Patrick Ritter, Certified Financial Planner

07/16/2026

Over the past 46 years, two-thirds of all rolling 15-year periods spent roughly 13–14% of the time in recession. The remaining one-third of 15-year periods experienced just 1% of their time in recession—illustrating how unusually stable the past 15 years have been.

The lesson isn't that risks disappear; it's that long-term plans should be built to weather the unexpected, not to predict them and not to determine if it's different this time.

Most likely the outperformance with minimal volatility of the past 15 years will require a correction " reversion to the mean" as a more likely outcome vs. outsized performance continuing. No one will know when so today is always a great time to revisit you risk tolerance and goals!

07/14/2026

Picking tomatoes with grade school friends, stripping floors and moving furniture as a janitor, landscaping at a union complex, supervising adults with disabilities, interning at the Missouri State Capitol, selling computers in a foreign country—every role teaches you what work you enjoy, new skills, and often serves up a healthy dose of humility.

There's something about summer that brings back memories of old jobs. Looking back, I'm thankful for every one of them—the good, the bad, and everything in between.

What's the best—or worst—job you've ever had, and what lesson did it teach you?

07/09/2026

We're grateful when clients take the time to share their experiences—it reminds us why personalized financial planning matters. Thank you for your trust and partnership.

*Client testimonials reflect individual experiences, are not representative of all clients, and are not a guarantee of future performance or success. No compensation was provided for this testimonial unless otherwise disclosed.*

Patrick Ritter is a financial advisor specializing in Business Owners/Entrepreneurs, HENRY (High Earners Not Rich Yet), Multi-generational Families. Read 4...

07/07/2026

My client is planning a career change, first home, emergency fund, and retirement at the same time.

When each goal has its own named account and automatic deposits, automation removes the temptation to spend and allows him to make progress on multiple competing goals at the same time—without relying on willpower or constantly deciding what to save for.

07/05/2026

Many families use credit cards for vacations, even though it's not the ideal approach.
The important part is having a strategy to eliminate that balance quickly.
Compare these two popular payoff methods to find the one that fits you best.
https://www.corepln.com/patrick-ritter

07/02/2026

Celebrate your freedom how you choose but most importantly, do it with who you love. Have a great holiday all! ❤️

https://www.corepln.com/patrick-ritter

06/30/2026

There are many tools for investor risk tolerance assessment but a very useful one I've used for years is translating potential % to potential $ to help investors understand not only what the average or maximum potential gain "could be" but also what "feeling the maximum loss" could look like.

A 60/40 portfolio historically can drop -18.4% in a bad year. On paper that's just a number — but on a $1.7M trust it's $327,000 gone in twelve months.

Risk tolerance isn't just measured in percentage upside potential. It's also measured in how you'll realistically react, how you sleep, and if you're able to stick to your chosen strategy long term when the opposite occurs.
https://www.corepln.com/patrick-ritter

06/25/2026

I've been lucky enough to be asked to be a godfather for 2 of my nephews when they were born. Both are going to attend college and trade school this fall.

I started saving $25 a month and occasional birthdays into a 529. I get to send 4 and 5 figure checks to schools for their benefit and it's a great feeling. Definitely don't overlook the power of programs like the MOST 529 Plan to not only receive tax benefits but also grow your contributions in the market for the benefit of someone you love!

06/24/2026

I helped a friend think through the value of their $20k+ per year financial advice arrangement. This is sometimes a complex process for consumers but below are some (not all of course) of the considerations we discussed if it helps anyone else doing the same.

Hourly: Could be good when you want targeted help (a plan, a second opinion), don’t want the ongoing oversight, and could be the lowest cost way to pay.

% of assets (AUM): Could be good if you want ongoing management, potentially aligned interests with your advisor, and can be competitive with other models when the fee and investments used are kept low.

Flat / Retainer: Could be good when your situation is complex and you need regular, hands-on advice and AUM is too expensive (in your view).

Commission-based: Could be good when needs are limited or product-specific. Costs are embedded in products and incentives may not be clear or always align.

https://www.corepln.com/patrick-ritter

06/22/2026

Plan your travel without wrecking your finances. With higher energy costs driving up flights, gas, and hotels, every trip decision matters more right now.

Learn how to weigh cost vs. experience so you can travel intentionally — not regretfully.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZYR80ci7_jOijNkLtf9UoQ65j9Cw8qiY/view?usp=drive_link