Andrew Balettie, Financial Advisor

08/31/2026

Did you know that the majority of Americans have dictated what happenes to their stuff when they die? According to Pew Research Center, only 32% of American adults say they have a will.

We spend decades building careers, buying homes, saving money, and raising families. Yet deciding what happens to everything when we die somehow keeps getting pushed to “later.”

Estate planning is not just for wealthy people. If you have children, own property, or have savings, having a plan matters.

If you don't have one, send me a message and I can show you where to get one at little or no cost to you, depending on your needs. In some cases, it can be generated in less than 15 mins from the comfort of your home!

Source: Pew Research Center

ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan, nonadvocacy fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It does not take policy positions. The Center conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, computational social science r...

08/20/2026

What's the fastest way to bore followers on social media? Start with "According to the Federal Reserve..."
..so, according to the Federal Reserve, 67% of non-retired households have qualified retirement savings (https://bit.ly/4qrlPcL?). When breaking this data down by age, there is a DRASTIC drop-off for people aged 18-24 (29%).

Any contribution compounding at 8% starting in your 20's will yield a substanitally greater amount in retirement than the same contribution starting in your 30's. All of this is to say, that if you take simple compounding into consideration, time is the most important variable when planning for your future.

Let's do better to reach this age demographic so they can utilize the power of compounding to the fullest!

The Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington DC.

08/13/2026

I think most advisors are marketing the wrong kind of value.

When we lead with investment selection, we implicitly ask clients to judge us by whether we can outperform the market. Yet "S&P’s SPIVA Persistence Scorecard" (https://bit.ly/45lgPwB) shows how difficult persistent active outperformance can be.

More importantly, that may not be where an advisor creates the most value.

"Vanguard’s Advisor’s Alpha" (https://vgi.vg/4wWDpaK) says trust isn’t built on security selection or perfect timing, emphasizing instead portfolio construction, planning, tax efficiency, and understanding client goals. "Morningstar’s “Gamma” research" (https://bit.ly/4gul3Ir) similarly focuses on the potential value created through better financial planning decisions.

Maybe our value proposition should change:

Less emphasis on predicting which investments will win. More emphasis on building the strategy and financial structure that helps clients win. The portfolio matters. But it should serve the plan—not be the plan.

Our SPIVA® Scorecards show that most active managers underperform most of the time, especially over the long term. But on the rare occasions when active managers do outperform, how do we know whether the outperformance was driven by skill or luck?

08/11/2026

Hey Facebook - it's been a minute. I took a little break to enjoy the summer with family after wrapping up an incredible year, but I'm back and I've got THOUGHTS.

I came across a statistic the other day that I can’t get out of my head: Americans spend more than $100 billion a year on lottery tickets—more than we spend on books, movies, music, video games, and sports tickets combined.

I mean, I kinda get it... buying a lottery ticket is a lot more exciting than buying a book or putting another $20 into your brokerage account, but it makes me wonder how different things might look if we spent a little less hoping our number gets called and a little more increasing our own odds.

Anyway... It's good to be back!

Source:

Wharton’s Benjamin Lockwood explains why lotteries are so compelling to consumers, even when they know the odds are stacked against them.

06/12/2026

Always a good time networking at the chamber! join us in Rowlett at 8am Thursday mornings at Bowl-A-Rama to grow your business!

It was a packed house again this morning at Make a Connection. Join us to build your business every Thursday morning at 8 AM at Bowl-a-Rama!

06/04/2026

Watching the rain roll across the city today reminds me of a simple truth:
Life won't always be sunny.

Unexpected expenses, market volatility, career changes, and family needs can appear as quickly as a summer storm. The goal of financial planning isn't to avoid every storm—it's to make sure you're prepared when one arrives.

Because peace of mind isn't built during the rain. It's built before it starts.

05/25/2026

An absolutely beautiful morning performing with the Frisco Community Band in honor of those who did not make it back.

I hope this Memorial Day we are able to reflect on the many liberties we enjoy as Americans because of the sacrifices of those before us.

05/15/2026

What a fantastic past couple of days of learning from some of the best minds in the industry - The Nautilus Group Annual Meeting has been a HUGE value-add to my business and our clients!

05/04/2026

Happy “May the 4th” to those who remember when the Force was… a stable WiFi connection.

Throwback to 2020, when I was teaching on Zoom dressed like Darth Vader, because apparently that’s what “adapting to unprecedented times” looked like. Somehow, we all leveled up overnight—new tech, new routines, and a newfound ability to present while chaos quietly unfolded off-camera.

It felt surreal then. It feels even more surreal now. But here’s the thing: we didn’t just get through it, we got better because of it. More resilient, more creative, maybe even a little more human.

How did the Force guide your work-from-home era?

04/27/2026

What a fantastic local business! It was a lot of fun celebrating their 20th anniversary of being in business with a ribbon cutting!

Bounce 'n' More