Jacquelyn M Basso CPA

05/18/2026

🚨 A powerful El Niño may be forming — and scientists are watching it closely.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center says there is now an 82% chance that El Niño will develop between May and July 2026, with a 96% chance it continues through the Northern Hemisphere winter of 2026–2027.

El Niño is a natural climate pattern that warms the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, often reshaping weather around the world. Depending on its strength, it can increase the risk of extreme heat, drought, flooding, crop stress, wildfires, and disruptions to global food supplies.

Some climate reports are now comparing the developing 2026–2027 event with some of the strongest El Niños in history, including the devastating 1877–1878 El Niño, which was linked to widespread drought and famine that killed tens of millions of people. But scientists caution that this does not mean the same disaster will happen again. Today’s forecasting systems, food networks, and emergency responses are very different — although the planet is also much warmer than it was in the 1800s.

That is why researchers are paying close attention. A warmer atmosphere and warmer oceans can amplify weather extremes, meaning a strong El Niño today could place extra pressure on agriculture, water supplies, public health, and global markets.

For now, the message is clear: El Niño is very likely to return soon, but its final strength is still uncertain. The next few months will be critical in determining how powerful this event becomes.

Source: NOAA Climate Prediction Center/National Weather Service, ENSO Diagnostic Discussion, issued May 14, 2026.

04/06/2026

Know your Social Security payment date!!

03/23/2026

03/22/2026

After many years of working, contributing, and meeting responsibilities, retirement is often seen as a time for greater stability and peace of mind.

Many retirees have spent decades planning for this stage of life—following guidelines, contributing consistently, and preparing for the future. For many, retirement is less about luxury and more about maintaining balance, budgeting carefully, and managing everyday expenses.

This stage of life is often associated with:
✔️ Stability
✔️ Predictability
✔️ A sense of security after years of effort

At the same time, many families continue to discuss how systems and policies can support long-term financial stability while remaining fair and sustainable.

It’s an ongoing conversation focused on balancing broader needs with the goal of ensuring people feel secure after a lifetime of contribution.

03/22/2026

WELCOME TO PHILADELPHIA’S THIRD WINTER

Spring of Deception didn’t last long. Temperatures will tumble through the day as a strong cold front moves through. Rain may briefly mix with wet snow this afternoon while winds gust 30 to 40 mph. By late day it will feel like the upper 20s to low 30s. Nearly 50 degrees colder than yesterday.

03/17/2026

Learn your cost!!

02/25/2026

Good tips

📋🧠
The five years before retirement are not about saving harder. They are about positioning assets so the next 30 years cost less in taxes, premiums, and penalties.

The bridge account is the one I see missed most often. Someone retires at 62 with $1.2 million in a 401(k) and almost nothing in a taxable account. Every dollar they spend in early retirement triggers income tax. They cannot do Roth conversions without pushing into higher brackets because they have no other source to live on.

The IRMAA lookback catches people who do everything right but in the wrong order. You sell a rental property at 63, report $200,000 in capital gains, and two years later your Medicare Part B premium jumps from $202.90 to $405.80 per month. That is an extra $2,435 per year that could have been avoided with better timing.

On Social Security, "delay to 70" is sound math in isolation. But if delaying means pulling 6-7% annually from a portfolio during a bear market, you are locking in losses that the delayed credits may never recover. The decision to delay only works if you have a plan for what funds the gap.

The low-tax window between retirement and RMDs is genuinely irreversible. Once RMDs start, your floor income is set. Every dollar you could have converted at 12% or 22% will now be taxed at whatever rate your RMDs push you into.

On sequence risk: the math is simple. A 30% drop when you are contributing is a buying opportunity. A 30% drop when you are withdrawing is permanent damage. The allocation that got you here is not the allocation that gets you through.