When you reach a certain age - and it appears I’ve reached it - you watch your friends age with you to various degrees. Some age remarkably well, while others suffer through serious illnesses. Sadly, some even die. Through it all, I’m constantly reminded of the lessons we share with our clients, who are also aging.

“Sequence of events risk” refers to how markets perform after dollars are invested. The reason why it’s significant is because when a person retires may determine whether their plan is ultimately successful. Unfortunately, you can’t preplan a sequence of events as it relates to investment performance.

If you’re of a certain age, you may recall the famous song by the legendary songwriter Burt Bacharach, titled: “Make it Easy on Yourself.” This isn’t about breaking up (“which is so hard to do”) but about assuming your Social Security number has been hacked. Because there have been so many large-scale hacks, you should assume your Social Security number is on the dark web and available for sale or use by criminals.