Recent Writing

This article is about why financial "plans" and glossy projections aren't the same as a real receipt, and it makes the case that people should stop trusting an advisor based on rapport alone and instead ask a single concrete question, "what were you paid on my account last year, in dollars, from every source," in writing, since a genuine, itemized answer (even a large one) signals trustworthiness while vague reassurance or reluctance to answer is the real warning sign.

This article walks married couples through the part of the Social Security decision that usually gets skipped: when one spouse dies, the survivor keeps only the larger of the two checks, so the higher earner's claiming age quietly sets the income floor for whoever is left behind. Deric breaks down why couples tend to decide this on a relative's opinion instead of their own numbers, then walks the reader through pulling both spouses' benefit statements, comparing them side by side, and answering a short list of questions before locking in a claiming age. The piece closes with an FAQ covering the survivor benefit rule, the protective floor that limits how far an early claim can drag the survivor's check down, and how taxes affect the amount actually kept.

This article is for general education. It is not a recommendation about your specific plan, and it is not a substitute for a conversation about your own situation.

Deric Ned explains why clients should understand how financial professionals are paid before accepting advice, and why incentives matter when reviewing any financial recommendation.

The word “fiduciary” gets used loosely. The legal definition is narrow, the suitability standard is wider, and the Best Interest standard sits in between. Here is what each one actually means for the advice you are getting.

Most articles on gold in retirement either sell you the metals or sell you the fear. This one walks through the actual questions a thoughtful person should be able to answer before any gold is purchased.