FINANCIALLY FOCUSED
April 2026 Newsletter
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Welcome to April! Springtime is here-warmer weather, longer days along with everything turning green and starting to bloom.
For This month let’s talk about Behavioral Finance – Why Emotions Matter with Investing. Behavioral Finance explores how psychological factors and emotional biases influence financial decisions. Unlike traditional finance, which assumes investors are rational and objective, behavioral finance recognizes that fear, overconfidence, and cognitive shortcuts often shape how people actually behave with money sometimes to their detriment.
Here is a list of common emotional behavior:
Overconfidence - where investors believe they can time markets or pick winners better than they realistically can. This often leads to excessive trading, higher costs, and lower long term returns.
Loss aversion - the tendency to feel losses more painfully than equivalent gains feel good. As a result, investors may hold onto losing investments for too long or avoid necessary risks altogether.
Herd behavior - another powerful force. When markets are rising or falling sharply, investors may follow the crowd rather than stick to a well planned strategy, buying high or selling low in the process.
Recency bias - causes people to place too much weight on recent events, assuming current trends will continue indefinitely.
Understanding behavioral finance doesn’t eliminate emotions, but one of the things that we as advisors do is we help clients recognize these emotional reactions, provide context during volatile periods and reinforce using disciplined strategies aligned with the Plans goals. By offering perspective and encouraging consistency rather than reactions it helps investors avoid common behavioral pitfalls and stay focused on what they can control – the planning, diversification, and the time needed for Your plan to work best for You.
Thank you!
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THREE WAYS TO MAX OUT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT
For many retirees, Social Security will be one of the most important pieces of their retirement strategy.
A USA Today article headlined 3 steps to max out your Social Security benefits in 2026 has some great information that you can use during your next check-in with your financial services professional.
The maximum Social Security benefit has reached a striking milestone in 2026: $5,251 per month or more than $63,000 annually, with future cost-of-living adjustments expected to push those checks even higher. Reaching that level takes planning and discipline. Here’s what it requires.
Stay on the Job for 35 Years
Social Security calculates benefits using your 35 highest-earning years, adjusted for inflation. Retiring before reaching 35 working years can reduce your benefit because zero-income years are factored into the formula.
On the other hand, continuing to work beyond 35 years can help if your newer earnings are higher than earlier ones, replacing lower-earning years in the calculation and lifting your eventual benefit.
Pay in the Maximum Amount
To qualify for the largest possible benefit, you must consistently earn at or above the Social Security taxable wage cap in each of those 35 top years. In 2026, that threshold is $184,500. For many Americans, this income requirement is the biggest hurdle.
Still, increasing earnings over time whether through raises, overtime, or career advancement can meaningfully strengthen future benefits.
Wait Until You’re 70
Although benefits can begin at 62, waiting until age 70 maximizes monthly payments. Each month of delay increases your benefit, and those increases compound over time. That strategy isn’t ideal for everyone, especially those with shorter life expectancy or limited retirement savings, but thoughtful timing can significantly impact lifetime income.
Even if the maximum isn’t realistic, strategic earning, timing, and personal savings can help build a stronger retirement foundation.
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WHAT WE’RE READING
Here are five of the best financial news stories we’ve come across this month:
- Sometimes, it pays to get a little older! This U.S. News and World Report article, 10 Tax Breaks for People Over 50, has potentially useful rewards for those who have hit the half-century mark.
- While many people look forward to retiring with a partner so that they have someone to enjoy new hobbies and travel with, this Kiplinger article, 5 Financial Red Flags in Relationships, highlights the importance of ensuring you and your partner are on the same financial page.
- At some point, many older Americans will consider a reverse mortgage. But they aren’t a solid move for everyone. Find out more in the AARP article Will a Reverse Mortgage Loan Help or Hurt This Retired Couple?
- Dreaming about a retirement outside the United States? Check out this Investopedia article, 8 Quaint European Villages for a Comfortable and Inexpensive Retirement.
- If you don’t want to move out of the country after you retire, the GoBankingRates article 5 ‘Bucket-List’ Trips That Are Affordable for Retirees, has tips for seeing the world while staying on budget.
SOURCES
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/retirement/2026/02/09/max-social-security-benefit/88593377007/
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Links to third-party articles are provided for convenience; we do not control or guarantee the accuracy of third-party content, and such links should not be viewed as an endorsement.
Financial Services Professional and their company are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any government agency.
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BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE CROISSANT CASSEROLE
Flaky, buttery croissants baked with a rich vanilla custard, layered with sweet cream cheese and bursts of blueberries, this Blueberry Cream Cheese Croissant Casserole is the perfect balance of indulgent and fresh. Soft in the center with golden, crisp edges, it is a crowd pleasing brunch dish that feels bakery worthy but is simple to make at home.
Let's Get Cooking
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Advisory services are offered by Optimum Wealth LLC a Registered Investment Advisor in the State of New Hampshire. Insurance products and services are offered through Optimum Financial LLC dba Optimum Benefits, an affiliated company. Optimum Wealth LLC and Optimum Financial LLC are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any government agency, and are not engaged in the practice of law.
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This award was issued on 09/01/2025 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 12/25/2024 through 07/18/2025. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Self-completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 1183 New Hampshire-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 82 (7 % of candidates) were named 2025 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year statistics use this format: YEAR: # Considered, # Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period. 2024: 1,094, 87, 8%, 9/1/24, 12/12/23 - 7/9/24; 2023: 1,017, 89, 9%, 9/1/23, 12/12/22 - 6/30/23; 2022: 979, 87, 9%, 9/1/22, 12/20/21 - 6/17/22; 2021: 943, 96, 10%, 9/1/21, 11/30/20 - 6/25/21; 2020: 928, 91, 10%, 9/1/20, 12/9/19 - 7/1/20; 2019: 928, 85, 9%, 9/1/19, 11/19/18 - 7/10/19; 2018: 955, 74, 8%, 9/1/18, 12/26/17 - 7/17/18; 2017: 739, 89, 12%, 9/1/17, 12/27/16 - 7/6/17; 2016: 666, 158, 24%, 8/1/16, 2/6/16 - 7/19/16; 2015: 853, 166, 19%, 9/1/15, 2/6/15 - 7/19/15; 2014: 1045, 189, 18%, 9/1/14, 2/6/14 - 7/19/14; 2013: 1049, 204, 19%, 9/1/13, 2/6/13 - 7/19/13; 2012: 743, 170, 23%, 9/1/12, 2/6/12 - 7/19/12. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria - required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser (RIA) or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a RIA or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP's consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP's consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client's experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria - considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager's future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients' assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.
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