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Retirement PlanningOct 7, 20263 min readBy Warren Burger

If AI Stocks Fell 30%, Would You Still Retire Next Year?

A 30% drop in AI stocks the month after you retire could permanently damage your income plan, and the reason has less to do with the size of the loss than with its timing. Five mega-cap tech companies now represent roughly 30% of the S&P 500 index, according to Morningstar (September 2026), meaning many "diversified" portfolios carry far more concentrated AI and tech exposure than most investors realize. The greatest retirement threat is not the decline itself — it is being forced to sell deprec

Retirement PlanningOct 6, 20268 min readBy Aaron Randak

Born in 1953? Your First RMD Is a Two-Year Decision

Turn 73 in 2026 and your first RMD can wait until April 1, 2027. Waiting stacks two RMDs on one return and can raise your 2029 Medicare premium.

Retirement PlanningOct 2, 202616 min readBy Alex Bridges

How to Create a Retirement Paycheck From Your Investments: A Guide for Houston-Area Energy Retirees

By: Alex Bridges, CFP®, EA, ChFC®, RICP®For decades, a direct deposit showed up every other Friday. You didn't have to think about where it came from. Then you retire, and suddenly you're the payroll ...

Tax PlanningSep 30, 20268 min readBy Aaron Randak

The 0% Capital Gains Bracket Reaches $146,400 for a 65-Year-Old Couple in 2026

A couple over 65 can have $146,400 of gross income in 2026 and pay nothing federally on their long-term gains. The room is annual and closes December 31.

Retirement PlanningSep 30, 20267 min readBy Aaron Randak

The Health Insurance Subsidy Cliff Came Back, and It Changes the Roth Conversion Math

The 400% subsidy cliff returned January 1. If you buy marketplace coverage, one dollar of Roth conversion over $84,600 can cost a couple $16,000.

Tax PlanningSep 30, 20268 min readBy Aaron Randak

The Charitable Gift That Also Lowers Your 2028 Medicare Premium

Giving from your IRA lowers the AGI that sets your 2028 Medicare premium. It only counts against this year's RMD if it goes out first.

Tax PlanningSep 30, 20267 min readBy Aaron Randak

How to Size a 2026 Roth Conversion, and the Hidden Bracket Between $150,000 and $250,000

Between $150,000 and $250,000 of income, a retired couple faces a real federal rate near 24.6% while sitting in what the chart calls the 22% bracket.

EducationalSep 25, 202610 min readBy Alex Bridges

Roth Conversions Before Retirement: When They Can Save You Money (and When They Don't)

Many of the pre-retirees I meet in The Woodlands and across Greater Houston have done exactly what they were told to do. They maxed out their 401(k), rolled old plans into IRAs, and let decades of pre...

Tax PlanningSep 16, 20267 min readBy Aaron Randak

Inherited a Roth IRA? The Rules Are Better Than You Think

An inherited Roth IRA carries no annual required distributions and no tax on qualified withdrawals. Here is the one clock you do need to check, and the mistakes that cannot be undone.

Retirement PlanningSep 16, 20267 min readBy Aaron Randak

What To Do With Your Old 401(k) Before Year-End: Smart Rollover Moves for Retirees and Job Changers

Wondering what to do with an old 401(k)? Compare your four options, see why a rollover IRA often gives retirees and job changers more flexibility, and work through the timing and tax questions before year-end.

EducationalSep 10, 20269 min readBy Alex Bridges

Financial Planning After 50: The Decisions That Matter Most for Houston-Area Professionals and Business Owners

Once you turn 50, the financial planning conversation changes shape. You're no longer just accumulating — you're sequencing. Decisions about how much to save, when to convert, when to claim, and when ...

EducationalAug 30, 202612 min readBy Alex Bridges

How Much Should a Financial Advisor Cost in 2026?

It is a strange feature of this industry that one of the most common questions people ask me — "what does this actually cost?" — is also one of the hardest to answer by looking at a website. Most advi...

EducationalAug 21, 20266 min readBy Alex Bridges

7 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Financial Advisor

Choosing a financial advisor is one of the more consequential decisions you'll make for your family's financial future, and it isn't always obvious how to tell a good fit from a bad one. Titles like "...

EducationalAug 14, 20265 min readBy Alex Bridges

What Does a Fiduciary Financial Advisor Actually Do for You?

"Fiduciary" gets used a lot in financial services, but a surprising number of people who hire a financial advisor never ask what the word actually obligates that advisor to do. It's not a marketing te...

Retirement PlanningAug 13, 20261 min readBy Erin OBrien

Inheritance Planning and Tax-Smart Financial Decisions

Inheritance can bring a mix of emotions—and just as many questions. Between paperwork, inherited accounts, family conversations, and tax considerations, it can be hard to know what to do first.

EducationalAug 7, 20266 min readBy Alex Bridges

Fee-Only vs. Fee-Based Financial Advisors: What Is the Real Difference?

Every week, someone asks me about the difference between a "fee-only" advisor and a "fee-based" advisor, and I understand why. The two phrases look nearly identical on paper, and a lot of marketing ma...

EducationalJul 31, 202619 min readBy Alex Bridges

Fee-Only Financial Advisors Explained: What You Pay, What You Get, and Why It Matters

Fee-Only Financial Advisors Explained: What You Pay, What You Get, and Why It MattersA fee-only financial advisor is compensated directly by clients and does not receive commissions or other sales-rel...

Estate PlanningJul 27, 202613 min readBy Alex Bridges

How to Leave a Financial Legacy for Children and Grandchildren

Leaving a financial legacy is not simply about passing down the largest possible inheritance. A thoughtful legacy plan should reflect what you want your money to accomplish, preserve your own financia...

EducationalJul 1, 20264 min readBy Patrick Yaghoobians

4 Summer Expenses People Forget to Budget For

Summer is a time for fun with friends & family, but it's also a time where it becomes easier to spend loosely. Here are 4 expenses most people forget to budget for this time of year

Retirement PlanningJun 29, 20269 min readBy Nick Garofalo

Target Date Funds: 5 Things to Know Before Setting and Forgetting

I explain why Christians should rethink default target-date funds, check fees, and consider faith-aligned investing for a values-driven retirement.

EducationalJun 28, 20266 min readBy Louis Guajardo

The One-Page Financial Plan Built for Freelancers and Content Creators

Most financial advice was built for people with one employer and one paycheck — not for freelancers and content creators juggling variable income, multiple revenue streams, and quarterly taxes. The one-page financial plan fixes that by breaking your entire financial picture down into five sections: cash flow and net worth, taxes, investments, risk analysis, and a 12-month action plan. It takes 1 to 2 hours the first time through and about 45 minutes every year after that. Come back to it once a

EducationalJun 25, 20265 min readBy James Hargrave

What to Do When a Parent Passes Away: A Guide for the First 90 Days

Losing a parent is difficult enough without having to navigate the financial and legal responsibilities that follow. I've worked with families after the loss of a parent, and one thing I've learned is that most people don't need more legal terminology during the first few weeks. They need someone to help them understand what should happen first, what can wait, and where costly mistakes are most often made. That's the purpose of this guide. This article isn't intended to replace advice from an estate attorney, CPA, or financial planner. Every estate is different. Instead, it provides a practical roadmap for navigating the first 90 days after losing a parent.

OtherJun 24, 20264 min readBy Filip Telibasa

Wealth is more than valuable possessions & money

Wealth… what a beautiful word, don’t you agree? It rolls off the tongue and gives us a sense of satisfaction as it’s heavily associated with happiness (think, Scrooge McDuck taking a swim amongst his gold coins). For many of us, wealth is the target of our being, at least in a financial sense. Oxford defines wealth as “an abundance of valuable possessions or money.” Although I agree this is a good, straight forward definition - I ask you not to take it at face value and look within yourself for

EducationalMay 28, 20267 min readBy Steve Stanganelli

How Having a Financial Plan Can Help You Save for Your Long-Term Goals

Having a financial plan provides direction and discipline to stay on target to meet your long-term goals.

Investment StrategyMay 27, 20261 min readBy Janet Wan

Six Tax-Efficient Strategies to Manage Concentrated Stock Position

A concentrated stock portfolio can feel like both a blessing and a challenge. While managing such positions can be complex, they also present significant opportunities for strategic wealth management. This downloadable guide outlines risks, opportunities and strategic options to manage a concentrated portfolio.

EducationalMay 21, 202615 min readBy Philip Weiss

Guide to Roth conversions for surviving spouse and heirs

Whenever I have an initial conversation with a potential new client, I mention how taxes and investing are “joined at the hip.” You don’t want to let the “tax tail wag the dog” (meaning you don’t want...

EducationalMay 14, 20264 min readBy Betsy Hutchins

When (and When Not) to Pay Off Your Loans Early

Debt isn’t always the villain it’s made out to be. In fact, when managed strategically, debt can be a powerful financial tool for high earners. The decision to pay off a loan early, or to keep it work...

Tax PlanningMay 12, 20265 min readBy John Davis

Tax Preparation vs. Tax Planning

When April rolls around, millions of Americans engage in a familiar ritual: gathering W2s, 1099s, and expense receipts to hand off to a professional. This is tax preparation. It is an essential, neces...

Tax PlanningMay 12, 20263 min readBy Shalina Martos

Why Health Savings Accounts Are a Powerful Tool for Tax-Efficient Wealth Building

At Martos Wealth, we believe that every financial decision should reflect your values, support your long-term goals, and create space for future possibilities. One strategy that often goes overlooked ...

EducationalApr 15, 20264 min readBy Nick Garofalo

When Should I Start Investing? Why Starting Small Beats Waiting to Go Big

Thinking of investing? Start small now instead of waiting! Even a little can grow over time. Let’s make your financial journey easier together!

EducationalMay 12, 20265 min readBy Shalina Martos

Steps to Building and Sustaining Long-Term Wealth

For most people, steady, ongoing work is the foundation of their wealth. Career success and a good salary, or building and growing your own business, are the means to a lifestyle you enjoy now and the...

Investment StrategyApr 1, 202612 min readBy Nick Garofalo

From Railroad Bonds to Index Funds: Why Christians Need to Know Their Investments

Modern passive investing has disconnected us from understanding what companies we actually own, creating a moral blind spot where we may unknowingly profit from businesses that contradict our values.

EducationalMay 14, 20265 min readBy Betsy Hutchins

Financial Planning for High-Earning Women in Medicine & Dentistry

Women in medicine and dentistry often earn high incomes after years of training and career development, but many feel uncertain about how to translate that income into long-term financial security. Be...

Tax PlanningMay 8, 20266 min readBy Nick Garofalo

The Hidden Dangers of Overfunding a 529 (And the New Roth IRA Option)

Overfunding a 529 can lead to unexpected costs. Let's explore the new Roth IRA option and how to manage college savings wisely!

EducationalMar 27, 20269 min readBy Andrew Darch

How We Act with Money: The 9 Key Financial Behavioural Traits and Thought Provoking Insights

1.0 IntroductionWhen you think about financial planning, “behavioural traits” probably aren’t the first thing that come to mind. While it’s true that financial planning involves numbers and projection...

EducationalMar 6, 20269 min readBy James Hargrave

Logistical Challenges of Moving a 529 Plan to a Roth IRA

The Deep Dive:Starting in 2024, families gained a powerful new planning lever:You can roll unused 529 funds into a Roth IRA for the beneficiary.That sentence sounds simple.The execution is not.If you ...

EducationalMay 8, 20266 min readBy Nick Garofalo

How Much Life Insurance Do I Need? A Guide for Families and Business Owners

Wondering how much life insurance you need? Let’s break it down together with practical tips tailored for families and business owners. Reach out for help!

EducationalFeb 22, 20262 min readBy Grady Cool

Fiduciary Financial Advisor: How It Protects and Grows Your Wealth

Learn what it means to work with a fiduciary financial advisor and why this commitment makes a major difference for your wealth. Insights from Cool Wealth Management in Phoenix, Arizona.

Estate PlanningApr 15, 20263 min readBy Igor Aronov

Estate Planning Is About More Than Documents. It’s About Being Heard.

Major life changes have a way of pulling financial planning out of the “I’ll deal with this later” pile and placing it squarely in front of us. Suddenly, the things we meant to get to tomorrow, next m...

EducationalMay 14, 20264 min readBy Betsy Hutchins

5 Money Mistakes Even Successful Women Make

Success has a way of creating assumptions, especially when it comes to money. When you earn well, advance your career, and appear financially responsible, it’s easy to believe you’ve already checked t...

Retirement PlanningMar 26, 20266 min readBy Aaron Randak

What To Do With Your Old 401(k) Before Year-End: Smart Moves for Retirees and Job Changers

As the year winds down, it is a natural time to clean up your financial life. You might be reviewing investments, preparing for tax season, or simply trying to start the new year on solid footing. One of the biggest items people tend to forget is what to do with an old 401(k). If you recently changed jobs or retired, you may still have money sitting in a former employer’s plan. It is common, but it is rarely ideal. Knowing what to do with that account before the new year can make your finances simpler, more flexible, and potentially more tax efficient in the long run.

Estate PlanningApr 15, 20263 min readBy Igor Aronov

Legacy Is More Than Words

Last year, when my father passed away, our family experienced something that many families eventually face. Even when you believe things are reasonably organized, understanding someone’s financial lif...

Estate PlanningApr 15, 20265 min readBy Igor Aronov

Freeze It Before They Use It: Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft

A few years ago, my wife became a victim of identity theft. Someone accessed her credit report and created an alternative identity of a Google engineer living in Georgia—neither of which was true! The...

Retirement PlanningMay 12, 20267 min readBy Shalina Martos

Medicare Enrollment: Key Considerations Before & After Age 65

Reaching 65: A Milestone Worth CelebratingTurning 65 is more than a birthday, it’s a gateway to new possibilities, including access to Medicare. Whether you’ve timed your retirement to coincide with M...

Tax PlanningMay 12, 20264 min readBy John Davis

Charitable Giving Strategies for Retirees

Charitable giving is a cornerstone of many financial plans, helping to achieve personal goals and providing potential tax benefits. With the passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA) the landsc...