My latest: Financial Advisor Benefits: Studies Show It’s More Than Money
Thinking about working with a financial advisor but unsure if it’s worth it? A recent study highlights several surprising ways advisors can add significant value—beyond just managing your investments. Find out what researchers uncovered about how professional guidance can support your financial goals and long-term success.
This Week’s Takeaways:
- A larger standard deduction for those over 65 with income limits, Social Security taxes were not wiped out, a higher SALT cap deduction with income limits, a charitable deduction for non-itemizers, and keeping the estate tax exclusion at a very high amount are key aspects of the new tax bill for retirees.
- Home supply is normalizing nationwide and by one measure they’re at normal levels. The Northeast and Midwest are still very tight, but opportunities for better prices are available in the Sunbelt.
- A stablecoin is a form of cryptocurrency whose value is pegged to a reference asset, such as the U.S. dollar, to reduce its volatility.
- Adding international stock market exposure to your portfolio is not about abandoning your U.S. allocation, but balancing it with stocks in markets that are cheaper to take advantage of normal market cycles and rotation.
- Short podcast episode on how to spend the money you deserve to be able spend in retirement.
- Plus my latest book recommendation and Things to Do This Weekend in Boston.
What the New Tax Laws Mean for Your Retirement Plan by Morningstar
A larger standard deduction for those over 65 with income limits, Social Security taxes were not wiped out, a higher SALT cap deduction with income limits, a charitable deduction for non-itemizers, and keeping the estate tax exclusion at a very high amount are key aspects of the new tax bill for retirees.
Housing Supply is on the Rise: Inventory is Climbing Out of a Crater Left by the Pandemic by Wells Fargo
One economic hallmark of the pandemic era was a significant decline in the number of homes for sale. Between 2022 and 2023, average resale inventory amounted to just over one million units, well below the level registered over the past several cycles. So far in 2025, however, existing home supply is normalizing and by one measure it’s at normal levels. The Northeast and Midwest are still lean but prices are improving for buyers in the Sunbelt.
Stablecoins Offer Another Way to Move Money by Morgan Stanley
A stablecoin is a form of cryptocurrency whose value is pegged to a reference asset, such as the U.S. dollar, to reduce its volatility. This piece explains how they work, when they’re used, how they could affect payment networks, regulatory response, and the impact on Treasuries and the FX Markets.
Big Picture: The International Rebalance by Morgan Stanley
U.S. equities have led global markets for the past 15 years, with an impressive ~13.5% annualized return since 2010—more than double the performance of non-U.S. equities. However, history shows that global market leadership shifts cyclically, and current valuations suggest that non-U.S. equities—especially in Europe, emerging markets, and parts of Japan—may offer compelling opportunities ahead. The recommended strategy is not to abandon U.S. exposure but to rebalance portfolios using a systematic, two-pronged framework—combining top-down macro and bottom-up security selection while actively managing currency risk, which can account for about a third of returns
Podcast recommendation:
At The Money: The Right Way to Spend Your Money in Retirement by Masters in Business
One of the biggest challenges of retirement is actually spending your money! After decades of working, saving, and investing, pivoting to spending down your accumulated wealth can be surprisingly difficult.
One Big Beautiful Bill Act by Heritage Financial
The team highlights key provisions in the new act and how they may impact your finances.
Book Recommendation
Case Closed: Lee Harvey Oswald and the Assassination of JFK by Gerald Posner
After listening to Rob Reiner’s Who Killed JFK? podcast (10 episodes that leave you thinking Oswald wasn’t even involved), I decided to read this book and would recommend it if you haven’t already and find the JFK assassination interesting.
The assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, continues to inspire interest ranging from well-meaning speculation to bizarre conspiracy theories and controversial filmmaking. But in this landmark book,reissued with a new afterword for the 40th anniversary of the assassination, Gerald Posner examines all of the available evidence and reaches the only possible conclusion: Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. There was no second gunman on the grassy knoll. The CIA was not involved. And although more than four million pages of documents have been released since Posner first made his case, they have served only to corroborate his findings. Case Closedremains the classic account against which all books about JFK’s death must be measured.
Boston Corner
Greater Boston’s median single-family home price hits $1M by Axios
This New England state is the best place to retire by MarketWatch
