BDA Financial Services

10/12/2026

A windfall from a loved one can be both rewarding and complicated. Learn how to cope with such an outcome with this message.

A windfall from a loved one can be both rewarding and complicated.

10/12/2026

Stocks finished the third quarter mixed. The S&P 500 gained 2.03%, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 2.47%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 2.70%. Halloween is next on the calendar, with U.S. consumers expected to spend \$13.5 billion USD this year and 6.26 million Canadian children in their trick-or-treating years.

Stocks were mixed in the third quarter as economic, geopolitical, and corporate earnings news pushed the broad market higher while weighing on the Dow Industrials.

10/11/2026

Meet the Retirement Red Zone.

10/10/2026

By your late 30s, financial progress may look a little different than it did in your 20s. Maybe you’ve reached a 25% savings rate between retirement, investments, and other financial goals.
You’ve started thinking beyond “How much am I saving?” and are paying more attention to where you’re saving and how taxes fit into the bigger picture.

And maybe one of the biggest milestones: you’re no longer trying to keep up with the Joneses.
You realize someone else’s new car, bigger house, expensive vacation, or lifestyle doesn’t tell you anything about their financial situation—and it certainly doesn’t need to dictate yours.

Your late 30s can be a season where money is being pulled in a lot of directions: kids, housing, childcare, retirement, travel, home projects, and everyday life. Hitting financial milestones doesn’t mean doing everything perfectly. It means being intentional about where your money goes and continuing to build toward the life you actually want.

Your financial plan doesn’t need to look impressive to someone else. It needs to work for you

10/09/2026

There’s an old saying in investing: **“Pessimists sound smart. Optimists make money.”**

It’s easy to understand why pessimism gets attention. There is always something to worry about—the economy, elections, interest rates, inflation, valuations, geopolitical events, or the next recession.

And some of those concerns are very real.

But successful long-term investing requires a certain amount of optimism.

You’re investing because you believe businesses will continue to innovate, people will keep solving problems, the economy will adapt, and progress will continue over time.

That doesn’t mean ignoring risk or assuming markets will always go up. It means building a plan that can withstand the difficult periods **without losing sight of why you invested in the first place.**

There will always be a reason not to invest.

Long-term investors understand that uncertainty is part of the journey—and choose to keep looking forward.

10/08/2026

💸 Ever feel like your money is being pulled in 10 different directions?

Welcome to the messy middle.

For many families, this season of life can mean a mortgage, childcare, kids’ activities, home repairs, vacations, retirement savings, college savings—and somehow the grocery bill keeps growing too.

You may be earning more than you ever have, but it can still feel like there’s never quite enough to do *everything* at once.

That’s why tracking where your money is actually going can be so valuable. Not because you need to cut every little expense—but because your spending should reflect what matters to you.

Ask yourself: **Is this expense adding value or joy to our life?

Sometimes the answer is absolutely yes. And sometimes you realize you’re spending money on things you don’t care that much about while feeling stretched in areas that matter more.

And remember, your priorities can change with the season you’re in. There may be periods when you need to pull back on travel, eating out, home projects, or even certain savings goals to make room for something more important right now.

Financial planning isn’t about doing everything perfectly at the same time.

It’s about making intentional choices with the money you have—and making sure those choices support the life you’re actually trying to build. 💛

10/07/2026

Should gold be a part of your diversified portfolio?

10/07/2026

💡 Retiring early? Don’t overlook the Rule of 55.

If you leave your job in or after the year you turn 55, you may be able to take withdrawals from that employer’s 401(k) or 403(b) without the usual 10% early-withdrawal penalty.

That can make an employer retirement plan an important source of income if you retire before age 59½.

But there’s an important catch:

👉 The Rule of 55 generally applies to the employer plan connected to the job you’re leaving. It does not give you the same early-access exception for an IRA or a Solo 401(k).

The years between retirement and age 59½ are often where thoughtful planning matters most. Before moving retirement accounts around, understand which dollars you can access, when you can access them, and what the tax consequences may be.

10/06/2026

A healthy retirement requires more than a well-diversified portfolio. It also requires a plan to manage healthcare costs, navigate Medicare, and prepare for potential long-term care needs. For many retirees, healthcare may be their...

Learn how Medicare, out-of-pocket healthcare costs, long-term care, and HSAs can affect your retirement plan—and how planning ahead can help.

10/05/2026

Sector investing may present an opportunity — if you do your homework.