Planning

Structural decisions that outlast any market: what you hold, in what proportion, in which account, and how much cash sits outside the whole thing.

13 articles

Growth Planning

Why Costco Closes on Labor Day While Everyone Else Stays Open

Costco shuts every US warehouse on Labor Day. Walmart, Target, Trader Joe's and Publix stay open. The gap between those two decisions is a real staffing and revenue trade-off, and it is one every business owner makes on a smaller scale.

September 7, 2026 · 5 min read

Kevin O'Leary, whose retirement savings rule is the subject of this article

Retirement Planning

Kevin O'Leary's $500,000 Retirement Rule, Checked Against the Numbers

O'Leary says $500,000 can fund a retirement if you live on the income and never touch the principal. Here is what that actually pays, how it compares to a real safe withdrawal rate, and what the flat number leaves out.

September 7, 2026 · 5 min read

US dollar banknotes stacked, representing the scale of federal borrowing

Markets Planning

The US National Debt Hit $40 Trillion. What That Means If You Run a Business

The number is too large to picture, so most coverage stops at comparisons, but the part that reaches your business is the interest bill, and that part is already here.

August 24, 2026 · 5 min read

Planning Beginner Guide

How to Choose a Broker: The Six Things That Actually Matter

Choosing a broker is one of the duller money jobs, and one of the ones that actually protects your returns. Here is what to check in an hour, before the app design talks you into anything.

August 1, 2026 · 5 min read

Diagram showing how paying capital gains tax reduces the amount left invested

Planning Retirement

Tax Drag: The Return You Lose Without Noticing

Paying attention to tax is one of the highest-leverage jobs in a portfolio, and one of the least scrutinised. Here is where the drag comes from, why the account wrapper matters more than the fund, and what not to do.

August 1, 2026 · 5 min read

Gold bars alongside banknotes, representing a mix of asset classes

Planning Retirement

Asset Allocation by Age: How Your Split Should Change Over a Lifetime

Setting a stock-and-bond split is one of the most important planning jobs, and age is a rough stand-in for the question that actually matters: when do you need the money?

July 22, 2026 · 5 min read

Chart breaking a diversified portfolio into stocks, bonds and cash

Planning Beginner Guide

Diversification: What It Actually Protects You From (And What It Doesn't)

Building a diversified portfolio is one of the most repeated jobs in investing, and one of the most misunderstood. Here is what it actually protects you from, what it does not, and how to check you have it.

July 11, 2026 · 5 min read

A piggy bank in a life ring, representing an emergency cash reserve

Planning Beginner Guide

The Step Before Investing: How Big Should Your Emergency Fund Be?

Building a cash reserve before you invest is one of the least exciting money jobs, and one of the ones that actually keeps a portfolio intact. Here is how to size it, where to keep it, and when to stop.

July 8, 2026 · 5 min read

Calculator and growth chart illustrating the Rule of 72 for compound interest

Beginner Guide Planning

The Rule of 72: A One-Line Way to Estimate How Money Grows

Feeling what compounding actually does is one of the hardest parts of thinking about money. Here is the one-line estimate, when it is accurate, and why it is also a warning about debt.

July 3, 2026 · 5 min read

Bitcoin coin representing cryptocurrency as a portfolio holding

Behaviour Planning

Bitcoin in a Long-Term Portfolio: How Much Is Reasonable

Sizing bitcoin in a long-term portfolio is one of the more heated money jobs, and it is a sizing question, not a prediction. Here is what it actually is, why anyone holds it, and a reasonable way to cap it.

July 1, 2026 · 5 min read

Declining market chart representing a recession or economic downturn

Behaviour Planning

Recession-Proof Investing: What Actually Holds Up When Markets Drop

Looking for something that holds up in a recession is one of the most common searches in a downturn. Here is what a recession actually does, which businesses hold up better, and why trying to fully exit usually fails.

June 30, 2026 · 4 min read

Retirement savings paperwork, representing the choice between a Roth and a Traditional IRA

Retirement Planning

Roth IRA vs. Traditional IRA: Which One to Open First

Choosing between a Roth and a Traditional IRA is one of the first retirement decisions that actually matters. Here is how the two work, the one question that decides it, and what to do if you are unsure.

June 23, 2026 · 5 min read

A technology chief executive speaking, representing large-cap blue-chip companies

Stocks Planning

Blue-Chip Stocks: The 10 Long-Term Holdings That Built Portfolios

Picking so-called blue chips is one of the most common long-term investing jobs, and the label expires if nobody rechecks it. Here are the three tests, how to hold them, and why GE is the warning.

May 28, 2026 · 5 min read