Buy the Dip or Wait?

With the new EU tariffs being proposed, the market has dropped about 1.5% this morning.   It's hard to know.   A Trump reversal may have right away and reverse the downtrend.  Or the EU tariffs may be implemented on February 1, 2026 as proposed.

At this point, I plan to wait.   Resistance by the EU seems higher than previously which may delay any "deal" being made for Greenland.  Maybe at least until February 1.

OTOH, if Trump should TACO quickly, what we already own should also recover quickly.

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

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

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Asked for Price Adjustment

Recently, my family bought a outdoor fireplace for my birthday.   A few days later, my spouse looked and the price was lowered 10% for a sale.   She was disappointed.   I commented, " I can call an ask for a price adjustment."   My spouse, who was reluctant to try, gave me the order information.

When I was working, I this simple point of view:  Always ask for something you want.   The answer may be "No," if you ask.  However, the answer is always "No" if you don't ask.

I called the company's customer service number.  I explained that my family had purchased the item about 6 days ago and now the price was reduced.   Would they be able to refund the difference?   The customer service rep answered, "Our policy is that we don't price match, even for our price changes.  However, I can give you a 10% off coupon on a future purchase."

A reasonable answer, but not what I requested.  Also, our family is terrible at keeping track of coupons, often losing them or letting expired.

I politely responded, "If we don't want a coupon, is there something else you can do?"   The customer rep answered, "I can submit your request for a refund to my supervisor."  I responded, "Great, I'd like to do that.  BTW, what if they don't authorize a refund."   Customer rep responded, "Then, you get a 10% off coupon.  We'll respond in 24-48 hours via email."    A winning approach for me either way.

Within 24 hours, the company responded and refunded the difference.  Woohoo!

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

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

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Retirement Tax Bomb

When I started working, I was convinced making deductible IRA contributions was the best strategy.  The common thinking was that tax rates would be lower in retirement.   Deductible IRA contributions reduced my current tax liability.   Even though I would pay taxes later, it was expected that I would be in a lower tax bracket when withdrawing the funds in retirement.   The lower tax bracket part turned out to be correct.  Early on, I was in the 34-38% tax bracket when contributing, and now I'm in the 12% tax bracket in retirement.

However, I did not count on tax advantaged IRAs and 401Ks growing so big and having required minimum distributions (RMD).  In addition, there are Medicare surcharges called IRMAA (Income-Related Adjustment Amount) based on Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI).  Is it looking more complex with all these acronyms?   The net result is being put in higher tax brackets by income that wasn't needed but was required to be distributed.  For reference, every $1 million in retirement accounts (except Roths) will have about $40,000 in RMDs in the future. 

Then net result is that while the tax rate might be lower in retirement, the nominal amount paid is much, much more than anticipated when money was saved for retirement.

I was warned about this when I retired by a tax professional colleague when I asked about what he would do different in retirement.   He said that he wished he had withdrawn more funds from his retirement accounts before RMDs took place.  He felt he was paying more taxes than needed by withdrawing funds when he didn't need the income.  

Since I retired early at 49, I was able to act on his comment since I could do Roth conversions long before I received Social Security income.   This has reduced some of my potential future RMDs amounts.  Also, I will do a NUA (Net Unrealized Appreciation) when I take funds from my company retirement account, which I kept with the company from which I retired.

Overall, I expect to still have a retirement tax bomb, but much smaller than originally since I was made aware the issue soon after I retired.   It would be better for me if Congress takes action to eliminate RMDs for the original account holder, but I'm not holding my breath.

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

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

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

DIY Investing with Index Funds/ETFs

Most financial advisors and RIA (registered investment advisors) charge an annual fee based on AUM (assets under management).   Many years ago, the charge was mainly for managing investments, specifically choosing individual stocks and covered commission trading costs which were very high.   Back then commissions were charged for trading stocks a base cost plus 1% of the total cost  I recall my dad saying he paid $200 to trade 100 shares.  Choosing and buying stocks was much more complex and cost intensive.  

I remember talking to a brokerage advisor in the 1980s.   He said his fee was 3-4%.  I passed.  It seemed to still be expensive even though there were no commission charges.

When discount brokerages started the commission was lowered to $50 flat fee.  I started trading individual stocks.  I usually traded 100 share lots to minimize the fee cost per share.  Then the commission wars started.   Commissions got lower.  To $14.95, then $5.95 and now $0.

With the advent of low fee index funds/etfs, with expense ratios less than and around 0.10% and no trading commission costs, I'm now leaning towards only using total market/growth/S&P 500 index funds.  Individual stock risk is low, commission costs are zero, expense ratios are low and stonks only go up.   What can go wrong?

The answer is short term volatility.   There can be bear markets that last a year and of course, a lost decade like 2000 to 2010.   However, if one's timeframe is 20-40 years, the risk is much lower and significant gains are in one's favor.

Malkiel, Bogle and Fama are well known advocates of this Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) approach.  I going with their recommendations for my kids' long term retirement accounts by investing in total market or S&P 500 index funds/ETFs.

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 © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Negotiated by Walking Away

Many years ago, I was selling some vacant land under contract.  The buyers wanted to eliminate a fee to rezone that had been agreed to in the contract.  The fee was included to protect me, the seller, against an increase in real estate taxes, if the buyer got the property rezoned but decided terminate the contract and not make the purchase.  

When it came time to rezone the property, the buyer requested that I waive the fee.  Their logic was if the rezoning didn't go through, they would be out the cost of the fee.   My logic was if the rezoning went through and they backed out of the deal, I would burdened by a real estate tax as high as 12X my current liability.  I could not afford that increase.

After much discussion, I did not waive the fee.  I told them, "You guys are much smarter than me me on risk.  If you believe that paying the fee is too high a risk, I'm not going to disagree with you.  However, I'm not going to take on the risk instead."

The next day, their broker called back and said the buyers were canceling the contract, which they would be able to do for a $100 cancellation fee.  Nothing I could do.  I called my real estate attorney and told him that buyers were terminating the contract.  

I had potential backup buyers if needed.   However, 2 days later the buyers called and said they weren't eliminating the contract and needed the rezoning authorization right away.   I reminded them that the rezoning request fee had to be paid first and then I would FedEx the document.  They balked saying there wasn't enough time.  I said I'm sticking the contract.

I called my attorney and he recommended the buyer wire the money first before I emailed the authorization.  Their attorney said they wouldn't do that, and yet he called back 1 hour later to agree.  I waited for the funds  to be deposited via wire.  Then I emailed approval.

Walking away worked this time.  YMMV.

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

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

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Net Worth by Age Chart

Below is a chart of percentile net worth by age group.  I found this info on a LinkedIn post.  To note, this chart includes Home Equity in the net worth number, which may account for a significant portion of net worth for some households.

Disclosure:  I was not compensated by LinkedIn nor DQYDJ for this post.

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

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

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Tax Gain Harvesting

I hate paying federal taxes and will do everything I can to legally reduce my tax liability.   Here's a great hack I discovered to reduce federal taxes.  It's based on Long Term Capital Gains (LTCG) being taxed at 0% if one is in the 12% tax bracket.

In 2026, the 12% tax bracket end at $50,400 for single and $100,400 for married filing joint.   This means if one's taxable income (after standard or itemized deduction, QBI and senior deduction) is below this amount, one's dividend and long term capital gains are taxes at 0%.   Yes, that is no Federal tax, zero, nada.

So if one is in the 12% tax bracket, maximize your investment income by choosing to take qualified dividends and LTCG .  With stock commissions at 0%, it's easy to just sell a few shares at a short term loss to limit one's LTCG.

Retirees and new hires and are the best candidates to take advantage of this tax reduction opportunity.

Another great tax hack from My Wealth Builder to legally lower taxes owed.

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

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

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Trying Physical Therapy to Reduce Joint Pain

I used recover quickly from exercise and sports injuries.  Even an ruptured appendix operation didn't hold me back from playing football a few months later.    Now I'm having difficulty recovering from simple activities and surgeries from over a year ago.  I have hip joint pain, which might be related to taking a statin, and occasional should pain.   I do have constant minor knee and ankle pain from arthritis.  In addition, I seem to be have more difficulty with balance versus a couple years ago, before my major surgery.

My college roommates don't seem to be having any issues.  They are doing major activities like 10,000 steps per day for a year or more, bike riding several miles through different elevations, and kayaking in the ocean.  I'm impressed with what they are doing, and disappointed in my decline of physical ability.

I decided to see a physical therapist last year for my hip and shoulder.  I first went to an orthopedic surgeon to check if there were bone or arthritic issues.   There were none and they referred me to PT.

I had one session with PT for my shoulder and hip.  They gave me a number of stretches and exercises to do.  I started on them today.

Hopefully, the stretches and exercises with help.  I'm looking forward to a more energetic and less painful joints for  2026.

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

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

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Secrets to Become a Millionaire

Hurry.  Read this one simple trick before it is redacted by nefarious agents!

Here's how one does it:

1. Start in one's 20s or with one's first job.
2. Contribute $158.15 each month into a Roth Account.
3. Invest the funds in the S&P 500 index fund.    
4. Reinvest the dividends.
5. Wait at least 40 years before making a withdrawal.
6. And that's all it takes to get to a million dollars.

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

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

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Countered Real Estate Offer at Asking Price

And it worked.

Many years ago, I inherited some vacant land in another state.  My dad had purchased it as an investment.  Originally, it was zoned residential and had a house with a resident who was the previous owner.  She became a renter and passed away a few years later.   The house fell into disrepair and was eventually had to be demolished. 

After my parents passed away, I inherited the vacant lot.   It was adjacent to and across the street from already developed commercial properties.  Fortunately, for me the real estate taxes were relatively low since it was zoned residential.  

The property had been appraised for about 8 times the purchase price in 2006.   Of course, 2006/2007 was the peak of the real estate market before the great recession.  It's estimated value when I inherited it was about 2.5 times the purchase price.  Since I had no personal funds invested and the RE taxes were low, I was OK with being patient to wait for the price to rise to 8X again.

After few years, I received an unsolicited offer for the property at 3.5X the purchase price.  I wasn't interested in selling at that price and ignored it for 6 months.  The agent would periodically call and check on my interest.  In the meantime, a second agent contacted me with a low ball offer from about 2.5 times purchase price.   I told him I already had another offer and his was the lowest.

I was hoping that the two buyers would start a bidding war, to my advantage. However, both agents asked me to counter offer first, which was somewhat of a predicament for me since I was an accidental land owner inexperienced in real estate.  

I researched what to do on the Internet.   Basically, the recommendation was to always make a counter offer, even if it is at the asking price.   This made me remember when a neighbor turned down a offer for her house at $5000 below the asking price of $125,000.  She didn't bother to counter.  The seller did revise their offer and my neighbor didn't receive another offer for 6 months.

In my case, I called the agent of the higher bidder and countered at the asking price of 8X the purchase price.  The agent went ballistic becoming very rude and insulting, implying that my price was unrealistic, and said he would have been able to increase 30%, but not over 100%.  I listened but did not respond.

Then,  I disappointedly called the lower bidder agent, expecting a similar response,  and told him the same counter offer.   To my surprise, his answer was, " We accept," and we started working on a sales contract.

Lesson learned, " Always make a counter offer, even if it is the asking price."   Of course, YMMV.

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

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

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC