Michael Julian, Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley

05/13/2026

Longevity is reshaping economies and industries in ways that go well beyond healthcare, and Morgan Stanley argues it should also reshape how we approach financial planning, especially as longer lifespans turn "retirement" into a multi-stage journey that may require more flexibility around work, spending, housing, and care.

If you are building a plan for the decades ahead, the key question is not just how long your money needs to last, but how your goals and lifestyle may evolve across a longer life.

morganstanley.com

05/01/2026

Happy National Investing Day

Investing doesn't need perfect timing or complex strategies to move the needle. Consistency tens to matter more than getting every decision right.

Add a little, review your goals, or take the first step id you have been putting it off. It all counts. https://livesocial.seismic.com/aWR6fx

04/27/2026

Got a bigger tax refund this year? It might be worth a second look before treating it like a bonus.

The average refund is around $3,462, up about 11% from last year, but still below earlier forecasts.

As you start thinking about how to use it, remember a refund just means you overpaid the IRS during the year. It's your money, just delayed.

Before it quietly disappears into weekend plans or impulse buys, it might be a good moment to ask where it actually does the most work for you.

cbsnews.com

04/14/2026

Retirement is personal, and so is spending.

Morgan Stanley frames it through a "retirement spending smile": higher spending in the early active years, a dip in mid retirement, then a rise later as healthcare needs grow.

That pattern changes how you plan. The most durable approach connects three things: your lifestyle expectations, your investment strategy, and your withdrawal plan.

morganstanley.com

04/09/2026

As the seasons change and spring arrives, many of us take the opportunity to clean out closets, organize the garage, or refresh our homes. It can also be a great time to give your finances the same kind of attention.

A simple financial "spring cleaning" can help bring clarity and organization to the year ahead. A few places to start:

• Review your financial goals and make sure they still reflect what matters most today
• Revisit your budget and spending habits after the first few months of the year
• Consolidate old accounts or paperwork that may no longer be necessary
• Check beneficiaries and important documents to ensure everything is current
• Take a fresh look at your overall financial plan

Financial planning isn't just something to revisit during major life events. Periodic check-ins can help keep everything aligned and make it easier to navigate changes along the way.

Spring is a natural reminder that a little refresh can go a long way.

morganstanley.com

04/07/2026

Happy National Beer Day 🍻

Sharing this throwback because there's nothing better than a Cougar Football Saturday and a beer with my daughter

03/30/2026

It's tax season — which also means it's prime season for scams.

As refunds are processed and financial information is shared, fraud attempts tend to increase. Emails posing as the IRS. Texts about "missed filings." Urgent calls demanding immediate payment.

A few reminders during this time of year:
• The IRS does not initiate contact by email, text, or social media
• Be cautious of anyone creating urgency around tax payments
• Use secure portals when sharing sensitive documents
• Double-check wire instructions verbally before sending funds

Tax season is about preparation — but it's also about protection.

Staying vigilant can make all the difference.

morganstanley.com

03/19/2026

152 years of market history — in one visual.

The chart below shows annual stock market returns going back more than a century. What stands out isn't just the strong years… it's the volatility in between.

Across decades, markets have moved through wars, recessions, inflation cycles, technological revolutions, and geopolitical events.

Yet zooming out tells a broader story:
progress rarely happens in a straight line.

A few takeaways from long-term market history:

• Short-term volatility has always been part of the journey
• Economic cycles come and go
• Long-term perspective can change how we interpret market headlines

Sometimes the most helpful context for today's market conversations is simply looking at history over a longer horizon.

Learn more: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/152-years-of-sp-500-returns-pyramid/

03/12/2026

Morgan Stanley's take for Millennials & Gen Z: your biggest retirement advantage is time. Even small, consistent 401(k) contributions can add up meaningfully thanks to compounding.

Quick nudge: bump your contribution by 1% and make sure you're getting the full match. https://livesocial.seismic.com/akdXpm

02/26/2026

AI is no longer a pilot, it's showing up in the numbers.

Morgan Stanley Research's survey of 935 corporate executives across the U.S., Germany, Japan and Australia found that companies using AI for at least one year reported 11.5% average net productivity gains alongside a 4% net decline in headcount over the past 12 months.

What stood out to me: job impacts appear more pronounced at larger companies and most concentrated in entry-level roles, making reskilling, redeployment, and training investments a core part of the AI roadmap (not an afterthought).

morganstanley.com