland Financial! With a BBA in Finance and Economics from the University of South Dakota and years of experience building meaningful client relationships, Ryan brings a strong passion for helping people feel confident about their financial future.
Ryan holds his CFP® and ChFC® designations, reflecting his commitment to comprehensive financial planning and helping clients navigate every stage of their financial lives.
For Ryan, financial planning is about much more than numbers—it’s about helping people gain the clarity and confidence to live out what matters most.
Originally from Marshall, Minnesota, Ryan now calls Sioux Falls home, where he lives with his wife, Abbie, and their daughter, Jovie. Outside of the office, you’ll find him enjoying time with family, golfing, fishing, or hunting.
We’re thrilled to have Ryan on board and look forward to all that he’ll bring to the Meadowland team and the clients we’re privileged to serve.
Welcome to Meadowland, Ryan! 👏💙

08/28/2026

It’s Faithful Friday!

One of my favorite promises in Scripture comes from Revelation 3:8:
“See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.”

I love the confidence in that verse.
Not because it promises an easy life.
But because it reminds us that God is actively at work.

Sometimes we spend a lot of energy trying to force things to happen.
Trying to create opportunities.
Trying to control outcomes.
Trying to figure out every step ahead.

But God's plans don't depend on our ability to make everything happen ourselves.
When He opens a door, no one can shut it.

That's a great reminder to stay faithful, keep moving forward, and remain open to the opportunities He places in front of us.

You may not know exactly where the next door leads.

But you can trust the One who opened it.

Cheers!

-Ryan

08/27/2026

The U.S. national debt has surpassed $40 trillion.
Here's what this means:

For most people, not much changes tomorrow.
Your mortgage payment won't suddenly increase.
Your investment accounts haven't suddenly crashed.
And your daily life probably won't look any different.

What it does mean is that a growing portion of government spending is going toward interest payments on existing debt rather than other priorities.

It also means future policymakers may face tougher choices:
Higher taxes.
Lower spending.
More borrowing.
Or some combination of the three.

The reality is that nobody knows exactly how this plays out.

Countries can carry very large debt loads for a long time.

But debt is a lot like household finances:
The larger it gets, the more important the interest payment becomes.

The bigger lesson for individuals?
Don't spend too much time worrying about things you can't control.

Focus on the things you can:
Your savings rate.
Your investment strategy.
Your tax planning.
Your career.
Your spending habits.
Your vote at election time.

The national debt matters.
But your personal balance sheet matters far more to your financial future.

Cheers!

-Ryan

08/26/2026

I've posted about this topic before, but it's so impactful that it's worth revisiting.

We are all wealthy.
It just depends on your perspective.

Some people are wealthy in net worth.
Some are wealthy in family.
Some are wealthy in friendships.
Some are wealthy in faith.
Some are wealthy in health.
Some are wealthy in time.

The challenge is that we tend to focus on the area where we feel poor rather than the areas where we're already rich.

Money matters.
But it's only one form of wealth.

Perspective matters.
Chances are, you're wealthier than you think.

Cheers!

-Ryan

08/25/2026

While every family's financial plan is different, I think benchmarks can be helpful.
Not because they're perfect, but because they give you a quick way to evaluate where your money is going.

Two frameworks I like are:
40-20-20-20
-40% Fixed Expenses
-20% Taxes (effective)
-20% Investments
-20% Wants

50-20-20-10
-50% Fixed Expenses
-20% Taxes (effective)
-20% Investments
-10% Wants

Of course, not everyone will fit neatly into these buckets. A family in a high-cost area may have higher fixed expenses. Higher income means higher taxes. Someone pursuing early retirement may invest well above 20%.

The goal isn't perfection.
The goal is awareness.

If you've never calculated what percentage of your income goes toward fixed expenses, taxes, investments, and wants, it's a worthwhile exercise.

You may be surprised by what you find.

Cheers!

-Ryan

08/24/2026

Last week, I went to the Omaha Zoo - absolutely incredible place.

In this picture, behind me is a wall filled with hundreds of...

BATS!

Standing there watching them… and watching all the people avoid them like the plague… it got me thinking about something.

Most people have a tendency to avoid things they don't understand.

Bats.
Investing.
Taxes.
Estate planning.
Insurance.
The list goes on…

And when we avoid something long enough, it starts to feel bigger and scarier than it actually is.

I've found that's especially true with financial planning.

A lot of people put things off for years because they're worried they'll make the wrong decision.
So they make no decision.

But most financial planning problems become a lot less intimidating once you take the time to understand them.

They're usually not as scary as they seem from a distance.

The hardest part is often just getting started.

Cheers!

-Ryan

08/13/2026

Discipline in your financial planning is one of the most important keys to success.

I have clients making several hundred thousand dollars per year that are in worse financial shape than clients making less than six figures.

Why?

Because income is only half of the equation.

What you do with that income matters even more.

Living within your means is good advice no matter how much money you make.

Just because you make way more than most people doesn't mean you should spend 80% of it.
Or 90% of it.
Or all of it.

I've seen plenty of people making great incomes who still feel financially stressed.

Not because they don't make enough.
Because they've given themselves very little room to save, invest, and prepare for the future.

I've also seen people with much more modest incomes steadily build wealth year after year because they consistently lived below their means.

The numbers are different.
The principle is the same.

At the end of the day, your future is funded by what you keep, not what you make.

Cheers!

-Ryan

08/12/2026

I saw this quote today, and it's a perspective everyone should keep in mind:

"When we understand that each day isn't just one more day, but one less, we start giving more value to what truly matters."

It's easy to assume we'll have more time.

But none of us knows how many days remain.

That isn't depressing.
It's clarifying.

Because when we realize each day is one less, we tend to spend more time on what matters and less time on what doesn't.

That's a perspective worth keeping in mind.

Don’t let money problems and worries be what stops you from what truly matters.

Cheers!

-Ryan