No Non-Cents Blog

Inheriting an IRA can feel like discovering a treasure chest… that comes with a 10-year timer and a stack of IRS instructions. With the SECURE Act (2019) and SECURE Act 2.0 (2022–2023 updates), the rules for inherited retirement accounts have changed. Knowing the rules can save you from unnecessary taxes, penalties, or the stress of mismanaging the account. The Basics: What Changed with SECURE and SECURE 2.0 Before 2020, beneficiaries could “stretch” an inherited IRA over the

Volatility is nothing new. Markets rise, fall, and then rise again — often for reasons that seem disconnected from the real world. Yet even though we intellectually understand that markets move in cycles, our behavior often tells a different story. One of the most interesting truths in wealth management is this: The greatest threat to long-term returns is rarely the market itself. It’s the decisions investors make during stressful moments. This reality is the foundation of

In December 2025, Michael and Susan Dell announced one of the largest philanthropic contributions ever made toward children’s financial futures: a $6.25 billion gift to fund $250 deposits into the investment accounts of up to 25 million U.S. children. This announcement comes alongside the federal “Trump Accounts” initiative, which provides a separate $1,000 seed deposit for newborns. Together, these two programs are designed to expand access to long-term investment accounts a

Congratulations! You’ve found The One — the person who laughs at your jokes, tolerates your family, and said yes  to marrying you. You’ve conquered the hard part (finding each other) and survived the wedding planning process (which, statistically speaking, is more stressful than assembling IKEA furniture without instructions). Now it’s time for your next great adventure: combining your finances. Cue the dramatic music. Because nothing says “happily ever after” quite like deba

One of the most common conversations I have with clients revolves around a simple but powerful question: Where does all the money go?  We work hard, we earn a good living, but at the end of the month the checking account seems to drain faster than we’d like. Often, the answer lies not in one large purchase, but in hundreds of small ones. This is what I call the “Starbucks dilemma”—spending more than we realize on coffee, meals, and convenience, while missing the opportunity t

For years, financial experts have warned us about the “Starbucks effect”—how small, repeated purchases can quietly drain our finances. But in today’s world, there’s a new culprit that deserves just as much attention: the Amazon Prime problem. Amazon Prime is a marvel of convenience. With free shipping, same-day delivery, and millions of products at our fingertips, it’s no wonder 200+ million people around the world subscribe. But the darker side of this convenience is how eas

Money is one of the last real taboos in our culture. We talk about politics, relationships, and health far more openly than we do about...

Selling a business is often the culmination of years—or decades—of hard work. Whether you’re planning to retire, pivot into a new...

As you navigate the complexities of wealth management, philanthropy often emerges as a key component of a comprehensive financial plan....