Will the Stock Market Dip Keep Dipping?

Although the market may rebound this morning, I expect the market to continue to decline, perhaps significantly.   Bitcoin has declined over 30% and META has fallen over 25% in the past month.  

With the current volatility, the direction of the market can change very quickly.  I'm tempted to short some stocks, but I've decided it is too risky if I'm wrong.  I'm going to stick to my plan (My New Strategy for Investing During Market Declines) and do nothing today, expect for maybe closing some SPY puts for a profit.  

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Social Security COLA and Medicare B Premiums for 2026

For 2026, Social Security payments will increase 2.8% and Medicare Part B premiums will increase to $202.90 from $185.  The higher payment will start in January 2026.

For more details, see It's official. Medicare Part B 2026 premium will eat a big chunk of Social Security COLA

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Surviving Stock Market Volatility

Today, I plan to do nothing in the stock market, neither buy nor sell.    I will not panic sell.    I will not buy the dip. 

I have structured our investments to provide monthly income based on dividend and interest.  I don't expect a decline, even a significant one, to materially affect the expected income payments for end of November and end of December 2025.

The only trade I may make is to sell some SPY January 16, 2026 expiration puts for a 100% or more profit.   My 260 strike puts have already reached that percentage gain, but I currently plan to be greedy and hold longer since I expect the market is in the early stages of a correction at a minimum.

For perspective, a 100% gain is not much in absolute dollars, since each SPY 260 put contract only cost $7 per 100 shares.   However, I would definitely sell at a 1000% gain or $70 per contract.  For this to happen, SPY, currently at $652, would need to fall at least $150 in a few days for a 1000% gain, which is highly unlikely.   In between, the decision will depend on how greedy I feel at the moment and how bearish the market seems.😎   The downside risk is the 260 put contract can easily go to worthless on January 16, 2026, which is only 2 months away.

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Dealing With Today's Stock Market Decline

Today's stock market volatility reminds me to be ready to invest if there is a significant decline.  I'm not buying the dips, but am waiting to use My New Strategy for Investing During Market Declines when there is a decline of at least 10%.

In the past, I was always hesitant put money in during a significant decline such as 1987, 2001, 2008, 2020 and most recently April 2025.  My New Strategy for Investing During Market Declines will help me overcome that hesitancy and systematically invest more funds during a pullback.

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Arrrgh! - Appliances Linked to Internet

Over the past five years we replaced some appliances and they seem to have the added feature of using an app and being connected to the internet.  These include in order our washer/dryer, garage door opener, furnace thermostat, most recently, our dishwasher.

We set up the washer/dryer because it was novel and we wanted to try it.   However, we have not used the app since setting it up.   We chose not to set up the garage door opener, and don't miss not having the feature.   The thermostat was set up by our installer, but other than showing the outside temperature, we haven't got much benefit.  I have since turned off internet access.   We also decided not to set up the app on the dishwasher, despite having a couple cycles that we would use occasionally on the app, which was disappointing to us.

At this point, I don't feel it's useful or worth the effort to learn how to connect to and use the apps/internet with our appliances.  I didn't need smart appliances before the internet and I don't need them now.  I want my appliances to be self contained and self sufficient for use.  Period. 

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

This is not financial, appliance, app, nor internet advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Know One's Health Insurance Benefits

Understanding insurance eligible benefits and payment amounts is a massive morass for customers. 

My health insurance allows me one physical checkup annually for no charge.  Recently, I received a $30 copay bill from a provider for my annual physical checkup.   I called the insurance company to confirm there should be no charge.  They said yes, but the provider coded it as a regular visit.  I found out the code for the annual checkup.  I called the provider and they said their records show it was my annual physical checkup.  I informed them I was charged and they agreed to resubmit with the correct code.

Hopefully, this will be corrected and I will not pay the $30 bill.

Similarly, I thought I had reached my maximum benefit for my dental plan and started paying cash, at a discount, for my routine preventive visits.  It turns out that my that my allowed routine oral exams and preventive cleanings are not  counted towards my benefit maximum.  I am now working with my dental provider to submit claims and get reimbursed for my cash payments.

When  I was younger, I never was close to the maximum benefit or maximum out of pocket (OOP) ceiling.   Now that I'm older, I have been reaching those maximums on a regular basis.  For the maximum benefit, I sometimes need to delay nonessential services to the next year to have the insurance cover the cost.   For the maximum (OOP), all costs are paid by insurance after reaching the OOP and I want to do my medical services earlier to have the covered 100% by insurance.

It seems managing insurance benefit coverage is another complexity as one gets older.

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 © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Use Product Warranties for Replacement or Refund

Five years ago, we purchased a pot filler for kitchen.   About every 1-2 years, the o-rings wear out.   Since the product has a limited lifetime warranty, I call the company and request the parts, which the send free of charge.  Since I can replace the parts myself, the only cost is my time and labor,

We also replaced our faucets several years ago.  The faucets carry a lifetime warranty.  Whenever, the faucets don't shut off completely,  I call the manufacturer and request a new faucet cartridge, which is sent to me free of charge.   Again, my only cost is my time and labor to install the new cartridge.

Recently, I purchased a tennis racquet for my son.  After a month, the frame had cracked in 3 places.  We only noticed the major fracture.  When we took it back to the store, they notice two other minor cracks.  I asked if it would be covered by warranty since it was about a month old.  The sales people said the warranty manager would look at it, but believed that the racquet was above normal wear and tear since there were many scratches on the side of the frame.  I responded that he owned the same brand racquet, but different model, for 2 years with even more scratches and it never cracked.

Two days later, the store manager called and said the company replaced the racquet with no questions asked. 

Using a warranty to fix issues definitely saves money since I don't need to replace the product nor have a repair person service it.

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Cost to Have Others Manage Investments

The cost for having an advisor manage one's investments seems high to me, often at 1% per year on Assets Under Management (AUM).    For every $1 million, the cost is $10,000 per year for an advisor's services.  

That seems high to me.  Why?   Because the same advisor will charge 1% for managing $100,000 or $1000.   Does it take 10 times to effort to manage $1 million?   No.  They just increase the holding 10 times.   Similarly, if they are managing $10 million at a cost of $100,000 per year, are they doing 100 times the work versus managing $100,000.

I don't have an issue paying $1000 per year.    However, I don't want to pay $10,000 or $100,000 per year for the same investment service just because I asked the advisor the manage more money in the same investments.

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Alternative Investments - Leverage, Risk, and Fees, Oh My

Alternative investments previously made available only to high net worth accredited investors are being made available to main street investors.  Private credit, private equity, hedge funds, and multifamily real estate investments are now offered to investors with $50,000 net worth. 

I have read through several prospectuses from financial advisors and fund principals.  Here is my understanding:

• Much higher potential returns.   Often the returns are in the 10-15% range, much higher than I can get from CDs, bonds or stock index funds. Alternative investments have given higher returns consistently for many years. Of course, returns are not guaranteed.
• Leverage.   Many of the funds use leverage to achieve returns by borrowing funds to boost returns.
• Risk.  Of course, higher returns usually involve higher risk, meaning the possibility of not achieving expected returns or even losing money. 
• Fees.   The cost for participating can be high in the form of fees, which is how the offering party earns money for finding or assembling the alternative investments.  These fees are paid even if the investment does not deliver expected returns.
• Lockup periods.  Many of  these investments have lockup periods of 5-10 years before return of principal or limited withdrawal windows. 

My assessment.    The opportunities look attractive, but the space is getting more crowded and returns are starting to go lower.   

This reminds of the time in 2007 with collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) which grouped subprime mortgage debt in notes that were "safe" since the debt was diversified and a few defaults would not affect them.   They offered higher returns for higher risk that was masked by diversification.   In 2008 there massive defaults which caused the bonds to move towards worthless.   Several investment banking firms when bankrupt, which was followed by the Great Recession.

Are alternative investments for me?  Not so much. I have declined putting funds in alternative investments at this time.   I know I am missing out on higher returns, but I don't want to be investing in them when they stop working and create big losses.

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Ia AI Expanding Consumer Consumption?

Not yet.

Every previous economic revolution has expanded consumer consumption via more demand or increase supply.

• The Agricultural Revolution made food available with certainty to more people at a lower cost and effort.
• The Commercial Revolution introduced trade and financial elements such as banking which brought goods at lower costs.
• The First Industrial Revolution introduced mechanization, interchangeable parts and steam power which made many goods cheaper and accessible.
• The Second Industrial Revolution introduced electricity, steel, internal combustion engine and the assembly making more goods cheaper and accessible.
• The Third Industrial Revolution brought transistors/chips, electronics, computers and automation making even more goods cheaper and accessible.
• We're in the Fourth Industrial Revolution with advancement in Internet of Things, Smart technologies and AI.  IMHO, this Revolution has not. broadly expanded consumer consumption and has limited consumption expansion to consumers with high net worth. AI makes corporate expenses lower which stock values, but goods they make are not cheaper becoming more accessible. In fact, more employees are being laid off due to AI which decreases broad consumer consumption.  

How can AI create expanded consumer consumption?  I have a few suggestions.  First, bring down the cost of expenses for necessary goods  Second, create new job opportunities that pay more as old jobs are replaced by AI. Third, create new cost effective business models that significantly improve the financial situation of employees and consumers. 

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Learn to Manage Own Personal Finances

"Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime." ~  old proverb

Personal finance knowledge and understanding is important for financial success. Personal finance is a skill each person should learn and execute well, starting early in life, even as a child.  It is important for the individual to routinely make good decisions to be successful in their personal finances.

No one knows more or cares more about my financial situation than me.  Not any broker.  Not any investment advisor.  Nor any financial advisor. Personal finance success depends on the my knowledge,  commitment and implementation, not based on an advisor doing the work for me.

As long as I am able to do the work, I will continue to manage our personal finances myself.  If circumstances require an advisor's involvement for additional perspective, I do use their services and I make the final decision on what to do.  For example, I got input from advisors on when to start taking Social Security and on how long our current retirement funds will last, before making my decisions.

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

My New Definition for "Wealthy"

I used to think wealthy was a specific number.  When I was a child, I though $1 million was wealthy. Nowadays, 10% of U.S. adults are millionaires in net worth but are cash poor, i.e. most of their wealth is in assets, such as their home.

 My new definition is no longer a number, but a state of mind of absolute financial security.  To me wealthy means:

• One has sufficient funds to cover necessary and discretionary expenses for one's life expectancy.
• One has sufficient funds to choose whether or not to work for compensation.
• One has sufficient funds to cover unexpected or emergency expense without using debt.
• One has sufficient funds to cover large expenditures, such as a new car purchase, without using debt.

Of course, "wealthy" people can choose to work or use debt, but they can also choose not to.

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Best Age and Worst Age for a Bear Market

Bear markets are inevitable but unpredictable in timing.  It's best to expect them and prepare to protect from or benefit from them depending or your age.

Best Age

In one's twenties, making it a great time to invest in a stock market index of the S&P.  Once can confidently stay invested in the inevitable bear markets that will occur.  Rolling 20 year returns on S&P 500 since 1926 have always been positive.  Roll 10 year returns have been positive except for the years starting with the Great Recession and the Dot Com Bubble.

Worst Age

+/- 5 years from retirement.   The sequence of market returns can significantly impact how long retirement funds will last.  Retire during a bear market and needing to withdraw funds will cause one to run out of money much sooner than someone who starts withdrawing during a bull market.

Disclosure:  I retired in 2007, just before the Great Recession.  I didn't know about the worst age recommendation.  Luckily, I had enough cash and CDs that matured during the first 5 years, such that I did not have to sell equities to cover living expenses. 

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Maximum Amount to Borrow for Student Loan

The maximum amount should be a financial decision and not an emotional decision. Consider the impact it may have on your finances over 10 years after you graduate when deciding how much to borrow. IMHO, the best option if taking a loan is one can repay in 10 years or less easily. 

Here is a simple calculation to do before taking out a student loan.

I have read of two different rules of thumb.

1. No more than one's expected salary.
2. No more than 10% of expected take home pay.  

Assuming one's first job is $60,000 per year which is the average for a college graduate. Take home pay for $60,000 is estimated at $4,187 per month not including state income tax deduction.  

Rule #1 maximum is $60,000 borrowed.  That results in a $678 per month payment at 6.39% interest for 10 years.   That's 16.2% of one's take home pay.

Rule #2 maximum is $37,000 borrowed.  That results in a $418 per month payment since 10%  of $4,187 per month take home is $419.   

Both of these seem reasonable for loan payments.   However, what if the starting salary is only $40,000 when one assumed $60,000.     Now, one's take home pay is only $2848 per month.  Now the monthly payment is either 23.8% for Rule #1 or 14.6% for Rule #2 based on borrowing against one's expected salary of $60,000.  Ouch for following Rule #1.. 

With a recommended budget that has 20% of take home pay going to savings and debt, the above student loan examples would take about take up 50 to 138% of that 20% based on assumed or actual starting salaries.   

Instead of thinking of a student loan as an investment, think of paying off a student loan as a future budget item and whether the future payment is affordable.

Disclosure:  Student loans I took had payments of about 5% of my take home starting salary.  Although many years ago, I recall that percentage to very manageable.

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

This is not financial, higher education, nor debt advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Best Time to Plant Grass Seed

Most people assume the best time to plant grass seed is early spring.  The results come a within couple weeks of planting, which is satisfying.  However, the weather can get hot and scorch the new seedlings leading to a thin lawn or one with bare spots later in the summer.

For me, the best time is to seed is mid September to early October.  The weather is cooler and the ground stays moist longer.  The downside is one may not see much grass growing before winter.  However, the seedlings will grow stronger over the winter and give a luscious lawn in the spring.

When neighbors complement me on my lawn and ask who does our lawn services, I proudly tell them I do my own seeding and fertilizing service.

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Volatility Will Test My NEW Investment Strategy

My goal is to invest for income and growth.  I am targeting income to be stable, paid monthly and sufficient to cover expected living expenses when combined with social security. This will be done through bond ETFs such as SCMB and SCHZ/BND.   For growth, I plan to but have not executed investing primarily in index ETFs such as VOO (S&P 500) and MGK (Large Cap Growth).   

I have started investing in the bond ETFs.  I am still waiting for the long expected correction before investing in VOO and MGK.

I hope this strategy will make me immune to drops and keep me steadfast in following the strategy.

Friday's volatility was a good test of my commitment to the strategy.  Even with the morning steep declines of several growth stocks, I did not panic sell.  In fact, I started planning on investing in VOO and MGK by setting buy targets.

It's a good thing I didn't not sell any core investments.  The market rebounded and closed about even after being down as much a 1.5% during the day.  Another day of volatility that turned out be a nothing burger. 

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Hoping for the Best and Preparing for the Worst

There are currently two seemingly opposing beliefs about the stock market:

• Belief #1: Stocks will keep going up and always buy the dip.
• Belief #2: Stocks are extremely overvalued and a major decline will happen.
  

Both beliefs are right, but differ in timing of benefit, i.e. long term versus short term.

Let's look at each belief.

• Stocks will keep going up and always buy the dip. Over the long term, this belief is correct.  In 20 year rolling periods since 1919, the S&P 500 (or its representation before it was created) is always a gain.   
• Stocks are extremely overvalued and a major decline will happen.  In the short term, this can be true.  The declines average about 1 year and usually last less than 2.7 years.  It usually takes 2.5 to 4.5 years to recover, but may take up to 10 years to return to previous highs as in the lost decade in the early 2000s.

In hoping for the best, I am staying invested with our core holdings.   If the market keeps going up, we will benefit.  If it falls, we can weather a decline that takes up to 5 years to recover.  Additionally, we will stay invested in our our children's long term savings accounts.

In preparing for the worst, we are keeping sufficient cash equivalent funds to cover 5+ years of living expenses and to invest in an index fund such as VOO as the market declines, especially for our children's accounts which will be invested for at least 20 years.

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Know Mutual Fund Year Capital Gains Distributions Before December

Since I am retired, I can manage my taxable income received each year.  For tax planners like me, getting Mutual Fund capital gains distributions in mid to late December can ruin a good tax plan, especially if one is on the borderline of receiving tax credits or being in a lower tax bracket.

However, I don't have to wait until December to find out the amount of expected capital gains distributions.  The amount is usually determined at the end of September or October, but isn't paid until December.   I often can find out the expected capital gains distribution in early October or early November by checking the Mutual Fund website. 

With the expected capital gains information, I can plan other sources of taxable income, such as stock tax loss harvesting,  to ensure we know our tax bracket and eligibility for tax credits and deductions for the calendar year.

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

New Dishwasher Review

Recently I wrote about Replacing Instead of Repairing a Dishwasher based on the cost of repair versus putting that money money towards a new dishwasher.   I'm usually a fan for using cars and appliances until they are beyond repair.  For example, I drive a 2003 F-150, which I have been repairing instead of replacing.

We have bought a Bosch 800 dishwasher to replace a Bosch 800 dishwasher from 2016.   For reference, I received no compensation for this post.

Even though our replaced dishwasher was working well, I've noticed that our new dishwasher cleans much better.  Significant changes have been made to the lower spray arm are such that pots and pans are much cleaner than our previous dishwasher did.   The improvement is a multi armed spray device that can focus on extra soiled pots and pans. 

In addition, the new dishwasher seems to dry out washed items much better that the replaced dishwasher.  One reason is we are now using Jet Dry from the very start.   In our previous dishwasher, we didn't start using Jet Dry until last year, even though the instructions said to use.   As with our previous dishwasher, the new one is extremely quiet.

The dishwasher has many more options than we use. Although the dishwasher has several cycle choices, we typically only use the Auto cycle.   The new dishwasher can be connected to an app via the Internet, but we do not to use that feature.  

Overall, we are very happy with the new purchase.  

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Hypothetical Impact of Distributing Billionaires Wealth

A common misperception is that billionaires could solve poverty, health care crisis and other wealth gap issues if they transferred their wealth to the rest of the population.  

Let's do the math.

How Much Every American Would Get If Jeff Bezos’ Wealth Was Evenly Distributed

According the article distributing Bezos' net worth of $234B to the entire U.S. population of 340.1 million would result in each person receiving $688.   Not even enough to pay one months rent.

Now let's look at all billionaires.  There are 1135 billionaires in the U.S with a total net worth of $5.7 trillion.  $5.7 trillion is close to the U.S. annual budget of 7.01 trillion and would reduce the $37 trillion national debt ONE TIME.   Distributing $5.7 trillion to 340.1 million people would result in each person receiving a ONE TIME payment of $16,764.   Distributing $5.7 trillion to 128 million households would result in each house receiving a ONE TIME payment of $44,531. 

What could people do with the money?

Average student loan debt: $39,000  Total student loan debt: $1.8 trillion

Average credit card debt: $6,500  Total credit card debt:  $1.21 trillion

Average car loan debt: $24,297.  Total car loan debt: 1.61 trillion

Average rent paid:2000/month    Total rent paid:  $500 billion - $1.4 trillion.

Total amount eliminated: $5.12 - $6.02 Trillion ONE TIME.

IMHO, monetary benefits that are ONE TIME usually do not solve underlying personal finance issue(s).   Taking and using all the wealth billionaires have is not a sustainable solution.

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Selling Stocks for Tax Loss Harvesting

I have started selling some stocks in taxable accounts to claim a loss for the 2025 tax return.  I sold some on Thursday, October 29, 2025 and the stocks closed lower.  I hope they stay lower, since I have to wait at least 30 days before buying them back, or else the IRS disallows the loss, calling it a "wash sale."

The IRS rule requires a minimum 30 day period before or after the sale of stock at a loss for the purchase of the same stock to replace it.  Otherwise, the IRS disallows the claim of a loss for that stock.

I sold Starbucks (SBUX), Target (TGT) and Etsy (ETSY) for $84.11, $95.48 and $69.33 respectively on October 29, 2025.  I will wait until at least November 29, 2025 to make sure I meet the 30 day period, before buying back the shares at, hopefully, a lower price than I sold.

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

DIY Washer Repair for Leaking Soap Dispenser Tray

"If you define the problem correctly, you almost have the solution." ~ Steve Jobs

Last week, my spouse told me the LG washing machine was leaking water.  She noticed some puddle wetness on a runner in the laundry room.  We couldn't see the where the leak was coming from.  Her first guess was it was from under the washer.

Being an engineer, I wanted to find the cause of the leak and try to fix it before calling a repair service.  First, looked underneath the washer.   Looked dry except for the corner under the drain filter.   I had cleaned the filter earlier this month and maybe, I didn't reinstall it correctly.  I checked and reinstalled it.   Started the washer and there was no leak at the filter, but still a leak on the floor from an unknown location.

I put some paper towels under the washer and they only got wet at the front left corner.  I was starting to worry that I might have to move the washer dryer stack to inspect underneath. 

Then, I happen to notice some water drips below the soap dispenser at the upper left corner.  I checked to make sure the soap dispenser drain wasn't clogged.  I also cleaned the soap dispenser tray to clear and clog that would cause water overflow.  Neither had a clog and water still leaked at soap dispenser when I ran the washer

Finally, I decided to run the washer with the soap dispenser tray removed.   I noticed that the overhead water spray was directed slightly outward to cause slight overflow and a leak.  My first solution was to clean to spouts in case calcium buildup from hard water was misdirecting the spray.  That didn't work.  Next I turned down the water pressure to reduce the spray force.  That helped but didn't eliminate the leakage.  Finally, I created a gasket with some foam tape to close the 3/32" gap the water was leaking through.  That worked  I will continue to monitor and adjust the fix if needed.

I expect if I called a repair service, they may have found the issue faster, but would have recommended replacing the entire soap dispenser spray unit.   I estimate that would have been at least $53.95 in parts and at least $250 in service call plus labor.  My solution cost me about 2 hours of finding the cause and 30 minutes of trying solution.  I already had the foam tape from another project and there was no additional parts cost.

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Higher Refunds for 2025 Tax Returns

Due to the OBBB tax changes being made effective in 2025, and the lack of withholding adjustments by the IRS, it is likely that many people will get higher tax refunds for the 2025 tax year when they file in 2026.  In some cases, the refund will be significantly higher.

For me, I had the same amount withheld as I did in 2024.   However, due to the tax law changes, I will be receiving about 1/2 of what I withheld back as a refund, or about 20X the refund I received last year.   Unfortunately, I did not determine thisuntil earlier this month.  To help correct this, I reduced my withholding for the rest of the year to $0.   Still, I will get about 15X the refund I got last year even though I am withholding 17% less than last year.

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Glad I Resisted FOMO Stock Buying

As I posted in FOMO Buy or Fear the Crash, I had been wrestling with whether to invest right away or wait until the next correction.   After Thursday, October 30 and Friday, October 31, 2025 market results, with several major tech stocks declining, I am glad I decided to wait for a correction of at least 10%.  

Thursday and Friday's META and MSFT's decline along with other significant declines for non Mag 7 stocks increased my concern that we are closer to a correction than previously thought. 

Even though the stocks may rebound quickly, as they have in the past few months, I am still glad that I have resisted putting more funds into the stock market. 

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

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

Copyright © 2025 Achievement Catalyst, LLC