R2 Financial Strategies

09/02/2026

💙 Healthy aging is about more than adding years to your life—it's about making those years meaningful.

Healthy Aging Month serves as a reminder that our well-being is influenced by the choices we make every day. Staying physically active, maintaining social connections, continuing to learn, and prioritizing overall health can all contribute to a higher quality of life as we age.

It's also important to consider the financial side of aging. Building healthy financial habits today can help provide greater flexibility, independence, and confidence in the years ahead.
Whether it's caring for your health, strengthening relationships, or planning for the future, small, consistent steps can make a lasting difference over time.


Sources
World Health Organization, Ageing and Health, October 2025
American Medical Association, What Doctors Wish Patients Knew About Healthy Aging, September 2025
Stanford Medicine, Five Healthy Habits for Successfully Aging, January 2026
EBRI/Greenwald, 2025 Retirement Confidence Survey, April 2025

08/27/2026

A record 25.2 million U.S. adults under 35 lived with their parents in 2025, according to a recent Realtor.com study.
While many are working, rising housing costs, higher mortgage rates, student loans, rent, and everyday expenses continue to make independent living a challenge for many young adults.
For some families, moving back home is not a setback. It is a strategic financial decision that can help reduce expenses, rebuild savings, and create flexibility for future goals.
The reality is that financial independence does not always follow a straight path. Today's economic pressures are reshaping how many people approach housing and household decisions.

Source:

One woman in her mid-30s said her $60,000 annual income wasn't enough to cover all her bills after a breakup, leading her to move back home.

08/26/2026

🐾 Happy National Dog Day from all of us at R2 Financial Strategies! 🐾

Today, we're celebrating our favorite four-legged team member, Millie.

Whether she's greeting visitors, brightening our day with a wagging tail, or reminding us to take a break and enjoy the moment, Millie brings plenty of joy to our office.

Join us in wishing Millie a very happy National Dog Day! Feel free to share a photo of your furry friend in the comments. We'd love to see them.

❤️🐶

08/24/2026

📚✏️ Back-to-school season is almost here! 🎒🍎

Did you know that schools in the Southern U.S. typically start the school year earlier than those in other regions? As summer winds down, approximately 54 million K–12 students and 5.7 million teachers are preparing to head back to the classroom.

Teachers make up the largest group among the nearly 10 million people who help keep our schools running each day—including principals, teaching assistants, bus drivers, custodians, and many others who play an important role in supporting student success.

Whether you're sending a child off to kindergarten, helping a teen prepare for another year, or stepping into the classroom as an educator, the start of a new school year brings opportunities for growth, learning, and fresh beginnings.

Here's to a year filled with new friendships, exciting discoveries, and memorable experiences. Wishing students, teachers, and families a successful and rewarding school year ahead! 🌟


Information from the U.S. Census Bureau.

08/19/2026

💙 **It's never too late to revisit your retirement strategy.**

Recent changes under SECURE 2.0 have created new opportunities for many retirement savers—especially those age 50 and older.

Key provisions to be aware of include:

✅ **Higher catch-up contribution limits** that may allow eligible individuals to save more in workplace retirement plans

✅ **Expanded Roth catch-up contribution requirements** for certain higher-income earners, creating additional opportunities for tax diversification

✅ **A later age for required minimum distributions (RMDs)** for many future retirees, providing more flexibility in retirement income planning

While these changes may create new planning opportunities, retirement isn't just about how much you save. It's also about how your savings, Social Security benefits, taxes, and retirement income strategy work together.

The rules may have changed—but the value of having a thoughtful, coordinated plan remains the same.

A strong retirement strategy isn't about where you started. It's about making informed decisions with the opportunities available today.

08/17/2026

💙 Risk is a part of life—and every financial decision involves some level of it.

When faced with risk, people tend to take one of four approaches:
✅ Ignore it and the potential consequences
✅ Avoid it by steering clear of the risk altogether
✅ Manage it through careful planning and diversification
✅ Transfer it through tools such as insurance

There's no one-size-fits-all answer. The right approach often depends on your goals, resources, and comfort level.

The important thing isn't avoiding every risk—it's understanding the risks you face and making intentional decisions about how to address them.

🤔 When it comes to risk, what's your natural tendency?

08/14/2026

One of our advisors, Josh Ervasti, spent much of the early summer traveling with his family. The lessons from that time turned into a new blog about goals, flexibility, and what a financial plan is really for.

Read it here:

A financial plan isn’t a rigid map. It’s a flexible framework. It’s a tool that helps you move toward the life you want, even as that life evolves. It should reflect your values. It should adapt to your reality.

08/13/2026

💙 When it comes to retirement, time can be one of your greatest assets.

Retirement may feel far away, but the choices you make today can have a meaningful impact on your future financial security. Starting early gives your savings and investments more time to grow and can make it easier to stay on track toward your long-term goals.

Whether you're just beginning your career or are well into it, developing a retirement strategy today can help create greater flexibility and confidence for the years ahead.

The journey to retirement isn't built overnight—it's shaped by the small, consistent steps taken along the way.

🌱 Investing in your future today may help give you more choices tomorrow.



https://www.business-standard.com/finance/personal-finance/retirement-planning-for-young-professionals-when-to-start-126061000341_1.html

08/11/2026

💙 How would you handle a financial windfall?

An inheritance. The sale of a business. A larger-than-expected bonus. A significant financial event can create new opportunities—but it can also bring new challenges.

While many people focus on the amount of money received, the decisions made in the months that follow can have a lasting impact.

Common missteps can include:
✅ Making major lifestyle changes before creating a plan
✅ Feeling pressure to provide financial support to family or friends
✅ Making important decisions without seeking professional guidance
✅ Delaying decisions out of uncertainty or feeling overwhelmed
✅ Overlooking important tax, legal, or financial deadlines

The good news? These challenges can often be avoided with a thoughtful, deliberate approach.

When a windfall occurs, taking time to evaluate your options before making major financial decisions can be one of the most valuable steps you take. Building the right team of trusted professionals and creating a strategy aligned with your goals may help turn a temporary financial event into long-term financial confidence.

Sometimes, the best first move isn't acting quickly—it's giving yourself the time and space to make informed decisions.

08/07/2026

💙 Many parents expect financial support to end after college. For many families, that's not the reality.

Supporting adult children has become increasingly common, and for many parents, that support continues well beyond graduation. Whether it's helping with rent, student loans, transportation, or everyday expenses, these decisions can have a meaningful impact on a family's financial picture.

Recent research shows:
✅ 75% of parents age 45 and older are providing financial support to at least one adult child.
✅ 42% of those parents report experiencing financial stress as a result of that support.
✅ 47% say they've sacrificed their own financial position to help their children.
✅ 18% believe the financial support could continue indefinitely, with no clear end in sight.

The challenge isn't generosity—it's balance.

Supporting the people you love is important, but so is protecting your own financial future. Whether your children recently graduated or have been on their own for years, it can be helpful to consider whether your financial support is intentional, sustainable, and aligned with your long-term goals.

A thoughtful plan can help you care for your family while also maintaining confidence in your own retirement and financial well-being.