Chrysalis Wealth Management

Good planning gives you more than a future, it gives you the freedom to live an ordinary Tuesday on your own terms.

Waiting for interest rates to fall can feel like a strategy. It isn’t always one.

If rates remain elevated, it may be worth revisiting how cash and fixed income are positioned. Today’s environment can create more opportunities for income, while holding too much excess cash may limit longer-term potential.

Rather than trying to predict the Fed’s next move, make sure your portfolio is positioned for the rate environment we actually have.

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Some Medicare costs are determined long before the bill arrives.

For 2026, Medicare uses income from your 2024 tax return to determine whether you owe an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) on Part B and Part D. That two-year lookback means decisions involving Roth conversions, investment gains, retirement distributions and other taxable income can have consequences that show up later in health care costs.

The planning opportunity is not simply to keep income as low as possible. It is to coordinate taxes, retirement income and Medicare so one decision does not unintentionally make another more expensive.

And if your income has fallen because of a qualifying life event such as retirement or the death of a spouse, you may be able to ask Social Security to reconsider the surcharge.

Health care planning is part of retirement income planning — not a separate conversation.

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Certainty says, “I know what will happen.”

Confidence says, “Whatever happens, I can respond thoughtfully.”

Maxing out a workplace retirement plan is not as automatic as it used to be.

If you’re 50+ and earned more than $150,000 in 2025 from the employer sponsoring your plan, your 2026 age-based catch-up contributions to a 401(k), 403(b) or governmental 457(b) generally must be made on a Roth basis.

That shift can affect take-home pay, withholding and the balance between pretax and tax-free assets you’re building for retirement. It also means the contribution strategy that worked last year may deserve another look this year.

If you’re trying to maximize retirement savings, now is a good time to confirm how your plan is handling the new rule and whether the rest of your tax strategy still fits around it.

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Open enrollment deserves more than a quick click-through.

The choices you make can affect your cash flow, taxes, retirement savings and how well your family is protected.

Rather than carrying forward the same elections by default, use this opportunity to make sure your benefits still align with your life, priorities and broader financial plan.

A thoughtful review now can help you make more confident decisions when enrollment begins.

https://www.ameripriseadvisors.com/team/chrysalis-wealth-management/insights/things-to-consider-during-open-enrollment/

Money isn’t happiness, but the freedom to pursue what brings you joy can be priceless.

Waiting until December to think about taxes can leave you with fewer choices.

The IRS encourages a midyear withholding check, especially after meaningful changes to your income, family or finances.

Now is the time to review whether:

• Withholding and estimated payments are on track
• Investment gains or losses create planning opportunities
• A Roth conversion may make sense
• Retirement contributions should be adjusted
• Charitable giving can be planned more intentionally
• A bonus, job change, home purchase or other life event has changed your tax picture

Together, we can coordinate your financial and tax strategies before the year-end rush.

https://www.ameripriseadvisors.com/team/chrysalis-wealth-management/insights/proactive-tax-planning/

Summer has a way of bringing us back to the reason behind the plan.

More time together, slower moments and family traditions remind us that wealth is not only about what we build. It is about making sure the people we love are cared for, even when we are no longer able to guide them ourselves.

A thoughtful estate plan can help make your wishes clear by coordinating wills, trusts, beneficiaries, powers of attorney, health care directives and access to important information.

Let this season be a reminder to make sure your plan reflects your why.

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The best legacy plans pass down more than wealth.