Deborah Cook Financial Planner

04/20/2026

Agent Jane Bond wants you to know about how bonds can be laddered to generate income.

Agent Jane Bond is on the case, uncovering the mystery of bond laddering.

04/18/2026

When it comes to making a difference, which is better? Investing for impact or starting your own philanthropy?

This fun piece can help your clients explore the benefits of impact investing versus founding a philanthropy.

04/16/2026

April is National Stress Awareness Month, and caring for aging parents is one of the biggest stressors many families face.

In our experience, stress drops when the basics are handled before there is urgency.

Here are 5 things to consider:

➡️ Financial power of attorney, so someone can act if needed

➡️ Healthcare proxy, so medical decisions are clear and legally supported

➡️ Account access, so a trusted contact can see what is happening without scrambling

➡️ Bill pay strategy, so nothing becomes a late fee problem on top of everything else

➡️ A shared “where things live” file, documents, logins, contacts, including key professionals

These are not fun conversations, but they are often a gift to future selves and to siblings who may need to step in.

When preparations have been made, families can give more time and attention to what actually matters.

04/15/2026

Tax Day Is Here – and So Are Extensions! If you’ve already filed and ended your yearly business with the IRS, congrats! If you are filing extensions, congratulations on getting that process underway. Alongside your tax professionals, we wish you a timely resolution to this yearly ritual.

04/14/2026

Your Social Security claiming age doesn't just affect you. It could affect your spouse's income for life. 👇

If you're the higher earner, the age you claim shapes what your spouse receives as a survivor benefit after you're gone.

Claim at 62, and that smaller payment could follow them for decades.

A few things that surprise people when we walk through the math:

✅ Max monthly benefit in 2026: $2,969 at age 62 vs. $5,181 at age 70. Same person, very different outcome.

✅ Up to 85 percent of benefits may be taxable. A new $6,000 senior deduction helps, but it expires in 2028.

✅ Divorced after 10+ years? You may be eligible for benefits based on your ex-spouse's record without affecting their payments.

The break-even point between claiming early and delaying benefits falls between ages 78 and 81.

With the potential for one spouse in a married couple reaching 90, this decision deserves more than a guess. 💡

04/13/2026

Even the most seasoned investors are prone to biases affecting their financial choices. Learn more in this message.

Even the most seasoned investors have biases affecting their financial choices.

04/11/2026

🐕 🐶 🐈 Whether you have a dog who loses their mind every time you walk in the door or a cat who barely acknowledges your existence, you know how much pets mean to the people who have them.

They show up in our work more than you'd think.

Not just in estate preparation or budgeting for care, but in bigger conversations about what retirement looks like or what happens when circumstances change, and a pet's care becomes part of the equation.

For a lot of people, their pets are family, and preparation that ignores them misses the point.

Happy National Pet Day!! 🐕 🐶 🐈

04/11/2026

Your investment strategies and personal beliefs don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Learn more about impact investing here:

Learn how to build a socially conscious investment portfolio and invest in your beliefs.

04/10/2026

National Siblings Day is different for adults.

Growing up, it was about who was the favorite, who touched whose stuff, and who told mom.

Later, it can be about much bigger things, like helping a parent, dividing responsibilities, making decisions under stress, and eventually navigating estate details with fairness and clarity.

In our world, the smoothest family outcomes usually come from conversations that start early: who is doing what, where information lives, what “equal” really means, and what happens if someone has to step in quickly.

Grateful for siblings, the shared history, and the kind of support that shows up when it matters most.

04/09/2026

You might be paying more in taxes than you need to—and not even realize it.

From investment timing to account selection, small decisions can have a big impact on your total tax bill. Here are five areas to keep in mind this tax season.

04/09/2026

Any guess how much you’ll spend on healthcare costs in retirement?

A 2025 study by Fidelity puts the after-tax cost at about $330k for an average retired couple and $165k for a single person, excluding long-term care.

Did you know…

⚠️ The $330k and $165k estimates are after-tax and do not include long-term care.

⚠️ Healthcare costs have typically risen faster than the average rate of inflation, the Fidelity report showed.

⚠️ Costs can vary by medical conditions and where someone lives, so rules of thumb can miss.

A lot of people underestimate this line item, enough that if you haven’t included assumptions for it in your retirement strategy, you should.

It deserves an in-depth financial conversation.

04/06/2026

Many families live the reality, advocating, coordinating, adapting, and celebrating progress that outsiders may never see.

In our work, it is also a reminder that good support is personal. The right support often includes more than finances.

It includes systems, trusted people, and clarity around what happens if a parent cannot step in.

For families touched by autism, respect and support matter, and so does a structure that protects stability over the long term.