Chris Balcerowiak

01/09/2026

Markets ended 2025 on a quiet note, but Q4 closed with gains across all major U.S. indexes as investors weighed lower interest rates, mixed labor data, and ongoing economic delays from the October shutdown. The S&P 500 rose 2.35% for the quarter, while the Dow led with a 3.59% gain. As we kick off the new year with resolutions and fresh starts, many of us reach for our favorite morning brew. But have you ever wondered about the global love affair with coffee and tea? Check out this month's by-the-numbers.

U.S. stocks notched a solid gain in the fourth quarter as investors cheered lower interest rates and solid corporate profits while navigating limited economic updates due to the U.S. government shutdown.

01/08/2026

What changed for your taxes on January 1?

Several Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) items were set to roll off after 2025. In July 2025, Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which modified parts of that “sunset.”

Three 2026 watch-items to know:
● Standard Deduction & Brackets: 2026 amounts are published; the top rate remains 37 percent with updated thresholds.
● Estate & Gift: The basic exclusion is $15,000,000 per person in 2026 (indexed for inflation).
● State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction: The long-standing $10,000 cap was revised upward beginning in 2025, with specified phase mechanics in later years.

Background:
The TCJA originally scheduled many individual provisions to expire after 2025; OBBBA adjusted several of them.

Net:
2026 tax math is different from 2024–2025, so check the published thresholds before you make assumptions. And check with your tax or accounting professional before modifying your strategy. ⚖️

01/06/2026

2025 wasn't just another year; it rewrote the rules for tax, estate, and investment strategies.

If you haven't reviewed your approaches since July, you're potentially leaving money on the table (or perhaps exposed to unnecessary risk).

Here’s What Changed: Tax Reform Got Real

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made sweeping changes, including:

→ $15 million estate exemption per person ($30 million per couple)
→ Expanded State and Local Tax deduction to $40,000 (through 2029)
→ New $6,000 senior bonus deduction for those 65+
→ First-ever auto loan interest deduction up to $10,000

But here's the catch: Many of these provisions are temporary and set to expire in the coming years.

Markets Recovered—Then Rallied. Remember "Liberation Day" on April 2? The S&P 500 dropped following the tariff news. It then recovered within a month and continued to climb through the year. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Why 2026 Is Critical:
The elevated estate exemption is labeled "permanent," but we all know tax laws change. For families with significant wealth, this is a window, not a guarantee.

Families who act early to align their tax, estate, and investment strategies with the new landscape will be positioned for decades of advantage.

Have you reviewed your strategy since these changes took effect?

📋 Work with your tax, legal, and accounting professionals before making any changes due to the new tax law. The S&P 500 Composite Index is an unmanaged index that is considered representative of the overall U.S. stock market. Individuals cannot invest directly in an index.

01/05/2026

Who helped you learn the hard parts of this business? 🤝

National Mentoring Month is a good nudge to be intentional, not ad hoc, about how we develop people.

It’s how wisdom gets passed on, not just knowledge.

It shortens learning curves, opens doors for people who’ve been left out, and keeps our standards high by pairing accountability with encouragement.

And the best mentoring is a two-way street. Mentors sharpen their own thinking and mentees bring fresh perspectives. 🧭

This month, take a moment to thank the people who have invested in you and make space to invest in someone else.

01/02/2026

A Smarter January Starts Here 📅

Most resolutions fade because they’re vague. January is Financial Wellness Month, and you don’t obtain financial wellness with vague goals.

You pursue it with measurable goals that are tied to the real-life outcomes you work towards for you and your family.

Sometimes it can be overwhelming though.

That’s when financial professionals can help. We work with clients to do the following and more:

▪️ Identify a few short-term goals that can make a difference (e.g., savings rate, debt paydown, or cash runway in months). Track them weekly.
▪️ Stress test your portfolio: What changes if x, y, or z happens? Run different scenarios so you can stress test your strategies for both the short and long term.
▪️ Review your plan now: review deferrals, evaluate retirement plans, and come up with a strategy to manage gains/losses.
▪️ Update the “people” side: beneficiaries, POA/health proxies, and key insurance coverages.

If you’d like a Financial Wellness Check-In, message us. We’ll uncover data-driven ideas tailored to your situation to help your financial wellness.

01/01/2026

Wishing you and your families a very Happy New Year! 🎉

For us, a fresh calendar doesn’t change our core principles.

We’re continuing our focus on three simple habits that serve clients well:

▪️ Clarity over complexity
▪️ Process over predictions
▪️ Proactive communication over waiting for clients to reach out to us

Wishing you and your families good health and steady progress, personally and financially, towards every goal you’ve set for yourself.

01/01/2026

12/30/2025

❓ College vs. Retirement: Where should your extra money go?

Even when the ability to do both exists, the order matters.

🔍 Key considerations:
▪️ Consider retirement first: Compounding works best when funds are invested earlier. And, as you know, there are no loans for retirement.
▪️ Education has flexibility: Scholarships, grants, and student loans can fill gaps if needed.
▪️ Timing matters: The mix between retirement and education funding can shift as they near college age and/or retirement approaches.

💡 Pro Tip:
You may benefit from focusing on retirement needs first, then using surplus cash flow for education funding strategies.

Of course, you need to revisit this periodically to stay aligned with market conditions and family goals.

Smart preparation makes it possible to retire and support education in a way that fits your overall wealth strategy. We’re here to help.

12/29/2025

In observance of the New Year's Holiday, our office will be closed on Thursday, January 1st through Friday, January 2nd.

We will be back in the office on Monday, January 5th and will return emails and voicemails at that time.

Thank you and Happy New Year! 🍾🎉🥳🥂

12/26/2025

✨ Wishing all who celebrate a Happy Kwanzaa!

Kwanzaa is about honoring community, culture, and the seven principles: unity, self-determination, collective work, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.

For all who celebrate, we wish you a season filled with reflection, connection, and a bright start to the New Year.

12/25/2025

🎄 Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas. We hope today is filled with faith, laughter, and time with the people you love most.

12/22/2025

This weekend, 'The Intern' (my grandson) got to experience his first Red Wing hockey game.

Who enjoyed it more? 👶