This Daily Upside article examines the rise of model portfolios built around exchange-traded funds (ETFs) among financial advisors, noting that 65% of the $36 trillion allocated to model portfolios is managed in-house by firms themselves. The piece highlights several key benefits — from cost efficiency and easier rebalancing to tax advantages and the ability to serve clients at every stage of life. My commentary for the article centers on the behavioral and operational advantages model portfolios can offer both advisors and their clients. As I explained, “Models encourage consistency, reducing the urge to time the market or chase whatever is hot.” In other words, the structure of model portfolios helps guard against the biggest behavioral pitfalls that derail long-term progress—like panic buying or selling.

MoneyTalksNews recently rounded up financial advisors around the country to highlight the most common—and costly—year-end mistakes retirees make, especially when emotions run high or tax deadlines loom. Among the key missteps: over-gifting to loved ones, rushing into Roth conversions, dabbling in risky assets like crypto, panic-selling investments, missing out on tax-saving deadlines, giving to charity without tax strategy, and forgetting to update beneficiary designations. The article spotlights my perspective on holiday gifting, noting the powerful mix of good cheer and worry-free intentions that can push retirees to give more than they can truly afford—or more than the IRS allows before gift taxes kick in.

In the piece, I share with CNBC that there’s more to the Roth-versus-traditional debate than tax rates alone. I always remind clients that tax diversification — having a mix of pretax (traditional) and after-tax (Roth) accounts — provides “options and flexibility when it’s time to withdraw.” Even if you think your tax rate will be higher in the future, having both types of savings lets you strategize withdrawals to keep your total tax bill low, regardless of what future tax law looks like. As I put it: “Young investors, in particular, should strongly consider Roth accounts when they have the luxury of time on their side. Tax-free growth over decades can be a powerful engine for wealth building — and tax-free withdrawals in retirement provide certainty no matter how Congress tinkers with tax rates in the years ahead.”

As I told the Herald, "Inflation is the silent pickpocket of our financial lives." Simply put, a dollar saved today won’t buy what it does now in 20 or 30 years unless your portfolio grows faster than rising costs. With average savings accounts yielding just 0.62% (Bankrate)—and some large banks offering a meager 0.01%—while the Consumer Price Index currently sits at 2.9%, that gap means you're slowly (and often invisibly) falling behind.

The article explains that not all inflation pain is shared equally. Some states like California and New Jersey are being hit especially hard, and a weakening U.S. dollar plus new import tariffs are pushing prices even higher. Highlighting my perspective, the article quotes: "Inflation is the silent pickpocket of our financial lives. If your savings are sitting in a zero-interest account while the price of everyday goods and services is climbing, you're quietly losing ground with every passing month." In other words, sitting still means falling behind.

Unlike stocks, cryptocurrencies have no underlying asset, don’t produce dividends, and see wild price swings. While nearly half of Gen Z investors now own crypto, I tell clients it should never exceed 5% of your investment portfolio. Crypto’s place is as a speculative side bet, not a foundation for building real financial security. In short, even when the gamble works, the story shouldn’t be “jump in with both feet.” As I put it, holding a small amount for fun is fine if you can stomach the rollercoaster, but true financial confidence comes from broad diversification and investments that actually put your money to work. No windfall replaces a solid, well-built plan that lets you sleep at night.

As I shared with Kiplinger, the pace of life (and markets) means we all take the occasional rough swing—sometimes with lasting repercussions. But the good news? Many retirement mistakes actually come with an “undo” option—if you know where to look, are willing to act, and keep your bearings as things shift. "Retirement do-overs are more common and valuable than many realize. Life and markets change fast, but the good news is that there are real ways retirees and pre-retirees can hit the 'reset' button, sidestep major mistakes or tweak their plans in light of new information... There's no rule against changing your withdrawal rate as life and markets evolve; annual do-overs are just smart planning. These designations [beneficiaries] can be updated nearly any time. And doing so ensures assets actually go to the right people, avoiding the heartbreak of a hard-to-undo slip."

The recent AARP article “How to Inflation-Proof Your Nest Egg” spotlights this challenge, and more importantly, lays out a toolkit to help your portfolio hold its own—both now and decades from now. As I shared with AARP for the piece, the starting point is simple but non-negotiable: recognize that inflation isn’t an abstract line in the news ticker. Over a long retirement, even “normal” inflation can halve your purchasing power—doubling your expenses in as little as 24–30 years, if you don’t plan and adjust. So, what should you actually do? 

As I cautioned in my comments, the real-world risk profile of VOO (and the S&P 500 itself) has changed in recent years. Investors may be lulled by the idea of diversification, but the top 36% of the index is now dominated by just a handful of tech giants—the Magnificent Seven. “Your ‘diversified’ index is far more exposed to the fates of Apple, Microsoft and Nvidia than it appears.” That means even passively managed ETFs like VOO are increasingly concentrated in the outcomes of just a few companies, especially as big bets on artificial intelligence and technology fuel both gains and the risk of abrupt reversals.

I shared my perspective for the piece: one of the most powerful things pre-retirees can do is “test drive” their future plans. As I told Investopedia, “If a client is still working, I suggest they ‘test’ their retirement lifestyle: try volunteering, join new groups, travel for a month, or take a sabbatical if possible. It’s better to discover what needs adjusting before making the leap.” This proactive approach helps uncover what truly brings meaning—and highlights what might need tweaking—before retirement is set in stone. In my experience, the retirees who stay happiest are those entering this new chapter with clear intentions, rich social ties, and “a willingness to reinvent themselves as circumstances change.”

As I emphasized to ThinkAdvisor, this isn’t just an S&P 500 index issue—so-called “value” indexes and even many ETFs marketed as diversified often sneak in allocations to the Magnificent 7 (like Apple), leaving investors much more exposed than they realize. That’s why I strongly advocate for a true portfolio x-ray—not just stacking up ETFs or broad funds, but actually peeking under the hood to see where the real risk lies

As I shared with Money for their article, “When paychecks stop, the first rule is triage: prioritize the essentials.” The top of your list should always be home and health—making sure you maintain shelter, utilities, insurance, and basic medical needs. As I cautioned, “Cut everything nonessential” and, if necessary, consider deferring payments on bills not tied to survival, like credit cards or streaming services. Hits to your credit or non-vital services can be repaired later, but “recovering from lost shelter or insurance is much harder.”

To help seniors and their families avoid financial whiplash, CBS News gathered advice from leading experts—and as I shared in the article, a proactive, multi-pronged approach can go a long way. One key step I recommend is earmarking a dedicated “medical emergency” fund: “There’s no magic number, but I usually advise retirees to earmark a medical ‘shock absorber’ fund, ideally $5,000 to $10,000 set aside specifically for healthcare curveballs.” If you’re still pre-Medicare, contribute as much as you can to a Health Savings Account (HSA)—it’s triple tax-free and rolls into retirement

As families contend with inflation and staggering housing costs, more adult children are drawing on the “Bank of Mom and Dad” for everything from rent to student loans—even vacations—well into their 20s and 30s. And as I shared with The Daily Upside, this extended financial support can add up fast, often derailing even the most diligent retirement plans. “I’ve seen everything from the family phone plan that never dies to parents paying for housing, student loans, or even vacations. Some have delayed retirement, taken on part-time work, or cut back on their own spending or savings.”

As I shared in the article, the impact is twofold. On one hand, those catch-up dollars will now be taxed up front (eliminating the current income-reducing benefit), but, as I explained, “Your money will grow tax-free from that point on, and you won’t owe taxes on withdrawals in retirement.” For savers who expect their tax rate to be higher in the future, this can be a valuable, forced Roth diversification opportunity. Still, anyone counting on the short-term reduction of taxable income from pretax catch-ups will need a new plan.

As I told CNBC for their article, the #1 trap I see is investors buying last year’s winners or trendy ETF flavors, rather than focusing on true diversification and clarity of purpose. “It's easy to think more funds equals more safety, but piling on new ETFs—especially sector, thematic, or leveraged varieties—often leads to costly overlap without adding real protection,” I shared. Instead, I advise clients to look for a clear, evidence-backed strategy and to regularly review their positions for unintentional duplication or style drift. Simplicity, transparency, and alignment with your actual goals almost always win in the long haul.

As I shared with NerdWallet for the article, the journey starts with ruthless honesty about your cash flow: “You need to know exactly what’s coming in and what’s going out—no guesswork.” That means tracking your debt-to-income ratio and mapping out your liabilities, a necessary first step before you choose the best payoff strategy (whether avalanche, snowball, consolidation, or a more aggressive approach). Debt-relief methods can vary—and for those with especially high debt loads, professional help or even bankruptcy may be the right tool.

As I shared with Investopedia, “the truth is, most retirement income—Social Security, pensions, and RMDs from IRAs and 401(k)s—remains taxable, and the order and timing of withdrawals can have a huge effect on your tax bill.” For example, every dollar distributed from pre-tax accounts like a 401(k) or traditional IRA is ordinary income, potentially bumping you into a higher tax bracket if you’re not careful. Sage planning means knowing your bracket not just for this year, but for several years out, particularly as RMDs (Required Minimum Distributions) can act as “bracket-busters” and catch retirees off guard with forced taxable withdrawals.

As I told CNBC for their article, time is of the essence: “Now is the time to work with your advisor or tax preparer to run multi-year tax projections.” That means taking a proactive look at your savings strategy over the next year or two. Should you accelerate pre-tax catch-up contributions before the rule change lands? Is it smart to start embracing Roth sooner, especially if you expect your tax rate to be the same or higher in retirement? These questions become especially critical for high earners who have limited access to Roth IRAs and need to be thoughtful about their tax diversification.

As I told The Daily Upside for their article, the game has changed. “Clients now recognize that taxes aren’t a once-a-year headache. They’re a crucial piece of every wealth and retirement strategy, especially in the face of sweeping tax law changes that create moving targets and new phase-outs.” With Americans paying over $206 billion in capital gains taxes last year, even the best investment returns can be quickly devoured by Uncle Sam if taxes are an afterthought instead of a core part of the plan.