Having a financial plan is great.

But don't count on it all going according to plan.

It needs to be flexible.

At some point, it WILL get blown up 🤯

Rational spending is important, but it can be dull and depressing 🧠

Emotional spending is fun, but it can be destructive 🤪

The sweet spot is spending based on your values 💡

It's ok to "hustle" for a bit.

But don't let pressure from others (or influencers) force you into a toxic burnout cycle.

Rest is important.

Getting behind on your tax bill sucks, but it happens more often than you might think.

The important thing is that you don't ignore the problem!

The IRS is more accommodating than you might think.

They are very willing to work with you and set up a payment plan.

One little-known "secret" tax savings vehicle for high-earning solo business owners is the Cash Balance Plan.

It can give you additional tax savings beyond a Solo 401(k).

It can be complicated to set up but often worth it if you have high income and tax savings is a priority.

As a business owner, it’s a great feeling to be able to pay my quarterly estimates directly from my tax account.

Taxes are no longer stressful when you budget money into this account every month!

Filing a Tax Extension Is Not a Big Deal (Here's Why It Might Actually Help You) If you have ever hesitated to file an extension because you were worried it might trigger an audit or signal some kind of red flag to the IRS, you can let that fear go. The reality is quite different…

Filing a Tax Extension Is Not a Big Deal (Here's Why It Might Actually Help You)

Why the Financial News Cycle Is Working Against You Daily financial news is designed to keep you watching, not to help you invest better. Here's how long-term investors can manage the noise and protect their portfolios from emotional decision-making.

Why the Financial News Cycle Is Working Against You

Wealth is more than a pile of money.

We make investments in family, career, and health, as well.

Be sure to balance your time and resources accordingly.

According to a survey from Pontera, individuals who work with financial advisors contribute substantially more to workplace retirement accounts 📊

15% of their income compared vs. 10% among self-directed participants 💪🏼

"There's no shortage of remarkable ideas, what's missing is the will to execute them." - Seth Godin

An example of an organized household cash flow system 💵

Paychecks and income flow into your operating account.

Cash flow goes out to:

🛟 Short-term savings
✈️ Travel & vacation account
🏛️ Tax account (if you're self-employed)
🏖️ Retirement & investing
🏦 Debt payments
🏡 Household expenses & spending

What are you listening to?

Budgeting gets a bad rap ☹️

But I LOVE budgeting! It gives you so much clarity 🔎 and control 💪🏼 over your money 💵

Financial planning doesn't mean sacrificing your current happiness for a better future.

It means organizing your financial life so that you can secure your future AND have a better life right now.

It doesn't have to be one or the other!

What Is a Trump Account? A Parent's Guide to the New Savings Vehicle for Kids If you have a child or grandchild born in 2025, 2026, 2027, or 2028, there is a new savings tool worth knowing about. Trump accounts, created under the One Big Beautiful Bill and governed by new…

What Is a Trump Account? A Parent's Guide to the New Savings Vehicle for Kids

You can go back-and-forth on pretax vs. Roth all day long.

There are plenty of pros and cons for each.

But there’s something really nice about investing money that the IRS can’t touch ever again.

Why the "Hard-Stop" Retirement is Losing Its Appeal (And How to Design Your Flex Retirement) The flex retirement isn't a fallback plan. For the right person, it's a genuinely better way to exit a career, one that preserves financial flexibility, maintains a sense of purpose, and allows for a…

Why the "Hard-Stop" Retirement is Losing Its Appeal (And How to Design Your Flex Retirement) www.elevationfinancial.com/why-the-hard...

How Do I Set Up a Retirement or Investment Account for My (Minor) Child? If you have kids, you have probably thought about how to give them a financial head start. The good news is that there are several solid options available to you. The less good news is that they each…

How Do I Set Up a Retirement or Investment Account for My (Minor) Child? www.elevationfinancial.com/how-do-i-set...

Why the "Hard-Stop" Retirement is Losing Its Appeal (And How to Design Your Grey Zone) The grey zone isn't a fallback plan. For the right person, it's a genuinely better way to exit a career, one that preserves financial flexibility, maintains a sense of purpose, and allows for a much…

Why the "Hard-Stop" Retirement is Losing Its Appeal (And How to Design Your Grey Zone) www.elevationfinancial.com/why-the-hard...

Insurance is boring.

Until you need it.

The IRS has released its annual "dirty dozen" list of tax scams to help consumers be aware of the latest tactics scammers are using to abuse the tax system (and potentially defraud consumers).

You can find the full list here:

www.irs.gov/newsroom/dir...

Investing is both an art and a science.

A lot of investors fixate narrowly on the science of it.

Others completely wing it, making wild guesses (“it’s an art”).

You need to approach investing with a healthy balance.

Unpopular opinion:

It's perfectly fine to get a large tax refund if that's what works for you 🏛️ 💰 😎

If the market is stressing you out, you may need to re-frame your expectation of "normal" 🙃

It's so tempting to try to over-complicate investing.

We try to pick the "best" funds or stocks.

We let the financial media scare us every day.

We obsess over squeezing out every penny of tax savings.

But the most important aspects of investing?

✅ Patience
✅ Consistency
✅ Diversification

Some ways a financial advisor can help you save money:

🏛️ Tax savings
📊 Investment savings
💳 Debt management
☂️ Insurance Savings
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Estate and legacy planning
💸 Budgeting and cash flow management
💪🏼 Long-term wealth building

So you want to start a business? 😅

Does your tax pro only give you a paper copy of your tax return?

Ask them to provide you with a PDF every time.

And store it securely.

Makes life so much easier when you need to reference it or share it with lenders, financial advisor, etc.

How to invest 👇

Ignore the noise and shiny objects all around you.

Diversify.

Be consistent.

Have patience.