Stacy Gaucys, Licensed Agent with New York Life

06/25/2026

Gen Xers are by far the most indebted group of Americans, in large part because they have some of the highest student loan balances.

Student loan matching programs are on the books. Does your company have one?

06/23/2026

Here's how to try to protect your credit health when no one else wants to.

Here's how to protect your credit health when no one else wants to.

06/18/2026

Driven by a recent spike in fuel and food prices, the 2027 Social Security COLA forecast has jumped to 3.9% — a significant increase over the 2026 raise of 2.8%.

As inflation persists, the 2027 Social Security COLA forecast has dropped slightly to 3.8% — a 0.1% decrease compared to the April estimate.

06/17/2026

Thinking of unretiring? Before you decide to return to work, make sure you know the answers to these critical questions.

06/15/2026

When you're navigating a gray divorce, don't rush to split assets. A settlement that looks good on paper may contain losses you won't have time to recover from.

06/12/2026

Who better to ask about retirement regrets than millionaires who've been there, done that? Here's what they wish they knew before entering their golden years.

06/11/2026

If you've made a large capital gain from selling a property and want to do a 1031 exchange, you might want to pause and consider how that will affect your portfolio in the long term.

If you're considering a 1031 exchange after making a large capital gain from selling a property, stop and ask how it will affect your portfolio in the long term.

06/09/2026

The article highlights how different withdrawal strategies may affect taxes during retirement.

Test your retirement tax knowledge with our short quiz.

06/08/2026

Great players don’t get there alone. Behind every player on the world stage is someone who believed in them, challenged them, and helped them grow.

The Assist shares the stories behind U.S. Men’s National Team players Tyler Adams, Tim Ream, and Matt Turner — and the coaches and mentors who shaped their journey.

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch these stories. And if you’d like to talk about your own goals, I’d be happy to connect.

Watch the series here:
https://bit.ly/4cSyoZx

05/26/2026

$1M in your 401(k)…
what tax-free income have you planned?

It’s a simple question—but most people don’t have an answer.

Because we’re taught to focus on the number.
Grow the account. Max it out. Hit the milestone.

But a 401(k) is **pre-tax money**.

Which means when you retire and start taking income, every withdrawal is taxable. And depending on how much you’ve saved, you may be creating a larger tax bill than you expected.

So the real question isn’t:
“How much do I have?”

It’s:
**“How much of this can I actually use?”**

A $1M balance might look like security.
But after taxes, that number tells a different story.

And if your entire strategy lives in one tax bucket, you lose flexibility:
– No control over when or how much you’re taxed
– Required minimum distributions later on
– Potential to be pushed into higher tax brackets

This is why tax diversification matters.

Not all retirement income should be taxed the same way.

Some taxable.
Some tax-deferred.
And some **tax-free**.

Because in retirement, it’s not about the biggest number on paper—
it’s about what actually hits your bank account each month.

Take a few minutes this week and ask yourself:
If your 401(k) is your main plan… what’s your tax-free income plan?

If you’ve thought this through already, what approach are you taking?