One of the most important, and most overlooked, steps in retirement planning is separating essential expenses from discretionary ones. On the surface, this sounds obvious. Of course, you know what you have to pay and what would be nice to pay. But when people actually sit down to build a retirement plan, this line often…

We all interpret the world through the lens of our own beliefs and preferences. Take fireworks. If you love them, they feel festive, joyful, and meaningful. If you hate them, they feel loud, disruptive, and stressful. Same event. Completely different experience. Retirement works the same way. Two people can retire with the same savings balance,…

This report features world capital market performance and a timeline of events for the past quarter. It begins with a global overview, then features the returns of stock and bond asset classes in the US and international markets. The report also illustrates the impact of globally diversified portfolios and features a quarterly topic. Download Quarterly…

Tax season is one of the few moments each year when financial decisions made months ago finally come into focus. Income choices, investment activity, retirement moves, and life events all surface at once. For many households, this is also when small misalignments quietly reveal themselves, often after the window to fix them has closed. Approached…

Saving for children often starts with a single question: college or not? But life rarely follows a single path, and many families prefer flexibility over locking dollars into one future use too early. Beginning in 2026, Trump Accounts add a new option to the mix. While the name attracts attention, the more important discussion is…

The start of a new year has a way of creating noise. Predictions multiply, headlines compete for attention, and everyone seems eager to declare what the next twelve months will bring. For those in retirement, that noise can feel especially disconnected from reality. By this stage in life, most people know that the future rarely…

On December 11, 2025, McLean was ranked #7 on the “2025 Best RIAs to Work For” list compiled by Financial Planning magazine and Best Companies Group. This nationwide awards program is designed to identify registered investment advisors, or RIAs, that provide positive workplace environments and offer excellent benefits, as rated by their employees. Workplaces vary widely in…

Inflation is one of the few retirement risks that can build gradually and do real damage before retirees fully recognize its impact. It does not arrive all at once. Instead, it shows up gradually in higher grocery bills, rising insurance premiums, and the slow realization that the same lifestyle costs more each year than expected.…

Financial exploitation has evolved far beyond the obvious scams of years past. Today’s schemes are polished, personal, and designed to look legitimate at first glance. They show up through text messages, emails, voicemail, social media, and even websites that mirror the real thing. You can be sharp, organized, and tech-savvy and still get targeted. The…