Tidewater Wealth Management

10/08/2026

Five dates worth having on your calendar this quarter

October 14: Social Security announces the 2027 cost-of-living adjustment, expected alongside the September inflation report.

October 15: Extended deadline for 2025 individual tax returns. An extension to file is not an extension to pay.

October 15 to December 7: Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, the window to review Medicare Advantage and Part D coverage for 2027.

November 3: Midterm elections. All 435 seats in the U.S. House and 35 Senate seats are on the ballot, along with state and local contests. In Connecticut, early voting runs October 19 to November 1.

December 31: Year-end. Required minimum distributions are generally due, and it is the last day for 2026 Roth conversions and charitable gifts.

Election outcomes can influence the legislative agenda, including policy areas such as taxes, retirement accounts, Social Security, and Medicare. The timing and extent of any change are uncertain, and short-term market movement is possible. At Tidewater, we focus on what can be planned for, and we revisit each client's strategy as the facts develop.

If you would like to talk through how these dates apply to you, our Advisors offer complimentary plan reviews. Message us to schedule.

Tidewater does not endorse any candidate or party. Please confirm election dates and voting options with the the Secretary of the State. This is general information, not personalized advice. Please consult your tax professional about your own situation.

10/08/2026

Where YURAP fits into your retirement plan

For many people at Yale, the Yale University Retirement Account Plan (YURAP) is the foundation of a retirement plan. It is an important starting point, and it works best as one part of a larger picture.

It earns that role because of how it is funded. According to Yale, the university makes a core contribution of 5% of base pay up to the Social Security wage base and 7.5% above it, in addition to a match on employee contributions. Both are immediately vested, and plan assets are held with TIAA. Over a career, those contributions build steadily in the background.

What YURAP does not decide is when someone can afford to retire, what they will spend, or where each year's income should come from. That is the role of the plan built around it. Many people also have accounts from earlier employers, IRAs, a 457(b) for those who are eligible, and Social Security still ahead. YURAP accepts rollovers from several account types, so there are choices about whether to bring pieces together. Each source has its own timing and tax treatment, and the order of withdrawals can shape income and taxes for years.

Together, these sources become a retirement income plan, and that plan exists to support the life a person wants, whether that includes travel, a gradual transition out of work, or more time with family.

Tidewater Wealth Management works with higher education professionals and physicians and offers a complimentary review to anyone who would like to see where YURAP sits in their own picture. Message us to schedule a call.

Please check with Yale regarding your eligibility and the current plan terms, as they can change. Tidewater Wealth Management is not affiliated with or endorsed by Yale. This is general information, not personalized advice.

09/25/2026

The standard catch-up contribution for those 50 and older allows an additional $7,500 per year above the standard 401(k) limit in 2026.

For university employees with 15 or more years of service at the same institution, a TIAA and 403(b)-specific provision may allow even higher contributions.

If you feel behind on retirement savings and you work in higher education, there may be more room to close that gap than you realize.

David Wheatley, CLU® ChFC®, explains what's available and who qualifies. Link below.

https://www.tidewaterwealth.com/blog/catching-up-on-tiaa-contributions-later-in-your-career

09/25/2026

A donor-advised fund is one of the most effective charitable giving tools available to professionals approaching retirement — and one of the least discussed.
The mechanic is simple: you contribute now, receive the full tax deduction in the year of the contribution, and direct grants to qualifying charities on your own schedule. The contribution decision and the giving decision are separate.

For faculty in their final high-income years, contributing appreciated securities to a DAF in that window can reduce taxable income at the highest marginal rate they will ever face — while eliminating capital gains tax entirely on those securities.

David Wheatley, CLU® ChFC®, explains the full strategy in the link below.

A donor-advised fund lets you contribute now, get the tax deduction immediately, and give to charity on your own schedule. Here’s how DAFs work and why they’re ideal for educators and physicians near retirement.

09/25/2026

Three major assets moved sharply in different directions this year. The dollar steadied after a long decline. Gold fell sharply from $5,400 to around $4,100. Bitcoin dropped over 50% from its highs, even as stock markets rallied.

Each of these movements has a different explanation, and most of them have more to do with inflation expectations, rate dynamics, and investor sentiment than with any fundamental change in the assets themselves.

Understanding what drove the volatility is more useful than reacting to it. The full breakdown link below.

Gold fell from \$5,400 to \$4,100. Bitcoin dropped 50%. The dollar steadied. Here is what is driving the volatility and what it means for your portfolio.

09/24/2026

A research scientist who has held appointments at three institutions has likely accumulated retirement accounts at each of them.
Each 403(b) has its own custodian, its own investment options, and its own beneficiary designation form. None of them coordinate automatically with the others.

The consolidation question — whether to roll prior accounts into the current plan or into an IRA — requires a specific analysis of fees, investment options, and creditor protections. The right answer depends on the individual situation.

David Wheatley, CLU® ChFC®, works with university researchers through exactly this question. Link to the guide below.

Moving to a new institution? Learn what happens to your TIAA Traditional account and what changes at your new employer.

09/24/2026

Recent policy developments around tariff refunds and the trajectory of the national debt have generated significant headlines. Both have real implications for investors.

But the effects tend to be more gradual and more nuanced than market reactions in any given week suggest. The most important question for long-term investors is not what happened this month, but whether the underlying portfolio strategy can hold up across a range of economic and policy environments.

Tidewater's perspective on what these developments mean for long-term investors is in the link below:

Since new tariffs (fees charged on imported goods) were announced last year, global trade has been a major source of uncertainty for financial markets and the broader economy. In February, the Supreme Court ruled that the original...

09/18/2026

Money market fund assets are near record highs at $7.9 trillion. A lot of investors have moved to cash over the past few years.

The problem: short-term rates are falling, and inflation is still running at 4.2%. Cash that appeared to be earning something is producing a negative real return — meaning it is buying less than it was a year ago.

This doesn't mean cash has no place in a financial plan. It means the right amount of cash is worth thinking about carefully, and the rest belongs working harder.

Link below for the full breakdown.
https://www.tidewaterwealth.com/blog/whats-behind-the-bond-market-headlines

09/18/2026

The TIAA income election that shapes a surviving spouse's future.

TIAA Traditional is a fixed annuity contract backed by TIAA's General Account — not a mutual fund, not a variable investment.
It guarantees your principal and a minimum interest rate. The current minimum for many university plans is 3.00% annually, with the potential for additional amounts declared above that floor.
TIAA has paid more total lifetime income benefits than it has guaranteed every year since 1949 — including 18 income increases over the past 30 years.

Understanding what you actually own in a TIAA account is the foundation of every retirement decision that follows. The full explanation is in the link below:

Leaving your institution? GRA contracts offer a limited-time lump-sum option. Learn how the 120-day window works and what the surrender charge costs.

09/16/2026

What 'guaranteed' actually means in a TIAA Traditional account.

TIAA Traditional is a fixed annuity contract backed by TIAA's General Account — not a mutual fund, not a variable investment.
It guarantees your principal and a minimum interest rate. The current minimum for many university plans is 3.00% annually, with the potential for additional amounts declared above that floor.

TIAA has paid more total lifetime income benefits than it has guaranteed every year since 1949 — including 18 income increases over the past 30 years.

Understanding what you actually own in a TIAA account is the foundation of every retirement decision that follows. The full explanation in the link below.

Schedule a complimentary consultation: https://calendly.com/tidewaterwealth/30min

Tidewater Wealth Management | New Haven & West Hartford, CT

Considering an allocation to the TIAA Real Estate Account? Learn how it differs from TIAA Traditional before deciding how much to hold.