Financial Breakaway - by Ryan Hitchcock

Concentration risk in a retirement account can be a double-edged sword.

When one stock is on a great run, concentration feels amazing. Your account can grow faster than the broader market.

But the flip side is that when the stock stumbles, your retirement account feels every bit of that downside too.

That’s why diversification isn’t about avoiding great companies. It’s about making sure one position doesn’t determine your entire financial future.

And for those wondering how the hockey analogy ends…

🏒 Defensemen = your value investments. They stay back, provide stability, and keep the play in front of them.

🏒 F3 = your risk manager. Still involved, but responsible enough to prevent odd-man rushes.

🏒 F2 = your supporting positions, like small- and mid-cap investments.

🏒 F1 = your growth allocation. Aggressive, creating offense, but not carrying the entire team by itself.

Okay… I know $50,000 is a lot in one shot. But hear me out.

College isn’t getting any cheaper.

For families who have the ability to front-load part of their college savings, time can become your biggest advantage.

This isn’t about the number. It’s about letting compounding do more of the heavy lifting.

Most people never actually have access to the IPO price.

There’s the offering price set through the banks and syndicate…
then there’s the public market price once supply and demand take over.

Big difference.

That’s why IPOs can get risky fast after the opening bell.

Most people think if they are still working in the year they retire, they cannot turn on Social Security because of the income test.

That is not always true.

In your first year of retirement, there is a special rule.

Instead of looking at your income for the full year, Social Security can look at it month by month after you retire.

That means even if you earned too much earlier in the year, you may still be able to start benefits later in that same year.

This is where a lot of people get it wrong.

They delay benefits when they did not have to.

Or they miss months they could have collected.

Every situation is a little different, especially depending on timing, income, and when you actually stop working.

But the key point is this.

The income test works differently in your first year.

If you are thinking about retiring this year or next, this is something you want to get right.

If you want help walking through your situation, I am happy to take a look.

No obligation.

Link in bio to schedule.

We built out a retirement plan together.

And yes, it showed the money would be used over time.

That was not a problem.
That was the plan.

The 4% rule is often used as a baseline for sustainability.

But some people choose to spend a little more.
Comfortably.
And with intention.

Because retirement is not just about making money last.
It is about actually using it

Two live workshops you can join

Over 59½ and still working?
There’s a 401(k) rule most people miss and it can change how you prepare for retirement

Selling a property before retirement can trigger a huge tax bill, but there are options. That’s why planning before the sale matters.

They could retire at 60 but here’s why they waited

Thinking about a Roth conversion?

One small tax decision can materially change the outcome, especially in a lower income year.