The Delayed Wealth Curve and Why It Can Feel Like You’re Behind
By Sergio V. Ortiz A Common Experience, With a Recognizable Pattern In my experience, there’s a moment that tends to surface for professionals in fields like dentistry, medicine, and other high-training careers. It feels like you’ve done everything required: years of education, years of training, often taking on significant debt along the way. You may […]
How to Think About Your Legacy Honeywell Pension Options
By Chase Gelardi, CFP® If you joined Honeywell before the pension plan was frozen in the early 2000s, there’s a good chance you still have a legacy benefit. If you’re approaching retirement, the decision tied to that benefit is no longer theoretical. In my experience, for many employees in this situation, the pension has been […]
SWG Quarterly Newsletter: Market & Planning Update | Q1 2026
Each quarter, we provide the latest market and economic updates, valuable planning insights, and other relevant information to help you stay informed. Data Monitor Inflation Consumer price inflation has moderated further, with core inflation recently hitting 2.5% YoY as of February 2026 after falling consistently since the middle of 2022.1 Inflation has been a key concern […]
How a Freeport Career Can Create Financial Complexity Over Time
By Chase Gelardi, CFP® In my experience, a long career at a publicly traded company can often evolve in ways employees don’t fully anticipate. Everyone’s path is different, but one pattern keeps emerging: growing financial complexity. In this case, complexity is driven largely by how compensation changes over time. What may have started as a steady […]
Is Your Practice Protection Growing as Fast as Your Production?
By Sergio Ortiz Recently, my wife and I went out to dinner with a group of friends. She’s a nurse practitioner, and before long the conversation turned to the practice where she works. Someone asked a question that immediately shifted the tone of the table: what happens if the doctor in the office suddenly can’t […]
401(k) Rollover Decisions for Intel Employees in the Phoenix Area
By Chase Gelardi, CFP® Intel has been one of the largest employers in the Phoenix area for decades, after establishing a long-term presence here in the 1970s. For many employees, Intel wasn’t just a job. It was an entire career. People can start young, move through different roles and life stages, and spend decades consistently […]
The Overlooked ROI of a Well-Designed Small Business 401(k)
By Sergio Ortiz There are many reasons small business owners may avoid implementing a 401(k). It’s easy to push to the bottom of the to-do list, it may not feel mission-critical, and it’s easy to tell yourself you’ll revisit it when the business feels more established. Cost, complexity, and competing priorities can all play a […]
How a Successful Dental Practice Fits into Your Financial Plan
By Sergio V. Ortiz When I go to the dentist, the engineer side of me comes out. I’m drawn to the precision of it all. The way a busy office functions like a system where each part has a purpose, and how small adjustments can meaningfully improve outcomes. When everything is working as it should, […]
What Carvana’s Stock Run-Up Reveals About Employer Stock Risk Near Retirement
By Chase Gelardi, CFP® For employees receiving equity compensation at Carvana, performance over the past few years has been very good to shareholders. And while that kind of growth is certainly a good problem to have, it can still create real planning complexities. When a significant portion of your net worth is tied to […]
Six Steps to Build a Personal Plan That Holds Up When Business Slows
By Sergio Ortiz Owning a business means accepting a certain level of variability. Revenue rises and falls, expenses shift, and growth rarely follows a predictable pattern. Most owners understand this on the business side, but fewer consider what that volatility means for their personal financial plan. When your household relies on the income the business […]
The Labor Market Is Cooling—But Not Cracking
By Bryce Coward, CFA, CFP® Labor market data sits at the center of how people judge the health of the economy. It’s one of the most widely cited indicators of economic strength, and also one of the most emotionally charged. Jobs aren’t abstract. They’re concrete. They shape income, identity, and facilitate a sense of security, […]
Should I Pay Off My Mortgage Early? A Pre-Retiree’s Guide to One of the Biggest Financial Decisions You’ll Make
By Chase Gelardi, CFP® Deciding whether to pay off your mortgage early looks like a straightforward math problem, but it rarely is. When you’re approaching retirement, the plan you’ve been saving for is starting to come into focus. The major goals are clearer, and your assets mostly need to be maintained so everything stays on […]
SWG Quarterly Newsletter: Market & Planning Update | Q4 2025
Each quarter, we provide the latest market and economic updates, valuable planning insights, and other relevant information to help you stay informed. Data Monitor Inflation Consumer price inflation has moderated further, with core inflation recently hitting 2.6% year-over-year as of November 2025, after falling consistently since the middle of 2022. Inflation has been a key […]
When Headlines Get Loud, Look Deeper
By: David Lundgren, Senior Wealth Advisor In many recent client conversations, clients have a similar observation “The news sounds terrible… so why does the market look fine?” It’s understandable. We’re surrounded by headline noise, talk of a “K-shaped economy,” rising costs, fears of an AI bubble, global uncertainty, and whatever else is dominating the feed […]
Making the Most of Company Stock and Benefits Before Retirement
By Chase Gelardi, CFP® Congratulations! After a successful corporate career, it’s almost time to retire. The ability to play golf every day or take your grandkids to school doesn’t happen overnight. It takes years of planning, communication, and patience. As retirement approaches, you get to stop focusing on leading teams or driving company results and […]
Staying the Course: A Lesson in Financial Planning During Uncertain Times
By: Chase Gelardi, Wealth Management Advisor When markets get choppy or headlines turn negative, it’s natural to feel uneasy. You might even find yourself thinking, “This time feels different.” That reaction is completely normal—we’re human, after all. But if we take a step back and look at the big picture, History tells a consistent story: […]
Good Saving and Spending Habits That Can Make You a Millionaire by Retirement
By: Bruce Ward, Senior Wealth Management Advisor Achieving millionaire status by retirement isn’t just for high earners or investment gurus. It’s attainable for anyone who follows disciplined financial habits over time. While market returns and investment strategies matter, building wealth often comes down to how you manage your income, expenses, and savings. Here are some […]
Behind the Scenes: Why Personalized Service Matters in Wealth Management
By: Karen Brauer, Relationship Manager At our firm, clients often say things like, “I finally feel like someone understands the full picture—not just my money, but my life.” or “I used to worry about missing something—now I know you’ve got it covered.” And while the advisor is usually the face of that experience, there’s a […]
Why You Should Build a Financial Plan Before You Invest
By: David Lundgren, Senior Wealth Management Advisor Imagine this: You’ve just retired, your last paycheck just hit your account, and now it’s time to start living off the wealth you’ve spent a lifetime building. You meet with your investment advisor, and they immediately start talking about stocks, portfolios, and risk profiles. But no one asks […]
What Fishing Taught Me About Financial Planning
By: Shawn Best, Senior Wealth Management Advisor Some of my favorite memories growing up were on the water with my dad and my brothers. We’d be up before the sun packing the truck with rods tackle boxes and peanut butter sandwiches. It didn’t matter if it was a hot summer morning or cold enough to […]