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Something that gets glossed over about cash balance plans: they're often pitched like a bonus pension, but functionally ...
10/10/2026

Something that gets glossed over about cash balance plans: they're often pitched like a bonus pension, but functionally they're a deferred compensation vehicle.

The dollars you defer grow tax-deferred, same as a 401(k). The difference shows up on the back end — everything that comes out is taxed as ordinary income, not capital gains, and there's no Roth-style version inside most cash balance structures.

For W-2 employees at companies offering these on top of an already-maxed 401(k) — airlines, logistics carriers, and a growing list of others — that distinction is usually the part that gets skipped in the open enrollment meeting.

10/08/2026

Cash balance plans are showing up more and more — Delta, Southwest, American, FedEx, UPS have all been rolling them out or adjusting their terms.

Here's the mechanic: once you've maxed out what you can put into a 401(k) (the IRS caps total contributions around $72,000 a year), a cash balance plan lets you defer additional pre-tax income into a separate account that grows tax-deferred until retirement.

The tradeoff: every dollar that comes out later is taxed at ordinary income rates — not capital gains.

Would you rather defer that tax now, or pay it today?

10/02/2026

Paying off a rental as fast as possible can feel like the win. It isn't always.

Every dollar that goes to extra principal is a dollar that's no longer working anywhere else — that's the opportunity cost most payoff plans skip over. Own less of a property and your yield on the capital you do have in it is usually higher, because you're carrying more risk with less of your own money tied up. The tradeoff: more leverage means you need more liquidity sitting behind it, not less.

Where do you draw the line between paying down debt and keeping cash on hand instead?

Economic growth remains strong, but rising interest rates and inflation pressures are creating new risks for investors. ...
09/29/2026

Economic growth remains strong, but rising interest rates and inflation pressures are creating new risks for investors. See the latest market commentary from Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management CIO Brent Schutte. http://spr.ly/6185BGUNzf

No one can predict exactly what retirement will look like. That’s why having a plan that can adapt matters. Let’s talk a...
09/28/2026

No one can predict exactly what retirement will look like. That’s why having a plan that can adapt matters. Let’s talk about ways to create flexibility and confidence for whatever retirement brings. http://spr.ly/6186BGdl5Y

09/23/2026

Everyone assumes retiring before 65 means locking in high health insurance costs. That's backwards.

Before Medicare starts, your health insurance premium in the private market is priced off your reported taxable income for that year — not your net worth. That means the order you draw money from matters more than how much you have. Pull first from pre-tax accounts like a traditional IRA or 401(k), and that income shows up on your return, which can push your premium up. Pull first from Roth or non-qualified brokerage dollars instead, and your reported income stays low — one of the levers that drives what you pay. Same money. Same accounts. Different order, different bill.

Have you mapped out which accounts you'd draw from first if you retired before 65?

The Fed raised rates to try to bring down inflation as economic data continued to be strong. Chief Investment Officer Br...
09/22/2026

The Fed raised rates to try to bring down inflation as economic data continued to be strong. Chief Investment Officer Brent Schutte explains the data and why it calls for a measured approach. http://spr.ly/6183BGjBW7

Fall is the perfect time for a financial reset. Review your benefits, taxes, and retirement contributions before year-en...
09/21/2026

Fall is the perfect time for a financial reset. Review your benefits, taxes, and retirement contributions before year-end deadlines. Reach out to me, and we can build a personalized plan together. http://spr.ly/6187BGJAKN

Most people treat "debt-free" as the goal. For some balance sheets, it's actually the wrong one. Swipe through the diffe...
09/21/2026

Most people treat "debt-free" as the goal. For some balance sheets, it's actually the wrong one. Swipe through the difference between debt that costs you and debt that works for you.

Which side of the table are you on?

09/19/2026

I currently sit on $1.6–1.7 million of debt, and it doesn't cost me a minute of sleep.

Most people treat debt as one category: pay it off as fast as possible. But debt splits into two very different buckets. Bad debt — credit cards — costs you and gives nothing back. Good debt is leverage: a mortgage on a rental where tenants cover the payment, a loan for a business that grows your income, even financing for the training that gets you your pilot ratings. The mortgages on my properties are backed by real assets and serviced by rental income — that's the difference between debt that works against you and debt that works for you.

Which side of that table are you on — pay it off fast, or keep the leverage working?

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