Deidre Fernald, CFP

Most people assume estate planning is something you do when you're older or when you've accumulated significant wealth. In reality, if you own assets, have loved ones, or want a say in how important decisions are handled, you need a plan.

A basic estate plan can cover who makes medical and financial decisions for you if you can't make them yourself, who raises your children if something happens to you, and where your assets go when you're gone. None of that is age-dependent.

Life changes like getting married, having kids, buying a home, or starting a business are all good reasons to get started. If you're not sure where to start, we're happy to help.

Plans change. Priorities shift. Life happens.

That’s why flexibility is such an important part of any retirement strategy. Having the ability to adjust your timeline can help reduce stress and keep you moving forward with confidence.

We're halfway through the year. Have you checked in on your retirement contributions lately?

It's easy to start the year with good intentions and then find yourself thinking, "We'll catch up later." But catching up gets harder the longer you wait, and the end of the year has a way of sneaking up fast.

Ask yourself: Are you on pace with your contributions? Did anything change this year — a new job, a raise, or a big expense that's worth factoring in?

A little attention now goes a long way before December.

Where do you stand: on track, a little behind, or not sure?

Whether it's a choice or by circumstance, going from two incomes to one means rethinking a few things. The monthly budget is the obvious starting point, but adjustments usually go further than that. Emergency fund targets, insurance coverage, retirement contributions, and debt repayment timelines can all look different on a single income.

The families that navigate this transition well usually start by getting a clear picture of where things stand, then make intentional decisions about what changes and what stays the same. If you're not sure where to start, reach out.

Well that was easy!

If you get a notice that your subscription or another recurring expense is increasing, do not accept it at face value. They want you to not pay attention and pay the higher price.

Honestly, I really love SirusXM and it pains me to go without it. I drive often and love listening to music. It's an expense I am really happy to pay but I have a limit.

I was paying $7.99 a month (from last year's "deal") and I got an email saying they wanted to increase my fee to $25.99 per month!! That's insane and a total rip off. I figured if I cancelled it, they would send me mail asking me to come back at a lower price and I could deal without it for awhile.

I went online to cancel it and they make you chat with "Harmony" who barely put up a fight and gave me an even better deal than I had before!

So pay attention people and don't accept an increase just because they say so.

Ramsey is no fun.

Although, I know a few of you out there who could really use this...😉😂

Happy FriYAY!

Life has a way of throwing curveballs. And while you can't always predict when income will be interrupted, you can build habits that may help give your family a financial cushion.

✅ Keep 3 to 6 months of living expenses in an accessible emergency fund
✅ Know in advance which expenses can be paused or reduced
✅ Carry as little high-interest debt as possible
✅ Build more than one source of household income
✅ Make sure disability and life insurance are part of the plan

It's not about expecting the worst. It's about being ready to handle it without the financial stress.

Have you heard about the new "Trump Accounts" for children? Sure you have!

Despite the name, try not to let politics distract from whether the account could be useful for your family. Financial planning works best when we evaluate the features and rules, not emotions and the branding.

Here's what parents should know:

💰 Babies born 2025-28 can receive a $1,000 government-funded starting contribution (free money!)

📈 The money is invested for long-term growth and can continue to grow over time. (But you don't have control over the investments)

🎁 Family members may also be able to contribute additional money, subject to the program's contribution limits of $5,000 a year. (You can do this with 529s and UTMAs too with much higher limits)

🔄 The account may eventually be rolled into a Roth IRA, which could give a child a tremendous head start on retirement if the rules are followed. (btw a 529 plan accomplishes this too)

But before you jump in, ask yourself:

* Is this a better option than a 529 plan or a UTMA? (my honest opinion- no)
* Should birthday and holiday money go here instead?
* Does it fit your family's overall financial plan?
* Are there tradeoffs compared to other savings accounts?

The answer is different for every family.

For some, a 529 or UTMA will still be the clear winner. For others, this new account could be another useful tool. And for many families, using multiple accounts may make sense.

If I just had a baby, I would open the Trump account, say thank you very much for the $1,000 and start my monthly contributions to a 529 and a UTMA. You can start both with just $25 a month.

As a reminder, you don't want your kids to have more money than you do so if you don't have savings for YOUR future, focus on that first or just add small amounts to the kid's accounts and add more when you have your own savings padded.

https://www.trumpaccounts.gov

Six years ago, I took a leap of faith and became an independent financial planner.

It was one of the scariest, and best, decisions I've ever made.

Being independent means I'm able build my business how I want and to focus on what I believe is best for each client rather than fitting them into a cookie-cutter plan. Every family has different goals, different worries, and a different definition of success. I love helping them build a plan that's uniquely theirs. I've had the privilege of walking alongside hundreds of individuals and families through some of life's biggest financial moments.

These six years haven't all been easy. There have been long days, difficult conversations, changing markets, a pandemic, growing a business while raising two kids, and plenty of moments where I wondered if I was doing the right thing.

But every thank-you note, every client who tells me they finally feel confident about their finances, and every retirement celebration reminds me exactly why I do this.

To my clients: thank you for trusting me with something so personal. It is an honor I never take for granted.

And to everyone who has referred a friend, shared one of my posts, encouraged me, or cheered me on over the past six years, thank you!! Your support has helped make this little dream into something I'm incredibly proud of.

Here's to the next chapter and helping even more families feel confident about their money.

Happy 6th anniversary to me! 🥳 ❤️

I know better than to buy things from Facebook ads.

I’ve even seen these purchases show up on client statements and thought, “Yep. That’s an impulse buy.” So I’ve mostly stayed away.

Well…Facebook knows exactly how to find your problems and convince you it has the solution. 😬

I recently made 3 purchases from ads.

The first was a pair of shoes. I had been searching forever for a specific style to replace a broken pair. I was tired of searching Amazon and every shoe store in the area, and there they were!

I actually forgot I ordered them because they took almost THREE MONTHS to arrive. And when they finally did? Cheap. Poor quality. Nothing like what I thought I was buying.

The next two purchases were exercise-related items that were supposed to help my kids with some issues they’re having.

I had been Googling. ChatGPTing. Researching. Trying to find something that might help. Then...what do you know? Products promising solutions to those exact problems started showing up in my feed and because I really wanted a solution, I bought them.

Between all three purchases, I spent less than $100 but it was still almost $100 wasted.

That’s what these ads are so good at. They don’t just sell you a product, they find the thing you’re frustrated about, the thing you’re worried about. The problem you’re tired of trying to solve and then they make you feel like the answer is one click away.

I know better. I still fell for it.

So here’s my reminder to myself and maybe to you too: Before you buy something from Facebook, TikTok, or Instagram, wait 24 hours.

Then search for the product somewhere else. Read reviews outside of the seller’s website. Ask yourself whether you wanted this before it showed up in your feed. More importantly: Are you buying the product… or are you buying the promise that it will solve a problem?

I’m almost $100 poorer, but lesson learned. 😅

These companies are really good at getting us to buy. Let’s get better at waiting.