Your 401(k) is a powerful tool, but it’s not a mind reader, and it’s not always a loyal assistant.

A quick check-in once or twice a year keeps your plan aligned with your choices, your goals, and your life.

Because no one will care about your retirement as much as you do—that’s not scary. That’s empowering.

Every year around late January through February, brokerage firms send out a little bundle of joy called a Form 1099.

If you’ve ever opened your 1099 and thought, “Why does this feel like it was written by robots for robots?” you’re not alone.

So let’s translate the big three you’ll usually see reflected on that 1099:

• Dividends

• Capital gains

• Capital losses

Every year, Social Security makes headlines.
And every year, those headlines tend to raise more questions than they answer.

This year’s changes feel especially confusing. Cost-of-living adjustments are kicking in. Medicare premiums are rising. Long-standing rules like WEP and GPO have been repealed, and some people are seeing unexpected changes, or even retroactive payments, show up in their accounts.

This month, my company turned four.

When I started Abaya Wealth Management, I wasn’t chasing rapid growth or external validation. I wanted to build something sturdier than that. I wanted a firm that helped clients feel more secure about their future and allowed me to live the life I was intentionally choosing in the present both personally and professionally.

The truth is the concepts I share in my blogs aren’t theory. They’re not aspirational fluff. They’re the framework I use every day.

·      Real security is built over time, not rushed.

·      Joy shows up when you stop making decisions from fear.

·      Consistency creates confidence—financially and personally.

Every January starts the same way. We turn the page, take a deep breath, and declare: This is the year.
We vow to exercise more, save more, stress less, be better.

And then… life shows up.

There’s a reason New Year’s resolutions have such a short shelf life. Research consistently shows that most resolutions fade by February. Not because people lack motivation or discipline, but because resolutions are vague. “Lose weight” doesn’t survive carpool, deadlines, aging parents, and a calendar that fills itself.

Goals, on the other hand, can.

That’s why I love to use SMART goals . They aren’t about perfection or reinvention. They’re about clarity, intention, and momentum.

Every January starts the same way. We turn the page, take a deep breath, and declare: This is the year.
We vow to exercise more, save more, stress less, be better.

And then… life shows up.

There’s a reason New Year’s resolutions have such a short shelf life. Research consistently shows that most resolutions fade by February. Not because people lack motivation or discipline, but because resolutions are vague. “Lose weight” doesn’t survive carpool, deadlines, aging parents, and a calendar that fills itself.

Goals, on the other hand, can.

That’s why I love to use SMART goals . They aren’t about perfection or reinvention. They’re about clarity, intention, and momentum.

This past year brought so much to be grateful for. I’m deeply thankful for the growth of my business and, even more, for the people who trusted me with their stories, their worries, and their dreams. That kind of trust is never something I take lightly.

I’m grateful for the friendships that sustained me, the laughter around the table, and the steady love of family that reminds me who I am when things get busy or noisy. I’m grateful for the small, intentional steps I took to make my world better, the healthier routines, clearer boundaries, more presence. None of them were flashy, but together they mattered.

Your 2026 health insurance deserves a quick checkup.

This is the time to pause and ask:

• What is my health insurance actually going to look like in 2026?

• Are my doctors and hospitals still covered?

• Are my prescriptions still covered the way I expect?

Each year, insurers can change what they cover, what they charge, and which providers are in-network. A plan that worked well in 2025 may quietly become more expensive, more restrictive, or simply not a good fit for the year ahead.

Between talk about travel, new babies, or even recent Social Security changes for 2025, there’s room for one more conversation that really matters at the holiday table.

This isn’t about being morbid. It’s about love, clarity, and reducing chaos for the people you care about most. Whether you’re talking to your aging parents about their estate plan, or to your adult children about how you’d want to be cared for if you were incapacitated, these conversations are a gift.

Young men are being targeted with nonstop ads, “risk-free” promos, and apps that make betting feel like a normal part of watching the game. And for many of them, the line between a fun bet and a “money strategy” is getting blurry.

As a financial professional and a parent, I’m not anti-fun.

I am very pro-future.

There’s a huge difference between gambling and investing:

• Gambling is short-term, emotional, and designed so the house wins. 

• Investing is long-term, intentional, and designed to give your money a chance to grow.

For parents of young men ages 14–34, this isn’t a “someday” conversation.

It’s a right-now conversation.

Ever feel like your money should stretch further — but somehow it never does?

That was Susan & Mark. Two full-time jobs, supporting both their son and aging parent… yet every month felt tight.

When we looked closer, it wasn’t “bad spending” — it was invisible generosity.

Once they tracked their cash flow (not a budget, a flow), they finally saw where their money was really going — and made small, powerful shifts that brought relief and freedom.

Because when your money moves with intention, generosity becomes sustainable.