Wealth and Wisdom: Week of May 26, 2025
- Mike Brown
- May 26
- 4 min read
To some, the word retirement means stopping work, and by that definition I suppose some of us may never retire, at least not by choice. My definition of retirement is somewhat less conventional. I call it True Wealth, when you (hopefully) reach a point in life when you can afford to stop working, regardless of whether you choose to do it.
True Wealth is the universal goal of the clients we work with. We help teach people to live on less than they earn, compound the money they save, and invest the core of their portfolios in successful companies that historically have increased their dividends over time which would allow for a rising stream of income. When their income reaches a level that can sustain their chosen lifestyle, they get to decide exactly how they want to spend the rest of their lives. Talk about the ultimate definition of freedom.
From the day you leave school to pursue your life’s work, I recommend you set your sights on achieving True Wealth. And whether its accomplishment one day affords you decades of leisure or the decision to continue your life’s work as long as you are able – the path I’ve chosen – the choice will be completely yours.
So decide what retirement means to you and pursue it, even if you never stop doing what you love. My family and I are here to help you any way we can.
If you’re just out of school and looking for helpful advice on money management, employee benefits, and investing – save this link. (Reading time: 4 minutes)
Borrowers owe $1.8 trillion in college loans – a figure that has tripled since 2007. And the federal government says it’s now time to pay up. (Reading time: 4 minutes)
Robert Hagstrom has studied the master for 40 years and written two books about how he invests. Here’s what he learned. (Reading time: 5 minutes)
Did you know the economies of California, Texas, and New York are each larger than Russia’s? Or that Missouri outranks Denmark? (Reading time: 2 minutes)
You’ll probably owe income tax on stock dividends you earn outside of tax-deferred accounts – but they’re not all taxed at the same rate. (Reading time: 5 minutes)
Most investors understand how rebalancing their portfolio works – and there’s more than one good way to do it. (Reading time: 3 minutes)
If you’re like many of today’s retirees, you’ll probably live longer, spend more, and be more impacted by inflation than you think. (Reading time: 4 minutes)
How should you respond when your LTC insurer wants to raise your premiums, reduce your benefits, or buy you out of your policy? (Reading time: 4 minutes)
Coordinate your benefits by exploring these three strategies. (Reading time: 4 minutes)
Links to online resources to help you track down pension benefits, forgotten bank accounts, and other money owed to you. (Reading time: 2 minutes)
Words to the Wise
“Anyone who stops learning in old, whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.”
– Henry Ford
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