Invest with Tess - Tessa Steinemann

10/27/2026

What role would taxes play in your investment decisions? Find out in this message.

What role would taxes play in your investment decisions?

10/26/2026

Most people open their benefits package, skim the premiums, and pick the same plan as last year. But your benefits are part of your pay, and reading them the right way can save you money and stress all year.

Here's what to look for:

Start with the Summary of Benefits and Coverage
Find your out-of-pocket max, your worst-case number
Look for employer money like HSA contributions and retirement matches
Check that your doctors and pharmacies are in network
Look past health insurance to disability, life, and employee assistance programs
Note your enrollment deadlines

Save this for when your enrollment window opens, and send me a DM if you have questions about your package.

10/22/2026

Last Thursday I chaired the Sandusky Education Foundation’s first Fund the Future event at the Sandusky Yacht Club.

Guests chose which teacher grants to fund, and together we raised over $18,000 for classroom projects and a new literacy initiative for Sandusky City Schools.

A lot of the work I do is centered around helping people decide where their money should go. It was a great night watching our community put theirs toward local classrooms.

Thank you to the teachers who submitted grants, everyone who came out, and our sponsors for making it possible. 📚

10/21/2026

Is AI’s infrastructure boom beginning to reshape the bond market? In the latest Money with Murphy, our CIO Kara Murphy examines how hyper-scalers are financing their enormous capital needs, why borrowing costs are rising and whether future AI revenues can justify the growing debt supporting the buildout.

10/20/2026

Do you have old retirement plans from your former employers? Our video offer tips on how to search for your missing money like a Retirement Plan Detective!

Watch this fun video for tips on how to search for missing money.

10/18/2026

If your child earned money this year, whether it's babysitting, mowing lawns, or a summer job, they may be eligible for a custodial Roth IRA.

You can contribute up to what they earned that year (up to the annual limit), and the money can come from you, so they keep their paycheck. It grows tax-free, and qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free too.

Starting at 15 gives compounding decades to work. And the lesson that a paycheck can build something is worth just as much as the account itself.

Have a working teen at home? Send me a message and I'll help you set one up the right way.

10/17/2026

Not every account you open for a child stays under your control.

A 529 stays the account owners. UTMA/UGMA accounts and custodial Roth IRAs legally belong to the child, and they take over at 18 or 21 depending on your state. That's worth knowing before you choose where to save.

Each account does a different job:
529 for education
Custodial Roth IRA for retirement once they have earned income
UTMA/UGMA for flexibility, as long as you're comfortable giving up control when they turn 18/21.

Many families end up using more than one. If you'd like help figuring out the right mix for yours, send me a DM.

Tomorrow: how a summer job can turn into a head start on tax-free retirement savings.

10/16/2026

New parents get plenty of advice about sleep and diapers. Very little about the decisions that protect their child.

Four things worth handling early:

Name a guardian in writing
Get term life insurance
Update your beneficiaries
Start an account for your child, even a small one

None of this is about expecting the worst. It's about knowing the people you love are taken care of.

Expecting or just welcomed a little one? Send me a message and we'll work through the list together.

10/15/2026

In a relationship, 50/50 sounds fair. It isn't always.

When two incomes aren't the same, an even split can take a much bigger bite out of one paycheck than the other. A proportional split keeps things even in a different way: each person puts in the same share of what they earn.

There's no single right way for couples to manage money. Joint, separate, or a mix of both can all work. What matters is that you both understand the system and agree to revisit it as life changes.

Save this for your next money conversation, and share it with someone who's about to have one.

10/14/2026

Money is one of the leading causes of divorce, yet most couples never talk about it before the wedding.

As a financial planner and certified divorce financial analyst, these are the seven questions I'd want every couple to discuss:

What do we each earn, owe, and own?
How do you feel about debt?
Joint, separate, or a mix?
Do our big goals line up?
Spender or saver?
What did money look like in your family growing up?
Do we need a prenup?

Not the most romantic conversation. But it's one of the strongest foundations you can build.

Getting married soon? Send me a message and I'll walk you through how to have these conversations well.