by Ralph Bender, MBA, CFP® | Featured – Blog
While grinding up 3,700 feet of California hills clipped into my road bike during this year’s Bike MS 150 Bay to Bay ride, e-bikes effortlessly buzzed past me while I consistently surged past my teammates on rental bikes using flat pedals. Like many of you...
by Ralph Bender, MBA, CFP® | Taxes
Building a family through adoption brings immeasurable joy alongside significant financial considerations. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (OBBBA) delivered meaningful improvements to the Adoption Tax Credit that can reduce your tax burden and strengthen your...
by Ralph Bender, MBA, CFP® | History
Veterans Day was not always called by that name. Originally, it was Armistice Day, established to commemorate the end of World War I—then known as the Great War, the war that was supposed to end all wars (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs). After more than four...
by Ralph Bender, MBA, CFP® | Retirement
On many a morning run, I see hot air balloons drifting across the valley. They’re a common sight before 9 AM, rarely later. Once the ground heats up, conditions become too turbulent for safe flight. The pilots know their window. You’re facing a similar...
by Ralph Bender, MBA, CFP® | Kids and College
The federal student loan system just got its biggest overhaul in decades. H.R.1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” creates a new landscape where borrowers get stronger protections against runaway interest and clearer repayment options. The centerpiece is...
