Falling More than Ever When Snow Skiing

Since having open heart surgery in 2024 and missing the 24/25 skiing season, I have seen a decline in my snow skiing capability.   This year, I have skied less than normal and have fallen as many times this season than cumulatively over the past 10 years.  Not only have I fallen on the tougher slopes, but I have fallen getting off the lifts and even fell once just standing around.   One time I fell twice during same ski run on a relative short but steep double black slope.

I realize now that I'm starting to experience significant declines in previous capabilities with aging and, in some cases, due to the heart surgery.  I've learned time and aging doesn't wait. My solution is to get out more early and often to do the things I enjoy, before the inevitable decline prevent the ability to do so. 

Oh well... it's off to skiing next week before spring weather comes and before another birthday happens.

For more on New Beginnings, check back every Sunday for a new segment.

This is not financial, aging nor health advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Levels of Wealth for Retirement-Age American

I saw this infographic on LinkedIn and though it was worth reposting in my blog.   

Credit: David Vernich on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidvernich/

Disclosure:  I did not receive compensation for reposting this graphic.

For more on Reflections and Musings, check back every  Saturday for a new segment.

This is not financial, wealth nor retirement advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

More Volatility with Buy the Dip Stocks

Yesterday I was elated and today not so much as downside volatility creates some emotional stress.   It's been a bit of a roller coaster for the buy the dip stocks. Yesterday, I thought the dip was over.  Today, I'm not so sure.

They were down at the open, recovered a bit buy noon, the down again until 3PM, and then advancing until 3:30 before final dip and V advance at to close at the high of the day.  Whew, that was too much excitement and anxiety for me.  My buy the dip stocks followed the same trend as a group, but did not close at the high of the day.   Unfortunately, several but the dip stocks were down 1-2% due to the wholesale producer prices edging up higher than expected.

I made two purchases today, both index ETFs, RSP and VXUS.   Those index ETFs were both relatively stable today, which is the low volatility I am trying to achieve in the future.

In the meantime, I plan to ride out the volatility on the buy the dip stocks that I have and deciding whether to sell or hold as they become profitable.

For more on Reaping the Rewards, check back every  Friday for a new segment.

This is not financial, stock picking, nor investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Managing Income for Tax Benefits in Retirement

I've learned that income planning is even more important in retirement than when working.  The simple reason is that taxable income may be controllable by the retiree to maximize tax benefits and minimize tax liability.  When working, most of taxable income usually comes from a regular paycheck which limits the options for minimizing tax liability.

 

During my working years, I only had a few options to manage income.  Specifically, whether to make tax deferred contributions to retirement accounts and whether to take capital gains from stocks in taxable accounts.

Now that I'm retired, I no longer have working income.  Instead, I have Social Security, Dividends and Interest, and Capital Gains.   Social Security is tax free below a certain income and up to 85% can be taxed above a certain income.    Dividends and Capital Gains can be tax free depending on adjusted grosss income (AGI).  Several tax credits are phased out above AGI thresholds. Federal tax free interests is now more important keep below AGI thresholds. Also, premiums for Medicare are dependent on one's income. Higher incomes may incur higher premiums.

I didn't expect managing tax benefits would increase in importance in retirement.

For more on Reaping the Rewards, check back every Friday for a new segment.

This is not financial, tax nor retirement advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Emotional Thrill and Anxiety of Buying Beat Up Stocks

I used to enjoy buying beat up stocks and waiting for them to be profitable.   Not that I was very good at it.  But I was good enough to not lose money too often. And when I did, it wasn't very much.  It was worth the excitement and adrenalin rush when I was younger.

Back then, I had the cushion of a job that covered my living expenses.   If I made a poor choice and the position lost money, it didn't affect my lifestyle which was supported by my paycheck.  Now that I'm retired, I depend on my investments to cover living expenses now and in the future.   Thus, short term losses from poor stock buys create more negative emotions, such as worry, anxiety, and regret, more than when I was younger.

Right now, the stocks portfolio I bought on the dip is up slightly.  I'm feeling good.  However, it took a month worry, anxiety and regret before it changed to excitement.    Not worth it to me to emotionally go down before potentially going up in the end.

At this point, I plan to retire from large scale buying the dip in the future.  I may buy the dip for the company from which I retired, or a couple other select stocks, but no more that 5 or maybe 10. That way I can avoid the emotional downside I felt this time, even though it appears that it has worked out for now.  

If I do make a major buy the dip purchase in the future, I will be buying index mutual funds or index ETFs for the S&P 500 or the total market.

For more on  Crossing Generations, check back every Thursday for a new segment.

This is not financial, stock picking, nor investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Learn to Cook

When I was growing up, we ate virtually all of our meals at home.  My mom was a SAHM and made us breakfast (before school), lunch (I packed until high school) and dinner.   Eating out, even out McDonald's, was rare and was considered a special treat.

I learned to cook while still in high school.   I was on a meal plan while attending college.  When I started working, I ate lunch in the company cafeteria, but mostly cooked my own meals for breakfast and dinner.  Back then groceries were much cheaper than eating out. Also,  I shopped the sales and used coupons.

Cooking my meals and not eating out as often enabled me to save more money in my early working years.  My spouse and I still cook and eat most of meals at home.  We do it mainly for health reasons nowadays and not to save money, since health groceries are expensive.

My kids have or are learning to cook.  This will be a great skill to have as they get older.

For more on Crossing Generations, check back every  Thursday for a new segment.

This is not financial, saving nor adulting advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Patience Pays Off on Buying The Dip

I recently bought the dip on mainly software stocks in early February 2026.   After I started buying, the stocks kept dipping, resulting in many of my purchases going negative.   This was disappointing.   It is now the end of February and most of the stocks are recovering, with one, HUBS,  even going positive for every purchase.

It appears that patience has paid off, at this point.   I thought many of these stocks were oversold  (down 50-80%) on the threat of AI, which I think is being overestimated for decimating many jobs and businesses.

I will scale out of some shares and hold some shares for bigger gains, in the hope that these stocks will continue to recover instead of reversing and dipping again.  My worst buy the dip stock was TEAM, which dipped over 25% from when I started buying despite already being down about 60%.  ACN is the second worst.

Disclosure:  The stocks I bought on the dip were:  MSFT, TSLA, NOW, CRM, TEAM, ADBE, ACN, NFLX, UNH, and PYPL.  The ETFs I bought on the dip were:  VOO, RSP, MGK, and SCHD.

For more on  The Practice of Personal Finance, check back every Wednesday for a new segment.

This is not financial, investing, nor stock picking advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Buying Individual Stocks on the Dip is Gambling for Me

Last week,  I reviewed the buying the dip stocks for how much they could add to our funds.   Turns out not much.  I only buy a few shares since I'm just betting on a rebound to make a few dollars.  I am hesitant to hold for very long due to volatility and sell for quick gains of 5-15%.   A few shares times a few dollars doesn't amount to much of an increase.   I enjoy the fun and excitement of the gain, but it really doesn't grow our investments much.

Looking back,  the big gains have come from large investments in a diversified portfolio, my company's stock, or a lucky buy and hold tech stock such as Alphabet.  Not from buying multiple stocks on the dip.

Over time, I've ended up positive on my buy the dip stocks, but not by much. 

Lesson learned.  It's fun to buy the dip, guess right and collect the winnings.  But it's not a sustainable investment strategy for me.  For the long run, I would have done better investing in a total market index, holding and collecting the gains many years later.  Not as much fun, but much better results.

I'm definitely putting my kids' accounts in market index funds for their future.   

For more on The Practice of Personal Finance, check back every Wednesday  for a new segment.

This is not financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

New York Times Front Page Test

Here's one way to judge whether to do something or not.   If one wouldn't want the the activity, written document, or action to be published on the front page of the New York Times, then don't do it.  If publishing it wouldn't bother one, then it's OK to do.

I like this criteria.  It's easy to understand and easy to use.  

For more on Ideas You Can Use, check back every Tuesday for a new segment.

This is not financial nor reputation advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Stock Picking Advisors Hate This One Simple Trick

Invest in the S&P 500 or the Russell 1000 and hodl.

Found this chart on LinkedIn.  Makes a good case for investing in the S&P500 or Russell 1000 Index.  Unless one is good enough to consistently identify the winning individual stocks, which I am not.

Bottom Line:  Start early, contribute regularly, invest in a broad market index and hodl.

For more on Strategies and Plans, check back every Monday for a new segment.

This is not financial nor investing advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC