Cindy Miller, CFP Professional - TM

07/16/2026

Travel fraud gets worse every summer, and we hear more stories from clients every year.

A quick login from the lobby.

A brokerage app checked from the airport lounge.

A bank balance pulled up at a cafe.

Public networks are where accounts can get exposed.

A few habits worth building before the next trip:

🛑 Skip public WiFi for anything financial. Use cellular data or a personal hotspot.

🛑 Turn on real-time transaction alerts for every card.

🛑 Consider using credit, not debit.

🛑 Watch for skimmers (devices attached to gas pumps and ATMs that copy card data).

A few minutes of preparation before the trip can help prevent months of cleanup after.

07/15/2026

Trump Accounts opened on July 4. A few questions are worth considering:

➡️ Our baby is 18 months old. Do we qualify for the $1,000?

Yes. Every U.S. citizen baby born since January 1, 2025, qualifies for a one-time $1,000 federal contribution.

➡️ Is there an income maximum?

No. Eligibility is based on the child's citizenship and birth date, not family income.

➡️ Our child is 7. Did we miss it?

Not entirely. Any U.S. citizen under 18 can have an account opened. The federal $1,000 payment applies only to children born in 2025 through 2028, but everything else still applies.

➡️ Can grandparents contribute?

Yes. Up to $5,000 per year combined across parents, grandparents, family, and the child themselves.

➡️ What is the catch?

State tax conformity varies; California, for example, does not currently conform.

Whether to contribute, how much, and how to coordinate it with what you already have are all worth talking through. Our team is here for that.

07/13/2026

🗓️ "Let's talk about it in December."

By December, choices can be limited. Mid-year is often the sweet spot for preparation.

✅ The bracket picture is clearer than it was in January.

Roth IRA conversion timing is flexible within the calendar year, but the bracket math can influence the outcome.

Six months of runway means scenarios can be modeled, not rushed.

If the market dips before year-end, the same tax math may change. Those windows rarely give notice. Keep your tax, legal, or accounting professional in the loop if you see an opportunity.

December conversions can be reactive.

Mid-year conversions can be designed.

If you’re wondering about timing, we welcome a discussion.

📋 To qualify for the tax-free and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings, Roth IRA distributions must meet a 5-year holding requirement and occur after age 59½. Tax-free and penalty-free withdrawals can also be taken under certain other circumstances, such as the owner's death. The original Roth IRA owner is not required to take minimum annual withdrawals.

07/09/2026

🚨 YOUR NEXT PARTY INVITE COULD BE A TRAP

Our team came across this one and wanted to pass it along.

Hackers are hijacking actual friends' accounts to send fake invites via Evite, Paperless Post, or Punchbowl.

THE DOMINO EFFECT:

▪️ You hit RSVP in a friend's email.

▪️ A fake login page steals your password.

▪️ The same invite blasts to your entire contact list from your account.

▪️ Hackers now have access to your banking, brokerage, and password reset services.
Here’s how to spot a fraudulent party invite!!!

🔍 Check the Sender: Real Paperless Post invites come from an official paperlesspost.com address, Evite from evite.com, and Punchbowl from punchbowl.com, not a personal email address.

Protecting your wealth starts with protecting the email tied to it. Hope this helps!

07/08/2026

Markets posted solid second-quarter gains as investors responded to upbeat economic reports, continued diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, and strong first-quarter corporate numbers. The S&P 500 rose 14.87%, the Nasdaq gained 21.41%, and the Dow picked up 12.90%, while Canada’s S&P/TSX Composite added 6.37%. Looking ahead, markets may continue to react to Middle East updates, oil prices, inflation trends, and the pace of global commerce through the Strait of Hormuz. From U.S. home price growth to Canadian housing forecasts, this quarter’s by-the-numbers highlights the data behind one of North America’s most closely watched markets.

Stocks saw solid gains in the second quarter, riding a wave of enthusiasm over upbeat economic reports, ongoing diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, and strong first-quarter corporate numbers.

07/07/2026

If something happened tomorrow, would your family know where to start? 🔐

In most households, one person handles the money. The bills, the logins, the insurance, the auto-pays.

The other believes it's being handled, which is fine until it isn't.

Here’s a suggestion:

👉 Build one shared document with every account and explain how to access it. Update it periodically.

👉 Consider having both names on the accounts you say are jointly owned.

👉 Check out a password manager you both can access.

👉 Keep a one-page summary in a safe place with what to do, who to call, and where to look.

The couples who do this often say the same thing afterward: “We should have done it sooner.”

07/03/2026

This 4th of July is a milestone year! It’s our nation’s 250th birthday.

As a proud lifelong Philadelphia resident, this nation’s anniversary is particularly special, and I hope you and your family are able to take in some of our extra special events, places and celebrations in the area, being that it is the birthplace of our nation.

One in particular that some that some relatives have made me aware and will clearly draw thousands is the first-ever-coast-to-coast tour of the Union Pacific steam locomotive Big Boy #4014, set to be on view in Philadelphia on July 4th and 5th.

Built in 1941, it was created to haul heavy wartime freight, supporting the U.S. industrial effort during WWII. Retired in 1961, it was restored and brought back into operation in 2019.
Now, Big Boy is central to America 250 because it embodies a tribute to American might, celebrates the transcontinental railroad legacy and is truly a coast-to-coast symbol of national unity.

Known to railfans as a behemoth (weighs 1.2 million pounds), folks flock to hidden gorges and railroad crossings to first hear its whistle long before it comes into view. Then, it can be seen coming around a bend, the ground vibrating, with a plume of exhaust reaching toward the sky. Some travel hours just for a few minutes of this thrill.

Please take some time and enjoy the sights and sounds of your own making on this special 250th birthday of our nation.

07/02/2026

"We should just buy a place here." 🏖️

Almost every client conversation about a second home starts with that sentence, said on the third or fourth morning of a really good trip.

It's rarely about the house.

It's about wanting more of the version of life you experience on vacation.

That's a valid thought, but the house is not always the cleanest path to it.

A few things worth pressure-testing before you buy:

🔹 The sticker price is only the start. Insurance, maintenance, HOA fees, furnishings, and other expenses can add up faster than people expect.

🔹 The rental tax rules are not intuitive. The 14-day rule, passive activity limits, and depreciation may change the math. Be sure to check with your tax, legal, or accounting professional about how the rental tax rules would apply in your situation.

🔹 Paying all cash vs. financing isn't always straightforward. Don’t overlook the opportunity cost if you’re considering paying all cash.

🔹 Will the kids want it? Agree on it?

None of this is a reason not to buy. Plenty of clients have and love it.

It's a reason to do the numbers and have the family conversations before the offer, not after.

07/02/2026

Some federal student loan borrowers may soon qualify for a larger interest rate discount by enrolling in automatic payments.

The U.S. Department of Education announced that eligible borrowers who sign up for autopay can receive a 1-percentage-point reduction in their interest rate. The temporary discount is expected to last through June 30, 2028.

Borrowers already enrolled in autopay are expected to receive the discount automatically. Others must enroll by Sept. 30, 2026, to qualify.

Not every loan is eligible. The discount applies to certain federal Direct Loans, including Direct Subsidized, Direct Unsubsidized, Direct PLUS, and Direct Consolidation Loans. Private student loans and FFEL loans are not included.

Borrowers must also have loans in good standing, and the loans generally must have been disbursed on or after July 1, 2012.

For borrowers managing student loan payments, even a temporary rate discount may be worth reviewing as part of their broader monthly cash flow.

To qualify for the U.S. Department of Education's new interest rate discount on student loans, borrowers must meet several requirements. Here's what to know.

07/01/2026

It's July 1. Six months of 2026 are gone. ⏳

If you're like most of the people we work with, the year hasn’t gone exactly the way you sketched it out in January.

➔ Maybe the market did something you didn't expect, and your priorities look different from what they did six months ago.

➔ Maybe a parent's health changed, or an adult child needed help, or a grandchild arrived, and now the estate strategy you finalized two years ago doesn't quite match the family.

➔ Maybe the business had a better year than projected, or you’re managing through some other issues.

➔ Maybe you sold something, bought something, retired, semi-retired, or finally admitted you're not going to retire when you said you would.

Any one of those is a reason to revisit your approach before December, not after.

The clients who feel most in control of their financial lives are the ones who don't wait until year-end to find out what the year actually was.