Joshua Leana, Financial Advisor

Joshua Leana, Financial Advisor You don’t need to have everything figured out — that’s what I’m here for.

I help individuals and families reduce financial stress and build a clear, thoughtful plan to reach their goals, one step at a time.

I bought a home for $240K in October 2023. Today, it’s worth about $300K.The unusual part is that I put 33% down.That ca...
06/18/2026

I bought a home for $240K in October 2023. Today, it’s worth about $300K.

The unusual part is that I put 33% down.

That came out to roughly $80K upfront, leaving a loan of about $160K.

If I had followed the more “standard” advice and put down 20%, my loan would have been closer to $192K.

At a 6.875% rate, that difference in loan size is not small.

I chose to reduce the debt upfront.

By putting 33% down instead of 20%, I

• Saved ~$200/month
• Avoided financing an extra $32K at 6.875%
• Saved $40K+ in long-term interest

So the outcome is simple:
More equity, less debt, lower fixed costs, stronger gain.

In a higher-rate environment, reducing debt is a return in itself.

“Thinking they can do everything by themselves.”That’s what my dad said when I asked him the #1 financial mistake engin...
06/16/2026

“Thinking they can do everything by themselves.”

That’s what my dad said when I asked him the #1 financial mistake engineers make.

He's been an engineer for 38 years, and has seen it all.

I realized how much his answer applies to me.

Here's an example:

Last summer our AC unit started acting up. I started with Google, which sent me to Reddit, which sent me to YouTube.

After about two hours of research, I spent another two hours cleaning the condenser, replacing filters, and checking vents.

It made almost no difference. Since Winter was around the corner, I decided to put it off.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago during a spring heat wave, the AC completely died. Our house hit 82 degrees and we had to borrow a window unit from a friend.

The next morning, I called an HVAC technician. He diagnosed it right away. A bad capacitor. He fixed it in 30 minutes.

The bill was $500.

I met an engineer the other day who did everything themselves up until this point. He has $1.2M all in pre-tax accounts.

We ran the numbers:

Without planning: $570k in taxes
With Roth conversions: $400k

That's a $170k mistake that he would have never caught.

The best celebrations are the ones you don’t plan.I was at work when Cait FaceTimed me, smiling so big she didn’t even n...
06/12/2026

The best celebrations are the ones you don’t plan.

I was at work when Cait FaceTimed me, smiling so big she didn’t even need to say anything. I knew immediately.

She got into her PhD program.

We were both pretty emotional. You could feel the excitement through the phone.

Programs like this only accept 3 to 4 people a year, with acceptance rates around 4% to 6%.

If you’ve ever seen someone go through this process, you know how much time, energy, and resilience it takes.

Applications. Essays. Interviews. Endless preparation.

And Cait didn’t take the typical path.

After exploring different careers, she made the decision to go all in on something she is truly passionate about, and she never looked back.

Watching her put in the work and seeing it all pay off has been incredible. I couldn’t be more proud.

Don’t ever stop chasing your dreams, no matter how far out of reach they may seem.

I moved to Boston immediately after college… with no job.At first, it was a time of instability and unknowns. I had no i...
06/10/2026

I moved to Boston immediately after college… with no job.

At first, it was a time of instability and unknowns. I had no idea what I wanted to do or how I was going to get there.

After a few months, I landed my first engineering job, and things finally started to feel like they were falling into place.

Then COVID hit, and everything changed.

That period forced me to adapt quickly and rethink a lot, especially when it came to what I wanted long-term.

It completely changed my thoughts around risk, stability, and preparing for the unexpected.

Came across this photo from when I went back to visit my sister who lives there now, and it really put things into perspective.

Funny how the most uncertain moments end up shaping you the most.

What’s a moment that changed your trajectory?

Cats vs dogs is one of those debates that never ends.Here's my opinion:You can absolutely be both.Dogs are loyal, exciti...
06/08/2026

Cats vs dogs is one of those debates that never ends.

Here's my opinion:

You can absolutely be both.

Dogs are loyal, exciting, and bring a lot of energy (sometimes too much). They're the kind of companion that meets you at the front door like you've been gone for years, even though it's only been 30 minutes.

Cats are independent, confident, and (usually) calm. They don't demand your attention, they earn it. There's a certain respect in the relationship that I cherish.

They are opposites of each other, yet without either, the world would feel like it's out of balance.

Personally, I'm a cat guy.

I like walking into a calm house instead of immediate chaos. I like the quiet presence in the room. When they come over for pets, it feels like you've been chosen.

I still get the appeal of dogs. My family has always had golden retrievers, and they're the best.

At the end of the day, it's less about which is "better" and more about which fits you.

I'm curious, are you a cat or dog person, and why?

This was the biggest financial mistake I’ve ever made.Remember when the government was sending out COVID checks?I used t...
06/05/2026

This was the biggest financial mistake I’ve ever made.

Remember when the government was sending out COVID checks?

I used that money to buy a brand new Ford Mustang GT.
(And yes… I actually pulled over in the middle of the road to take this picture. Not my proudest moment.)

At first, I loved it.

It was fast.
It looked incredible.
And it taught me a lot about taking care of something valuable.

The downsides?

It was expensive.
It wasn’t practical.
And living in the Northeast? It got stuck in the snow more than I’d like to admit.

I thought it would make me feel successful.

Instead, it made me feel broke.

I traded it in for a Kia Sportage, and honestly that turned out to be one of the best financial decisions I’ve made.

Sometimes the things we think symbolize success are actually the things holding us back.

What’s a decision you made that looked right at the time but completely changed how you think about money today?

Over a year ago, I walked away from engineering to start over.And around this time last summer, I hosted my very first s...
06/03/2026

Over a year ago, I walked away from engineering to start over.

And around this time last summer, I hosted my very first seminar.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous.

I had all my friends and family in one room, listening closely…
Trying to understand why I would make such a big change when everything seemed to be going so well.

“Why leave engineering?”
“Why start over?”

Fair questions.

For me, it came down to a few things:

I wanted to build something of my own.
I needed to push myself outside of my comfort zone.
And most importantly, I wanted to make a real impact in people’s lives.

This career isn’t just about investments.

It’s about helping people live better, more intentional lives, and being able to actually see that impact firsthand.

Looking back now, I’m proud of myself for taking the leap.

If you’ve ever changed careers, what pushed you to do it?

Cait and I are less than 100 days out from our wedding.A few lessons I've learned:Weddings are expensive.The amount of p...
06/01/2026

Cait and I are less than 100 days out from our wedding.

A few lessons I've learned:

Weddings are expensive.
The amount of planning is overwhelming.
Seating charts are madness.

Everyone always said planning a wedding was tough.

Cait agrees (she's the project manager).

Extremely grateful for this chapter of our lives.

What are you looking forward to this summer?

This was me last year before a round at To***co Road.Excited. Confident. Ready to go low.I got humbled very quickly.Star...
05/28/2026

This was me last year before a round at To***co Road.

Excited. Confident. Ready to go low.

I got humbled very quickly.

Started with 12 balls, barely finished with 1. Shot 36 over par.

It's a brutal course. Mentally and physically exhausting.

And I couldn't wait to play again.

That's what I love about golf. You never fully master it.

You just keep trying to make small improvements each round.

I think business and life work the same way sometimes.

What's something that humbled you recently?

05/25/2026

The Roth IRA didn’t exist until 1998.

The Roth 401(k) didn’t exist until 2006.

Let that sink in.

A huge percentage of today’s retirement strategies weren’t even available to the generation before us.

If you were born before the 1940s, your options were limited.

You didn’t retire early because you couldn’t engineer tax-free income at scale.

The tools simply didn’t exist.

Today, we have a completely different playbook.

Multiple tax “buckets.”

Control over when and how income is recognized.

The ability to design tax-efficient cash flow in retirement.

That’s a massive advantage (if you use it properly).

Because most people are still defaulting into outdated strategies without even realizing it.

Ask yourself:

Are you building your future with today’s tools…

or still operating with yesterday’s assumptions?

Address

Syracuse, NY

Telephone

+13154256357

Website

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