Clicking “same as last year” might be the most expensive choice you make all fall. We break down open enrollment with a practical, no-fluff framework: protect against the big risks, pay cash for the small ones, and route every eligible dollar through the most tax-efficient account. From health insurance trade-offs to the truth about dental and vision, you’ll get clear guidance you can act on today.

We discuss:

• what open enrollment includes across employer plans, Medicare and ACA
• how to compare health plans using usage, networks and drug coverage
• when HDHPs plus HSAs beat rich PPOs on total cost
• why out-of-pocket maximums change worst-case math
• dental and vision as prepaid maintenance, not true insurance
• group life as a baseline, private term for portability and price
• disability insurance trade-offs, taxation and own-occupation definitions
• which add-ons to skip and when FSAs are a clear win
• coordinating benefits and costs across two employers
• quick notes on Medicare Advantage and Part D review

While it may seem obvious, having kids drastically changes your financial plan. This episode will cover some of the obvious and less obvious changes and give you practical ways to think about making the tradeoffs you will have to make. Topics covered include:

• Budgeting for kids before having them
• The Kindergarten myth
• If childcare eats one salary, should someone step back?
• Putting your own oxygen mask on first (balancing retirement vs education savings)
• The most important estate planning decisions you need to make sooner rather than later
• How the tax code typically helps parents out
• And much more!

After a brief summer hiatus, we're diving into the newly passed One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBA) to unpack what these changes actually mean for your financial planning.

The good news? Many of the lower tax rates you've enjoyed since 2017 are now permanent (or at least until some future Congress changes them). But beyond that headline, there are several meaningful changes worth understanding – especially if you're over 65, live in a high-tax state, make charitable contributions, or have substantial wealth to transfer to the next generation.

We break down the new "Senior Bonus" exemption that provides $6,000 in tax relief for those 65 and older, explain how the SALT deduction cap increases from $10,000 to $40,000 for itemizers, and explore new rules for charitable giving that benefit both itemizers and non-itemizers alike. For higher-net-worth individuals, we clarify how the estate tax exemption increases to $15 million per person and what that means for your legacy planning.

While some provisions are genuinely helpful, others come with important limitations – income thresholds where benefits phase out, sunset dates when provisions expire, and trade-offs that might affect your healthcare costs. We cut through the confusion of this 870-page legislation to highlight what matters most for your personal situation.

Most importantly, we discuss practical implications: What actions should you consider taking now? How might these changes affect your tax planning for the next several years? And how should you think about the inevitable future changes to come? Join us for this essential conversation about protecting and optimizing your financial future in light of America's ever-evolving tax code.

Colin's article we discuss: https://www.oakleighwealth.com/articles/obbba?rq=beauty