December
– NEWSLETTER –
2025
Travel Tips
My first experience with Europe’s new entry/exit system nearly cost me a transatlantic flight — Here’s what I learned
The European Union’s new entry/exit system is being rolled out across 29 Schengen area countries, with full integration required by April 10. Recent traveler experiences show unpredictable and sometimes lengthy immigration wait times for non-EU passport holders, both on arrival and departure.
Financial Tips
Data Breach: Your Security To-Do List
If you receive a notification that your sensitive information has been stolen in a data breach, it’s important to take immediate action to mitigate the damage. Data breaches can occur even if you practice good cybersecurity habits and are not personally targeted.
To help you navigate this stressful situation, we have compiled a checklist of steps you should take if you have experienced a data breach.
The 10 best Alaska cruises for every type of traveler
Alaska is a top cruise destination, offering a wide variety of ships from large megaships to intimate expedition vessels, each catering to different travel styles and preferences.
The good news is there’s a ship in Alaska for you, no matter your taste or style. Here’s a beginners guide to the best Alaska cruises to help you narrow down your choices.
The One Big Beautiful Bill and You
It might be a good time to check with your tax, legal, or accounting professional about the changes in the law. Some will start this year, while other changes will kick in in 2026. Like previous tax laws, some new rules are scheduled to expire, while others are permanent. Here’s a look at changes expected to impact most tax filers shortly.
Weekly Market Commentary
Week in Review
This week’s economic data releases offered a broad update on labor-market momentum, inflation pressures, and business-sector activity, particularly important because several reports were delayed during the recent government shutdown. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) Meeting Minutes signaled a committee still committed to a data-dependent stance.
Something Personal
A Tribute to Marty on His 40th Birthday
In November, our office had the joy of celebrating a meaningful milestone: Marty’s 40th birthday. As a team, and as people who have the privilege of working alongside him every day, we wanted to take a moment to share what makes his approach to advising so special. We also want to genuinely thank everyone who contributed to the birthday notebook we assembled for him. Your heartfelt words made the gift truly unforgettable.
For anyone who knows Marty well, one thing becomes clear immediately: he does not believe in cookie-cutter planning. He has never been the type to plug data into software and let a generic report tell someone how to live their financial life. That has never been his style.
Instead, Marty insists on doing things the thoughtful way. He takes time to understand each person, their story, their challenges, their personalities, and the long-term goals that make their financial plan uniquely theirs. He listens first. He asks questions. A lot of questions.
And for those of you who know… yes, sometimes a meeting with Marty can feel a little bit like an interrogation. But in the end, it comes from a genuine desire to fully understand why you do what you do with your money, and how he can help you make decisions that truly support your life and your future. His goal has always been to get the whole picture—not just the numbers, so that the plan he builds is one that actually fits you.
Marty has been an advisor for nearly 18 years, and during that time he has continued to refine and elevate what personalized planning truly means. His hands-on, deeply personal approach is why clients trust him not just with their finances, but with their life transitions, their concerns, and their hopes and retirement dreams. It’s also why we feel so proud to work alongside him.
To everyone who took the time to send in a note or memory for his 40th birthday book: thank you. Your sentiments captured so beautifully what we admire about Marty: that a great advisor is not defined by charts or markets, but by the way he walks alongside people with clarity, honesty, humor, and care.
Whether you’ve known him for years or are new to our office, we hope you feel that sincerity every time you meet with him.
Here’s to celebrating Marty, and to many more years of meaningful conversations, intentional planning, and yes… the occasional interrogation.