May 2025 | tonyisola.com
Information overload is a thing. Your most valuable asset is how you decide to spend your attention. It wasn’t always this way. I remember when there were 3-to-5 T.V. channels, and all the networks signed off at midnight after playing the star-spangled banner – Not The Onion. Malcolm Gladwell wrote a terrific post on today’s...| A Teachable Moment
August 2025 | tonyisola.com
Knowledge is useless unless it’s applied to a task. Read this week’s terrific links and learn how to create a successful retirement plan. Here are four ways to retire abroad. AARP How to deal with difficult people. Bob Pisani The most significant retirement danger is under-living. The Purpose Code Add these foods to your retirement...... The post My Ambition Is To Have Ambition…..When Is My Retirement? appeared first on A Teachable Moment.| A Teachable Moment
Misplaced energy creates more harm than good. No matter if it takes place during TSA follies or your investment portfolio. A couple of weeks ago, we travelled to Nashville, Tennessee, for our CSA, Lauryn’s baby shower. It was a great trip, Nashville is a super fun place, and though I don’t drink, I lived vicariously...... The post Activity Isn’t Progress appeared first on A Teachable Moment.| A Teachable Moment
Planning for your retirement isn’t optional. Make sure you do the right thing by reading our terrific weekly links. Don’t ignore investment fees when planning your retirement. Basis Pointing Does America have a retirement crisis? Yahoo Finance When enough is good enough. Can I Retire Yet? Your retirement plan should account for Bear Markets. Retirement...... The post My Ambition Is To Have Ambition…..When Is My Retirement? appeared first on A Teachable Moment.| A Teachable Moment
Climbing a mountain is half the battle. Getting down is the tricky part. Jon Krakauer’s book Into Thin Air describes the deadly results of focusing too much energy on the former and not enough on the latter. In 1996, Krakauer joined an expedition to climb Mount Everest. His role was to document the journey of a group...| A Teachable Moment
Managing Risk is more than your portfolio percentage of stocks to bonds. No asset allocation negates the ravages of chronic disease, not to mention an early demise. Keeping yourself in shape must be a priority in any goals-based financial plan. Nothing comes in a close second. Even power brokers on Wall Street are taking this...| A Teachable Moment
Make simplicity a piece of your retirement plan. Uncomplicate things by reading this week’s terrific links. How much should you be withdrawing from your retirement portfolio? A Wealth Of Common Sense Real wealth isn’t displayed: it’s felt within. Darius Foroux The Simplicity Doctrine. Phil Pearlman Alternative assets are coming to 401(k) plans. Yahoo Finance Retirement...... The post My Ambition Is To Have Ambition…..When Is My Retirement? appeared first on A Teachable Moment.| A Teachable Moment
All or nothing is a dangerous strategy regarding Warfare and Investing. In all modern warfare, there’s never been more devastating carnage than when Nazi Germany invaded the U.S.S.R. in 1941. Operation Barbarossa led to the highest recorded amount of war dead in the history of humanity. Germany mobilized 17,500,000 soldiers to partake in the invasion....... The post Not One Step Back appeared first on A Teachable Moment.| A Teachable Moment
Time is your most precious asset. Spend some of it wisely by reading this week’s terrific retirement links. Baby Boomers hold all the housing cards. A Wealth Of Common Sense How can you save for retirement and your children’s future? Bankrate Over two-thirds of older adults who need long-term care receive it from family....... The post My Ambition Is To Have Ambition appeared first on A Teachable Moment.| A Teachable Moment
Grey portfolios are scarier than red. Most people think they view things in black and white. The reality is that everything happens in shades of grey based on individual experiences and perceptions. Translation: We have become too comfortable and devise problems out of thin air. Michael Easter, the author of the New York Times bestseller...... The post Don’t Let Comfort Creep You Out appeared first on A Teachable Moment.| A Teachable Moment
Rushing through life or creating a hasty retirement plan are bad choices. Learn how to do things correctly by reading this week’s terrific links. Should you do a Roth Conversion or pay 0% Capital Gains Tax? Best Interest Will Gold be able to hold its value despite modern technology? Abnormal Returns Add exercise snacks to...| A Teachable Moment
April 2025 | tonyisola.com
Never separate the terms Long Term and Investing. Understanding this is 95% of wealth creation. It’s mind-boggling the deluge of carnage stocks can absorb and eventually roar back to make new highs. Don’t believe me? Take a look at Germany. It’s hard to fathom a developed country going through more earth-shattering wealth-destroying events in the...| A Teachable Moment
July 2025 | tonyisola.com
Talent and a high income will only get you so far. These factors apply to both professional sports and personal wealth creation. The N.Y. Yankees are a prime example of unfulfilled promise due to bad decision making. It doesn’t help that they have a manager who majored in excuse making and minored in being his...... The post Potential Doesn’t Make You Rich appeared first on A Teachable Moment.| A Teachable Moment
Don’t distract yourself from substance with excessive worldly pursuits. Do this and clarify your retirement plans. Read our terrific links to discover what matters. Rich people aren’t feeling rich. Of Dollars And Data Don’t allow bad advice to ruin your retirement. The Big Picture Four ways to socialize as you age. Medium Subtract complexity from...| A Teachable Moment
Young Americans have a health and wealth problem. Numbers don’t lie. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed startling data. According to Dr. Christopher Forrest, the surprising part of the study wasn’t any single statistic: it was that 170 indicators and eight data sources all showed the same thing: a...| A Teachable Moment
Don’t be afraid to spend your money in retirement. If you don’t, somebody else will. Read this week’s terrific retirement links to broaden your retirement horizon. America is a great place to invest your retirement funds. OptimistiCallie Three tips for planning your retirement. Morningstar There are many forms of wealth. A Wealth of Common Sense...| A Teachable Moment
Withdrawing from the noise leads you down a path toward clarity. Recently, at a party, I was told, “I need to get out more,” because I wasn’t aware of a local restaurant. Do I? At 61, I’m not looking to add many things to my life. It’s a better use of time to maximize what...| A Teachable Moment
2025 | tonyisola.com
Retirement means different things to different people. Find your definition by reading this week’s terrific links. Spending money is difficult for some people. A Wealth of Common Sense Four intelligent ways to manage cash. Morningstar Lessons from a 106-year-old. N.Y. Post Lean into the first year of retirement rule. Kiplinger Nature provides valuable investing lessons....| A Teachable Moment
Gardening and investing are about compounding. What is the most sustainable way to achieve your goals without taking undue risk? The answer is easy for gardening – Go Native. Native planting involves growing plants naturally adapted to a specific region’s climate, soil, and ecosystem. Native plants are the best way to promote biodiversity and sustainability....| A Teachable Moment
Your retirement plan isn’t optional. To avoid making bad choices, make sure you’re well informed. Start by reading this week’s terrific links. Don’t be afraid of market volatility. A Wealth of Common Sense Why is finding out information about your social security benefits becoming more difficult? next avenue Your retirement portfolio needs downside protection. Of...| A Teachable Moment
Health and wealth are inseparably linked. Trendy advice might work for some people, but it can often be counterproductive to achieving one’s goals. The health industry is a breeding ground for the latest but not necessarily the greatest body hacking advice. First, look at some health trends that might do more harm than good. Wearable...| A Teachable Moment
There isn’t just one definition for retirement. Everybody’s different. Learn to customize your retirement plan by reading this week’s terrific links. Keeping up with the Joneses won’t make your retirement happier. A Wealth of Common Sense. Everyone has their own unique money story. OptimistiCallie Deciding where to live in retirement is critical to your retirement...| A Teachable Moment
June 2025 | tonyisola.com
Never confuse normal with abnormal. War and mayhem are market constituents and forever will be. The Stock Market is a microcosm of the actions of billions of often irrational human beings. Thinking mayhem to be something outside the economic forces of supply and demand is a dangerous game to play. Last week, Israel decided to...| A Teachable Moment
We can do two things simultaneously: accept our current circumstances and strive to improve. Read our terrific retirement links and become enlightened. Don’t fall for these six retirement myths. Morningstar Lifespan and healthspan are two different things. Advisor Perspectives Everything ends. Finding Joy You shouldn’t call yourself rich unless your hands are clean. Ryan Holiday...| A Teachable Moment
What is subject to death dies, and I am not exempt – The Buddha We are all born to die with no exceptions. Many view this statement as morbid and depressing, but at a closer look, it’s liberating. Death clarifies and prioritizes life. People tend to distract themselves so they won’t have time to face...| A Teachable Moment
Thoughts are all powerful. The happiest person on the planet is only seconds away from being miserable. Keep your mind in the right place by reading this week’s terrific retirement links. There isn’t only one method for retirement withdrawals. Of Dollars and Data The average net worth of American households is now $1 million. The...| A Teachable Moment
Processing information is mankind’s Kryptonite. We base our opinions on how things make us feel. Sentiment affirms or denies the claim. This process is the antithesis of objective reasoning. The proper way to discern information is to stay in touch with what is, whether you like it or not. We see these cognitive errors in...| A Teachable Moment
March 2025 | tonyisola.com
Bad things happen; it’s how you react to them that matters. Learn how to better control your behaviour by reading our weekly retirement links. Spend your money mindfully. A Wealth of Common Sense Scar tissue and blind spots determine how we view our finances. The Best Interest Before retiring, complete a time audit. Contessa Capital...| A Teachable Moment
Don’t permit perfection to become the enemy of the good. This advice goes for both your Health and your money. Two weeks ago, I did a Health and Wellness presentation for our firm’s Academy program. After all, how can we discuss wealth management with clients while ignoring our most immense treasure—our Health? Nobody’s perfect. Making...| A Teachable Moment
When you make a mistake, start over. Don’t let past residue impede future progress. The same applies to your retirement plans. You can never be too old to learn. Begin your education by reading this week’s terrific links. \ How to avoid living a miserable life. Sahil Bloom Make sure you know your sleeping point...| A Teachable Moment
We buy too much stuff. There are a multitude of reasons for our affliction of overconsumption. One of the biggest is Government Policy. Since World War II, our government has become consumerism’s biggest champion. According to Lizabeth Cohen, an American History professor at Harvard: “Consuming has been a way of demonstrating that the economy and...| A Teachable Moment
The only way to live without regret is to pay attention. Good decision-making begins with choosing the right content to consume. Start by reading this week’s terrific retirement links. Should you make Roth or Traditional 401(k) contributions? The White Coat Investor Building a bridge to social security makes sense for some investors. Retirement Researcher Anxiety...| A Teachable Moment
Unnecessary contaminants pollute natural and financial ecosystems. Let’s start with Mother Nature. Homeowners are unknowingly saturating their yards and poisoning their neighbors’ property with GLBs (Gas Powered Leaf Blowers) A friend recently presented to our community about the dangers of these carbon-spewing monstrosities. Here are some of the highlights: In just 30 minutes, a GLB...| A Teachable Moment
Like your job, planning for retirement is work. By reading this week’s terrific links, ensure you focus your energy in the right direction. Warren Buffett is the master. A Wealth Of Common Sense To get to the future, you have to survive the past. Of Dollars And Data How to find the right retirement community....| A Teachable Moment
There is no Plan B; is a dangerous game to play. This advice goes for your financial portfolio and NFL Quarterbacks. A couple of weeks ago, the NFL draft threw the sports world into a frenzy. Shadeur Sanders, the Colorado quarterback, was rumoured to be the third pick in the entire draft. Indeed, it was...| A Teachable Moment
Recessions and Bear Markets are fleeting. Your financial plan must be enduring. Use our terrific retirement links to turn this into reality. Despite all the chaos, the last 15 years have been pretty, pretty good for investors. The Big Picture Being minimally extractive is a sound life philosophy. Of Dollars And Data How to...| A Teachable Moment
The DMV demolishes the lowest of expectations. Last week’s excursion was a debacle. After purchasing a car, the next step is registering it. After gathering all the necessary documents, the journey into the wasteland, or local DMV, commenced. Assuming the worst, I brought along reading materials for a 2-3 hour wait—a small price to pay...| A Teachable Moment
Good investing is mostly about doing nothing. Use your time better by reading tips like these in our weekly retirement links. It’s not the things you buy and sell that make you money; it’s the things you hold. A Wealth of Common Sense Give now, not later. Of Dollars and Data Even in chaos, we...| tonyisola.com
Most investors have a false idea of their most vital assets. In a pop quiz, stocks, bonds, cash, and real estate dominate the list. They’re missing 2/3 of the correct response. Financial wealth is part of the equation, but two more components are far more critical as one ages. Time and health vault to the...| A Teachable Moment
Not all stress is harmful. Exercise promotes positive health. Worrying about the Stock Market offers no value. Focus on what’s essential to your retirement plan by reading this week’s terrific links. Some Americans are using their 401(k) as an emergency fund. Sherwood Don’t let unforced errors ruin your retirement plan. The Big Picture Just because...| A Teachable Moment
There are few certainties in life. 100% probabilities are a work of fiction. There is one thing I’m 99% certain of: the stock market will recover from its periodic spasms of mayhem. I’m no Nostradamus, claiming to possess clairvoyance over the future. My track record regarding many aspects of life is laughable at best. Let’s...| A Teachable Moment
We are continually building a picture of reality. Read this week’s terrific retirement links to ensure your portrait is accurate. Never bet against America. The Irrelevant Investor A short history of tariffs. A Wealth of Common Sense The goal is a meaningful retirement, not a late or early one. Enterprising Investor Debt has quadrupled for...| A Teachable Moment
Applying to college is a confusing maze of non-transparency. Imagine signing a contract to purchase your home without knowing the final price. Scores of parents do this annually when paying for college with garish results. Unmanageable debt and school transfers leading to five years plus of tuition payments top the list of unintended consequences. How...| A Teachable Moment
90% of everything is crap. Focus on the 10% that matters. Start filling your bucket by reading this week’s terrific retirement links. Despite what you hear, most stocks are doing fine. The Irrelevant Investor A how-to guide to a retirement account rollover. Getting Your Financial Ducks in A Row Don’t allow the disease of more...| A Teachable Moment
Are we going backward, or are we going forward? In the” Good Old Days,” Robber Barrons devised a scheme for creating corporate feudal systems, making employees virtual indentured servants. Company scrip became a substitute for government-issued currency. Scrip was prevalent in numerous mining and logging camps before being outlawed in 1938 as part of the...| A Teachable Moment
Don’t confuse easily measured things with importance. Is it fair to assume that a person living in a million-dollar home in the suburbs has an enviable existence? Maybe Home value doesn’t equate to a superior quality of life for many. Despite all the perks and luxuries of suburban living, isolation is becoming the rule, not...| A Teachable Moment
Life always finds a way. Nature is fantastic at devising numerous methods to continue the propagation of the species. Thermonasty is a case in point. In Long Island, where I live, many Rhododendrons populate the residents’ gardens. Rhododendrons are evergreen shrubs that bloom in large blooms of various colors in the spring. What’s interesting about...| A Teachable Moment
Retirement planning is pointless if you are 100% focused on the future and not living your life in the present. Read this week’s terrific links to find a happy balance. Here are the three components of a happy life. HumbleDollar Don’t get scammed out of your retirement funds. Of Dollars And Data Don’t let famous...| A Teachable Moment
Bad decisions sparked by anxiety are investor’s most dangerous nemesis. Although most of our worst fears seldom come true, we attach ourselves to outcomes that don’t exist. Evolution plays a role. Avoiding danger on the Steppes of Africa kept us from being devoured by fierce beasts and enabled the propagation of the species. Biology is...| A Teachable Moment
Health is the wealth. Don’t let the stress of the financial markets compromise your most precious asset. Learn what to pay attention to by reading this week’s terrific retirement links. What’s the point of financial freedom if you don’t use it to live? The Way of Work Asset allocation and age decisions are nuanced. Of...| A Teachable Moment
Boredom is escalating in epidemic proportions. Why can’t people still themselves without injections from the outside world? Much of the blame goes to the clutches of our third hand – the smartphone. Social media apps, purposefully constructed to steal our attention, are at the heart of the issue. After all, boredom is simply a lack...| A Teachable Moment
We can learn a lot about managing our money by studying nature. Untouched Forests serve as prime examples. The oldest tree, a Spruce in Sweden, is over 9,500 years old. Talk about a long-term plan! Trees protect each other, share food, and communicate. Peter Wohlleben discusses these fascinating details in his BestSeller, The Hidden Life...| A Teachable Moment
Humans are Apex Predators. For two million years, they focused their energies on hunting plus-sized prey. HyperCarnivore is an excellent way to describe this prehistoric lifestyle. Humans are responsible for the extinction of thousands of species in their quest for meat. The list ranges from various large Mammals to numerous Birds and Marine life. These...| A Teachable Moment
In case you missed it, On Monday, the world ended. The Stock Market Crashed! It fell 1,000 points, equivalent to a whopping 3%! If you were watching the media coverage, it seemed like your next destination was a one-way ticket to Hooverville. Great Depression 2.0 had indeed commenced. Diving deeper, something called the Carry Trade was...| A Teachable Moment
Without patience, your retirement plan will not work. You have to wait for some things. One thing you don’t need to wait for is our terrific weekly retirement links. Start reading them today and plan for a brighter tomorrow. At what age does working get harder? Flowing Data Add gratitude to your retirement plan. A...| A Teachable Moment
If you can’t find the reasons for change, reconsider. Gardening is a case in point. Agatha, equipped with a degree in Conservation Biology, came here from Brazil and started her Organic Gardening Company, More Than Gardens. Their mission is to reconnect people with nature through regenerative landscaping practices. They’re terrific, utilizing no pesticides or carbon-spewing machinery....| A Teachable Moment
Many Americans are questioning the value of a college education. Recent surveys conducted by Pew Research shed light on this rising trend. Only one in four U.S. adults say it’s extremely or very important to have a four-year college degree to get a well-paying job. Roughly half say it’s less important to have a four-year...| A Teachable Moment
Goals and habits are two different animals. This philosophy is valid in all facets of life. When I taught Middle School, Back to School Night was more of a dog-and-pony show than anything else. What meaningful things can you say about education in 12 minutes? The key to success was speaking for the entire time....| A Teachable Moment
