Author: Mau Sanchez, Chief Investment Officer

This illustration shows the difference between immediate cash access and a bond ladder designed around future maturity dates. What is the difference between keeping money in a cash reserve and building a bond ladder? Both approaches can play a role in a retirement plan, but they solve different problems. A cash reserve is designed for…

An editorial illustration showing the tradeoff between accessible cash and long-term portfolio growth. A large cash balance can feel reassuring in retirement. It is visible, stable, and easy to access. But if too much of a portfolio remains in cash for too long, that same sense of safety can create a less obvious risk: cash…

A stylized financial illustration showing how one successful company investment can become too large relative to the rest of a retirement portfolio. A successful career at one company can create meaningful financial security. Over time, salary, bonuses, stock awards, and retirement-plan contributions may all be connected to the same employer. That connection can become a…

A calm editorial illustration showing how a large cash balance can be organized before investment decisions are made. A large cash balance can feel reassuring, especially when retirement is approaching. After a business distribution, bonus, property sale, inheritance, or other windfall, holding cash may seem like the safest choice. But a large cash position can…

An editorial illustration showing how a second career can connect earned income, portfolio withdrawals, and retirement lifestyle choices. Retirement does not always mean stopping work completely. For many people, it means replacing a full-time career with work that offers more control, flexibility, or personal meaning. A part-time job, seasonal role, teaching position, small business, or…

An editorial illustration showing a severance payment as a bridge between an unexpected job transition and a retirement income plan. A severance package can feel like both a financial cushion and a source of uncertainty. If a layoff moves retirement forward by several years, the central question is not simply, “Where should I invest this…

An editorial illustration showing the financial decisions that can help preserve flexibility after an unexpected job loss. A layoff shortly before retirement can create pressure to make several permanent decisions at once. You may need income, health coverage, and a new plan for your investment accounts. But an unexpected end to employment does not always…

A weaker hiring environment can make an approaching retirement feel less predictable. If your employer freezes hiring, reduces hours, delays promotions, or becomes more selective about retaining experienced workers, the date you expected to retire may no longer feel entirely within your control. But should a national hiring slowdown automatically change your personal retirement date?…

Retirement income is rarely as simple as replacing one paycheck with one monthly benefit. For households with a pension, Social Security, and investment accounts, the more important question is often: How should these three income sources work together over time? A pension may provide steady income, Social Security may offer a lifetime benefit that can…

Illustration: A Health Savings Account can be part of a broader retirement healthcare and income plan. Retirement planning often focuses on investment accounts, Social Security, and monthly income. But one account that may deserve more attention before you leave work is your Health Savings Account, or HSA. An HSA is more than a way to…