Schwallier Wealth Management

10/21/2026

Here's something that surprises a lot of people: healthcare is typically the single largest expense in retirement, even bigger than housing for many families.

Medicare open enrollment runs through early December, but if you're approaching 65 or helping a parent think through their options, now's the time to start looking. Medicare Part A is usually premium-free once you turn 65, but there's a lot more to the picture than that, and the choices you make can affect your costs for years.

If Medicare planning hasn't been part of your financial plan yet, it should be. We're happy to help you think it through. https://www.swmadvisor.com/team

*Examples are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent all client experiences. Results will vary. Investment advisory services offered through SWM, an SEC registered investment adviser. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment advice.

10/12/2026

If you filed for an extension on your 2025 taxes, mark your calendar. Per the IRS (Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File, IRS.gov), your extended filing deadline is October 15, 2026, and it's getting close.

Don't wait until the last minute to pull everything together. The people who feel calmest around tax time are almost always the ones who started early, not the ones who scrambled.

Getting ahead of it isn't just about avoiding stress, though. Our team can provide a thorough, ongoing review of your returns, with a focus on minimizing or deferring tax liabilities looking forward, so decisions you make well before year-end can actually make a difference by the time you file.

For more info, see how our team approaches tax planning year-round: https://www.swmadvisor.com/tax-planning

*Examples are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent all client experiences. Results will vary. Investment advisory services offered through SWM, an SEC registered investment adviser. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment advice.

10/08/2026

Stocks finished the third quarter mixed. The S&P 500 gained 2.03%, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 2.47%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 2.70%. Halloween is next on the calendar, with U.S. consumers expected to spend \$13.5 billion USD this year and 6.26 million Canadian children in their trick-or-treating years.

Stocks were mixed in the third quarter as economic, geopolitical, and corporate earnings news pushed the broad market higher while weighing on the Dow Industrials.

10/05/2026

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and it's a good reminder of something we talk about with clients all year long: you can't always predict your health, but you can plan for it.

A Health Savings Account is worth understanding as part of that planning. It's built with tax advantages in mind, and depending on your situation, it can be one of the more efficient ways to set money aside for medical costs. If you're eligible for one and not using it, it's worth taking a closer look at how it fits into your plan.

Nobody wants to think about a serious diagnosis. But if it happens, having funds already set aside means one less thing to worry about while you focus on getting well. That's the real value of planning ahead, not just for retirement or college, but for the health costs life sometimes throws at you without warning.

This month, we're thinking of everyone affected by breast cancer, and the survivors, caregivers, and loved ones who show up for each other through it.

*Examples are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent all client experiences. Results will vary. Investment advisory services offered through SWM, an SEC registered investment adviser. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment advice.

09/30/2026

Here's something my colleagues and I often hear from clients: is it too late to start saving for college?

Deep breath. The answer is probably not, depending on your family's financial picture, timeline, and choice of schools.

Many times parents come to us feeling like they missed their window, like they should've started years ago and didn't. That feeling is so common, and here's the good news: it doesn't mean your options are gone. It just means your plan might look a little different than you imagined.

As a fee-only fiduciary firm, we don't earn a commission on any of these options, so our only goal is helping you see clearly what actually makes sense for your family.

If college is coming up faster than your savings, let's talk. No pressure, just a real conversation.
https://www.swmadvisor.com/contact

*Examples are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent all client experiences. Results will vary. Investment advisory services offered through SWM, an SEC registered investment adviser. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment advice.

09/28/2026

September is National College Savings Month, but really, there's no bad time to be thinking about how to fund your child's education.

Tuition, room and board, fees, and meal plans all add up fast, and the number in your head is almost always different from the real one. Before you make any decisions, sit down and pull the actual costs for the schools your kid is considering.

This isn't something to figure out on a napkin, and a basic spreadsheet usually isn't enough either. There are too many moving pieces (financial aid, loans, family contributions, timing) to eyeball it.

The families who feel most confident heading into this season are the ones who looked at real numbers early. If you're not sure where to start, that's exactly what we're here for. Drop us a comment or note and lets connect! https://www.swmadvisor.com/contact

*Examples are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent all client experiences. Results will vary. Investment advisory services offered through SWM, an SEC registered investment adviser. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment advice.

09/24/2026

Quick money tip that more families should know about.

Not all student loans work the same way. A subsidized loan means the government covers the interest while your kid is still in school, so it's basically free money until after graduation. An unsubsidized loan starts racking up interest right away.

Here's where it gets fun. If your student works over the summer (even part time), encourage them to stash some of that money in something that earns interest instead of spending it all. Their loan is sitting at 0%. Their savings could be earning 3 to 5%. That gap works in their favor, and it's a good habit to build early.

Bonus tip: work-study during the school year helps too. Even 8 hours a week can go a long way, both for the wallet and for building some real ownership over their education.

Curious how this could work for your family? We're always happy to talk it through.

*Examples are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent all client experiences. Results will vary. Investment advisory services offered through SWM, an SEC registered investment adviser. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment advice.

09/22/2026

Here's something we tell families all the time: saving for college doesn't have to be a one-person job.

Grandparents want to help. Aunts and uncles want to help. Family friends want to help. A lot of the time, they just don't know how, or they assume it's not really their place to ask.

So here's a little trick we love. Instead of a big toy haul for a first birthday, put a note on the invitation asking for contributions to a college fund instead. It feels small in the moment, but it can add up over the years. And it gives the people who love your kid a really sweet way to show it.

If you've ever wondered how to bring family into your savings plan without it feeling awkward, we've got ideas. Let's chat.

*Examples are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent all client experiences. Results will vary. Investment advisory services offered through SWM, an SEC registered investment adviser. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment advice.

09/04/2026

Most people assume that anyone with a title like "financial advisor" or "wealth manager" is fundamentally in the same business: giving you advice. That assumption is worth questioning, because the way an advisor gets paid has...

Fee-only advisors are paid only by you, never by commissions. Learn what fee-only means, how advisors are paid, and why it matters for your financial future.

09/04/2026

Two advisors can hand you nearly identical business cards. Both may say "financial advisor." Both may even say "fiduciary." But one of them can only be paid by you, and the other can be paid by you and by the companies whose products...

Fee-only and fee-based sound alike but work differently. See how compensation shapes advice, and what it means for the guidance you receive.