Good morning:
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​UPDATE: I've decided to take a short break from the Live Q&A and FQF videos. I'll still be publishing other videos and even doing some live shows that focus on specific topics.

You can subscribe to the YouTube channel where the show is broadcast here.

​Your Book Recommendations​

3 Things

1. Why Do Passkeys Prevent Phishing? (Oblivious Investor)
2. Ethical Challenges In Medicaid Eligibility Planning (Kitces)
3. TIPS ETFs Protect Against Inflation. So Why Did Mine Lose Money? (Morningstar)

ICYMI

• The turbulent AI era is here. The choices we make now are critical. (Gates Notes)
• What Happens If Congress Does Nothing About Social Security? (Retirement Researcher)
• 2026 2027 Tax Brackets, Standard Deduction, Capital Gains, QCD (The Finance Buff)
• The Most Hated Asset Class in the World (A Wealth of Common Sense)
• 2026 2027 401k 403b 457 IRA FSA HSA Contribution Limits (The Finance Buff)
• A Billion Dollars (Kevin Kelly)
• Bamboo Is Innocent (99% Invisible)
• Visa Business Model Explained: How V Makes $0.15 Per Transaction (Fiscal.ai)
• Why I Was Wrong to Be Bearish on U.S. Stocks (Of Dollars And Data)
• Using Fidelity, Schwab, or Vanguard as Your Advisor? (Best Interest)
• You Probably Own This 7-Eleven (and That’s Why It Looks So Sad) (The New Atlantis)

My Videos & Articles

• The 3 Kinds of Guaranteed Retirement Income (And Why You Rarely Get All Three) (YouTube)
• ProjectionLab Full Course | Live Q&A (YouTube)

What I'm Reading, Listening To, Watching, and Thinking About

• I finished Sugar (Apple TV) and Lucky (Apple TV). Very different shows. Enjoyed them both. Both have a lot of violence.
• I continue to read Master Of The Senate, Robert Caro's 3rd volume on LBJ. It includes a chapter on Senator Richard Russell of Georgia. He was a powerful Senator instrumental in blocking Civil Rights legislation, including anti-lynching laws, using the filibuster. He justified his actions on states' rights, the idea that these types of laws should be left to the states, not dictated by the federal government. That Russell never introduced such laws when he was in the state legislature or the Governor of Georgia reminds us that actions speak louder, much louder, than words. In the chapter, Caro relates about a dozen horrific crimes against African Americans that went "unsolved." I believe everybody should read at least one book on this part of our country's history. The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson is an excellent option.

Tools I'm Using From Partners

• Monarch Money: Get 50% off the First Year of Monarch Money Core Plan--Discount Code: ROB50​
• ​Boldin: I use this tool for our retirement planning. ProjectionLab is also a great financial planning tool and is offering a 10% Discount Code RBERGER-10.
• ​Kubera: My choice to track investments and net worth. They offer a 14-day free trial. An excellent free alternative is Empower.

Resources From Partners

• Get free Medicare guidance from Chapter (410) 220-5494
• For a limited time, try the AI-powered budgeting app Origin for just $1 the first year.
• You can see a list of all of my Youtube videos here.
• You can see a list of the budgeting, investing and retirement planning tools I use here.
• You can view past issues of the newsletter here.
• ​DIYRetirement Subreddit​

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Best,
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Rob Berger
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P.S. Feel free to hit reply and send me a message. I read every email.