As I mentioned to Moneywise for their article, tax bracket management was always a balancing act; now, with OBBBA’s special deductions for Americans over 65 (up to $6,000 per individual, $12,000 for couples), the equation is even trickier. These breaks are tempting but fleeting—available only from 2025 through 2028, and they phase out completely once income exceeds $75,000 for singles or $150,000 for couples.

On Fox & Friends, I recently weighed in on the headline-grabbing phenomenon: parents saving not just for the college years, but planning to support their children well into adulthood. As I shared on air, there’s really no universal “right or wrong” here.

As I told the WSJ, parents today are more willing to help, but the “why” has changed—the need is simply greater, and helping kids get off to a good start is becoming part of the broader planning equation. Think of it as a choice, not an obligation, and approach it with candid conversations, clear boundaries, and a laser focus on your own security first…

As I told Investopedia: “The promise of broader access is front-and-center, but the prudent path remains far more nuanced.” Translation: if you want to spice up your portfolio, remember that alternatives should be added carefully and sparingly—think garnish, not entire meal.

As I shared with The Daily Upside—just because Harvard can afford to stomach bitcoin’s wild swings doesn’t mean the typical investor should be all in. “The average individual investor can’t invest with a truly infinite time horizon and is more exposed to urgent liquidity needs, emotional stress and the risk that riding out a 70% crypto correction isn’t just uncomfortable, but catastrophic to their plans,” I explained. For institutional “smart money” with multi-decade horizons and deep pockets, crypto is one more asset in a complex and highly diversified portfolio. For individuals, that kind of drawdown can be game-changing.

As I told The Daily Upside, sometimes our job is delivering the uncomfortable truth: “I wouldn’t hesitate to do the same for my own family if the numbers don’t work.” College, as much as we’d all like it to be a fairy tale decision, is also a business decision. And sometimes the happiest ending is trading a dream school for decades less debt.

As I shared with CNBC, the game is still about “tax bracket management,” methodically converting just enough each year to “fill up the lowest brackets” without triggering unnecessary tax charges or inadvertently increasing future Medicare premiums and other costs.

As I shared with The Daily Upside, “the market is rarely the monolith we make it out to be.” What’s fueling these concerns? The eye-popping rise of the Magnificent Seven—giants like Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia—which now make up nearly 30% of the S&P 500’s total market capitalization.

As I shared with TheStreet, the appeal is obvious: Most 401(k)s today feel bland, offering little shelter from inflation or market shocks. But there’s another side to this story. Adding more investment choices doesn’t always add value—especially when it means more complexity, less transparency, and higher risk.

They sound clever, but do they actually stand up to scrutiny—or could they be leading everyday investors astray?  As I shared with Kiplinger, catchy phrases like “Sell in May and go away” are a perfect example of the rhyme-as-reason effect, a cognitive bias where we believe ideas simply because they sound memorable. In reality, trusting old Wall Street adages can actually lock you out of gains or push you into unnecessary risk.

As I shared with Kiplinger, far too many men treat retirement planning (and investing) as another contest—pursuing top returns, trying to outsmart the market, or going solo until something goes wrong. This overconfidence may work in the boardroom, but when it comes to retirement, humility, openness, and seeking advice are your true allies.

As I put it for Bankrate, “Even with the arrival of ETFs and new brokerage access, retirees should treat digital currencies like a potent spice: A dash can liven up a recipe, but too much can ruin the whole meal. The core of your retirement nest egg deserves to be sturdy and time-tested.” For clients who are determined to include crypto, I recommend keeping speculative assets (including crypto) at no more than 10% of the overall portfolio—and always weighing new opportunities against your hard-earned peace of mind.

“Should I take my Social Security at 62 before the system changes?” As I shared with Kiplinger, making this decision out of fear rarely serves you well. Unless your financial plan clearly shows otherwise, grabbing Social Security early can lock in a permanent reduction—up to 30% less than waiting until your full retirement age. And if benefit cuts do happen, early claimers could face a "double whammy" of both early-claiming penalties and potential across-the-board reductions.

According to a recent Investopedia feature, many Americans set extremely high benchmarks—thinking a $270,000 salary or over $5 million in net worth defines “making it.” But as I noted in the article, true contentment isn’t just about hitting big numbers: “There’s a certain point where having enough is enough. And it’s not so much that you’re happy, but you’re satisfied.”

As I shared with Yahoo Finance, this much higher SALT cap will make a real difference for many of my clients in states like New York, Oregon, and California. For the first time in years, some are finding that it actually pays to itemize their deductions again, particularly those holding larger mortgages. This change is more than a technical tweak—it could shift thousands of dollars back into homeowners’ pockets.

Considering an annuity as part of your retirement income plan? You’re not alone—annuities can offer steady income and peace of mind for retirees. But as retirement professionals, including me,  point out in a recent MSN feature, some common pitfalls can turn an annuity from a safety net into a costly mistake. Here’s how you (or your loved ones) can steer clear of trouble and make the most of annuities in your wealth management strategy.

Taxes might not be the most exciting part of investing, but as I discussed on the recent Money Talk podcast episode, they’re absolutely crucial to long-term wealth building. After all, “it’s not what you make, it’s what you keep.” Whether you’re a young professional just getting started or aiming to refine your retirement portfolio, having a tax-savvy investment strategy puts more dollars in your pocket over time.

Drawing inspiration from the second law of thermodynamics (a.k.a. entropy), the piece explores a universal truth: left unchecked, disorder creeps into all systems—including your financial life and retirement dreams. And as I shared with Kiplinger, “If you don’t drive the agenda, time, money and energy will slip away on someone else’s terms.” In other words: great outcomes in retirement don’t happen by accident. They happen by design.

As I shared with CBS News, gold can definitely play a role in an investment portfolio—but not as a ticket to riches or a headline-driven gamble. Instead, gold shines as a hedge: it helps diversify your portfolio and can offset volatility, particularly when the world feels more anxious than assured. I like to compare gold to a raincoat in your closet: it’s not the foundation of your wardrobe, but you’re glad to have it when storms roll in.

A recent SUCCESS Magazine article dug into why you should keep contributing to your 401(k)—even when the headlines are scary. Markets are notoriously hard to time; if you pause contributions, you risk missing out on the gains when things rebound. More importantly, stopping your 401(k) not only breaks a valuable savings habit, but also makes it likely you’ll spend that “extra” cash instead of saving it. As I noted in the article, with all the streaming services, online subscriptions, and daily expenses, it’s easy to lose track and let your budget drift.