Selah Portfolios & Planning

Selah Portfolios & Planning Selah Portfolios & Planning is a full service financial firm located in Costa Mesa, CA but servicing clients all over the US.

Securities and Advisory services offered through LPL Financial a registered investment advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC, www.finra.org, www.sipc.org. Third party posts found on this profile do not reflect the views of LPL Financial and have not been reviewed by LPL Financial as to accuracy or completeness. The financial professionals associated with LPL Financial may discuss and/or transact business only with residents of the states in which they are properly registered.

It’s hard to sum up how the most rewarding parts of life can shape you. Motherhood challenges and changes you in ways yo...
05/11/2026

It’s hard to sum up how the most rewarding parts of life can shape you. Motherhood challenges and changes you in ways you didn’t know were possible. It has a way of revealing your worst and your best, sometimes in the same moment. It gives you the closest glimpse of how God sees us, while also reminding you how deeply you need a Savior.

I’ve learned as my kids quickly get older that they can’t be my everything. As much as every part of me wants to hold on tightly, I’m slowly learning the freedom that comes with open hands. They are a gift to steward. They were never meant to carry the weight of being my identity, my ultimate fulfillment or my sense of purpose. That was never their place.

They are God’s first, fully and completely. Before I ever held them, He had already written their story. Every detail, every season, every high and low already known by Him long before it unfolds in front of me. And somehow, in His kindness, He lets me be part of it.

Honestly, that truth brings me to much comfort. I don’t have to carry the pressure of getting everything right. I’m reminded daily that I am not in control even when I try so hard to be, and that surrender is something I am learning in real time.

So I hold them loosely, even when it’s hard. I trust Him with what I can’t see yet. And I rest in the reminder that they were never mine to begin with. They were always His.

03/31/2026

The 3 most common gaps I see with DIY or self-managed investors:
�• Only investing in the S&P 500�• Relying solely on target date funds�• No plan for tax buckets

While I am happy to see people moving in the right direction (these are better than not investing at all!) this is still not a strategy.

Investing without a strategy can cost you A LOT of money!

Most investors are familiar with the S&P 500, which represents 500 of the largest publicly traded companies in the U.S. ...
03/18/2026

Most investors are familiar with the S&P 500, which represents 500 of the largest publicly traded companies in the U.S. Have you heard of the Russell 2000?

The Russell 2000 tracks about 2,000 small-cap U.S. companies. Small-cap companies are typically valued under $10 billion — small in size, but big in growth potential.

Small-cap companies can play an important role in a diversified portfolio for a few reasons:

➡Growth potential – Smaller companies often have more room to grow than large, established firms.

➡Diversification – Small caps don’t always move in the same direction as large-cap stocks.

➡Different economic exposure – Many smaller companies are earlier in their growth cycle and focused on different parts of the economy.

True diversification means owning different types of investments across the market.

Does the market volatility of the last few weeks have you nervous about your investments? First off - that is completely...
03/04/2025

Does the market volatility of the last few weeks have you nervous about your investments?

First off - that is completely normal & understandable, especially for new investors. If you haven’t experienced many volatile markets and just remember all the scary headlines & stories from the bear markets in the past, it’s normal to be nervous. It’s important to remember first that fear always sells & gets you to click on those headlines.

I always encourage my clients to zoom out. The S&P 500 is only down -4.11% in the last month, after being up for 2024. In fact it is up 42.73% in the past 2 years! So did you give back some of your growth this past month, yes. But overall your investments are still higher than they were two years ago if you’ve been invested well.

What I recommend doing instead of panicking - probably NOTHING! Now, there might be small adjustments you should do if you aren’t invested well. But if you are invested properly for your long term goals, there is probably not much to do right now except wait this out.

You definitely do not want to just panic sell. There was a study done previously about missing the 10 best trading days in a 20 year period, if you missed those 10 DAYS your returns were cut in HALF! This means you want to stay in the market! Recoveries in these recent markets have been fast and V-shaped, which means you can miss if it you go to cash.

If you have cash to invest - consider your strategy for starting to get that in. Don’t try to time the bottom.

Finally - if this is all too much to stomach on your own & you want an extra set of eyes to look over your investments, that’s what I do.

Does the market volatility of the last few weeks have you nervous about your investments? First off - that is completely...
03/04/2025

Does the market volatility of the last few weeks have you nervous about your investments?

First off - that is completely normal & understandable, especially for new investors. If you haven’t experienced many volatile markets and just remember all the scary headlines & stories from the bear markets in the past, it’s normal to be nervous. It’s important to remember first that fear always sells & gets you to click on those headlines.

I always encourage my clients to zoom out. The S&P 500 is only down -4.11% in the last month, after being up for 2024. In fact it is up 42.73% in the past 2 years! So did you give back some of your growth this past month, yes. But overall your investments are still higher than they were two years ago if you’ve been invested well.

What I recommend doing instead of panicking - probably NOTHING! Now, there might be small adjustments you should do if you aren’t invested well. But if you are invested properly for your long term goals, there is probably not much to do right now except wait this out.

You definitely do not want to just panic sell. There was a study done previously about missing the 10 best trading days in a 20 year period, if you missed those 10 DAYS your returns were cut in HALF! This means you want to stay in the market! Recoveries in these recent markets have been fast and V-shaped, which means you can miss if it you go to cash.

If you have cash to invest - consider your strategy for starting to get that in. Don’t try to time the bottom.

Finally - if this is all too much to stomach on your own & you want an extra set of eyes to look over your investments, that’s what I do.

Welcome 2025!! I mean, today is the first official day of the year - right? Last week didn’t count! Most of us are back ...
01/06/2025

Welcome 2025!!

I mean, today is the first official day of the year - right? Last week didn’t count!

Most of us are back to our regular routines this week after having time with family over the holidays. That might also mean taking a peak of what the CC damage was during all of your Christmas shopping. Did you know it takes the average person 3-5 months to pay off credit card debt from Christmas! (yikes).

Listen - there is a better way then always being a step behind in your finances. Let’s make 2025 the year you decide to actually get a step ahead! You can do it. It normally comes down to just a few small changes.

Understanding Capital Gains: Taxes & Losses If you have investments in a taxable account (accounts that aren’t retiremen...
09/26/2024

Understanding Capital Gains: Taxes & Losses

If you have investments in a taxable account (accounts that aren’t retirement accounts) then you have to pay capital gains tax when you make money on your investments. But how does it work?

Currently we only pay taxes on REALIZED gains - meaning gains that you get when you sell your investment (or a fund sells investments & passes through capital gains to you as the investor). This is something to pay attention to when you are invested in at taxable account.

1️⃣ What is a capital gain - if you purchase an investment for $10 and sell it for $15 then you made $5. That $5 is going to be taxed depending on how long you held that investment. 

2️⃣ Short Term Gain - if you held the investment for under a year then that $5 will be taxed as regular income in your income tax bracket. 

3️⃣ Long Term Gain - if you held the investment for over a year then that $5 will be taxed at a capital gains rate depending upon your income: 0%, 15% or 20%. 

4️⃣ Losses - If you have losses you can use them offset any other capital gains. If you have losses above any gains, you can use $3k to offset regular income. Any losses above $3k can generally be carried forward into future years.

Since the pandemic, self-employment has been on the rise as people seek flexibility and independence in their careers. I...
04/23/2024

Since the pandemic, self-employment has been on the rise as people seek flexibility and independence in their careers. If you're part of this growing trend, it's crucial to plan for your future, especially retirement.

Enter the SEP IRA and Solo 401(k) – two powerful tools for self-employed individuals to save for retirement:

1️⃣ SEP IRA: Simple, high contribution limits, and tax benefits for your business.
2️⃣ Solo 401(k): Roth contribution options and flexibility in contributions.

Choosing the right option for you depends on your goals & your business, but either of these can be good options when it comes to bolstering savings for retirement.

backdoor Roth IRA explained - - - >
04/09/2024

backdoor Roth IRA explained - - - >

Credit card debt in the US has hit $1.13 trillion. This has been rapidly increasing since the recent low after the pande...
02/29/2024

Credit card debt in the US has hit $1.13 trillion. This has been rapidly increasing since the recent low after the pandemic.

This means that there are so many people that are in a stressful situation with their money and don’t know what to do. All while credit card APRs are at highs.

If this is you - it’s time to make an adjustment. I know finances feel super overwhelming to get organized, but it really doesn’t have to be. You can just take it one step at a time.

I have such a passion for helping people in these situations - because I have seen over and over again the relief that comes with getting your finances in order and knowing the plan.

This year I have big plans to keep providing help in this area: The Confident Dollar Podcast, my “Foundations” membership program, an Investing 101 e-book, and a new financial literacy course.

If you or someone you know could benefit from some of these resources, please share this post & DM so I can get them to you!

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Costa Mesa, CA

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+19499428805

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