Keen & Pocock

Keen & Pocock Our mission is simple. You have a vision of the future. Think of us as financial guides, coaching you on the next steps. And we’re here whenever you need us.

It’s our job to help get you there through clearly defined financial strategies that are custom designed to fit your current needs, and your future life goals. Having a plan is an integral component to keeping you focused on what matters most, and your emotions in check. Knowing the plan and how it’s working on your family’s behalf can help you enjoy every step of the way worry-free. We strive to

take the complex things and make them simple with a fanatical attention to detail. If you don’t understand everything your money’s up to, we’ll teach you. A good coach will always teach. We want you to have complete peace of mind as you come to understand exactly what we’re doing and how your money is working for you.

******Securities and Advisory Services offered through The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc., ("SFA") - Member FINRA, SIPC. Advisory Services offered through Strategic Blueprint, LLC and the Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. Mark Keen, Michael Stevens, Kathryn P. Gustafson, and Lori P. Allison are registered representatives of SFA, and Investment Advisor Representatives of Strategic Blueprint, LLC, both of which are otherwise unaffiliated with Keen & Pocock. Supervisory office (703) 691-9200.

True or false: Americans in March 2026 are applying for fewer mortgages than they were during the Great Recession.True. ...
06/02/2026

True or false: Americans in March 2026 are applying for fewer mortgages than they were during the Great Recession.

True. And it's not even close.

96 OF THE 100 LOWEST NUMBER OF WEEKLY MORTGAGE APPLICATIONS SINCE 1999 HAVE HAPPENED IN THE LAST 3 YEARS! (according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Mortgage Application Index)

Yet, unemployment today is a fraction of what it was during the financial crisis.

People aren't staying out of the market because they can't qualify. The market is gridlocked. Here's why. 👇

1️⃣ Millions of homeowners locked in at 3 percent during the pandemic. Selling means giving that up for another mortgage that may have a higher interest rate. So they're not moving.

2️⃣ If existing owners aren't selling, inventory can become thin, prices might stay elevated, and buyers wait for something to change.

3️⃣ Most are waiting for rates to drop. But when they do, demand may pick up, competition returns, and that window closes faster than expected.

Here's the truth about market timing: it almost never works the way people picture it.

The better question isn't "When is the right time to buy?" It's "Am I financially ready to move when the right opportunity comes?" 📋

According to a Fidelity article, for the ‘25-’26 school year, the average published all-in cost at a 4-year public schoo...
05/29/2026

According to a Fidelity article, for the ‘25-’26 school year, the average published all-in cost at a 4-year public school for out-of-state students is $45,780, and the average private school costs $60,920.

So, because today is 529 Day (it’s 5/29, get it? 😂), it’s a good time to revisit one of the most flexible tools for tackling those numbers.

What 529 plans actually do:

📚 Tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals for qualified education expenses. State tax treatment will vary, and so will fees and expenses.

📚 Use them for college, trade school, K-12 tuition, and apprenticeships. A 529 can even repay up to $10,000 in student loans.

📚 Whether a 529 qualifies for a state tax deduction will depend on your state of residence, as state tax laws and treatment may vary from federal tax laws.

📚 Superfund up to $95,000 in a single year by using five years of gift tax exclusions at once. But remember if you make nonqualified distributions, earnings will be subject to income tax and a 10 percent federal penalty tax.

📚 Minimal impact on financial aid—parent-owned 529s are assessed at a maximum rate of 5.6 percent.

Grandparents, parents, aunts, or uncles can contribute.

And starting in 2026, the K-12 annual withdrawal limit doubles to $20,000.

The best time to start was years ago. The second-best time is now.

Most parents think the last tuition check means game over for college. The data says it's halftime.50 percent of parents...
05/28/2026

Most parents think the last tuition check means game over for college. The data says it's halftime.

50 percent of parents with adult children still provide regular financial support, spending $1,474 a month to do so. That's more than twice what they're putting toward their own retirement.

Here's what "just helping out a little" actually looks like:

✅ 75 percent of parents aged 45+ are financially supporting at least one adult child, even though over half of those children can meet their own basic needs, according to a 2025 AARP survey.

✅ 42 percent of supporting parents report financial stress. 9 percent have retired early because of it.

✅ 47 percent say they've sacrificed their own financial position for the sake of their kids.

✅ 18 percent say the support could continue indefinitely. They don't see an end in sight.

This isn't about being less generous. It's about being intentional.

Whether your kid just graduated, graduated five years ago, or is still in school, the question is the same: Is your support happening by design or by default?

That's worth a conversation.

Think you have to start claiming Social Security at 62?That's a myth that could cost you.Fidelity recently broke down th...
05/15/2026

Think you have to start claiming Social Security at 62?

That's a myth that could cost you.

Fidelity recently broke down this common misconception with the facts behind Social Security:

➡️ Claiming at 62 locks in a permanent 30 percent reduction compared to waiting until full retirement age.

➡️ Waiting from 62 to 70 can increase your monthly benefit by approximately 77 percent.

➡️ If you're divorced after 10+ years of marriage and haven't remarried, you may be entitled to 50 percent of your ex-spouse's benefit, and claiming it doesn't affect theirs at all.

➡️ Benefits are based on your highest 35 earning years, not just what you made before 65. Working past 65 can still improve your calculation.

➡️ Once you claim it, that's your benefit, adjusted only for cost-of-living increases.

The decision of when to claim is one of the most consequential decisions when preparing for retirement.

For a benefit designed to last 20, 30, or more years, the math is worth getting right. 📊

Your retirement outlook probably covers income, investments, and Social Security.But does it answer this question: if yo...
05/14/2026

Your retirement outlook probably covers income, investments, and Social Security.

But does it answer this question: if your health changes at 82, who coordinates your care, how is it paid for, and what burden does it place on the people you love? 👇

That's the conversation most families aren't having early enough.

A few numbers that put it in perspective:

✅ 70 percent of adults who reach 65 will need some form of long-term care.

✅ A semi-private nursing home room now costs a median of $114,975 per year, and that number is climbing fast.

✅ Projected out 20 years, nursing home care could approach $186,000 annually.

✅ Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) offer an alternative: move in while independent, with access to assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing on one campus as needs change.

✅ A portion of CCRC entrance fees and monthly fees may have tax considerations since they can be classified as a medical expense. Most people don't know this.

The biggest mistake we see?

Waiting.

CCRCs require applicants to be healthy enough to live independently. Many have waitlists.

"I'll just stay in my house" feels like the safest option. But it's only safe if you've stress-tested what happens when care needs escalate.

Have you started this conversation with your family or your financial professional? 👇

A lot of what drives outcomes is below the surface.For example, in 2022, when the S&P 500 fell more than 18 percent, two...
04/30/2026

A lot of what drives outcomes is below the surface.

For example, in 2022, when the S&P 500 fell more than 18 percent, two-thirds of mutual funds still made capital gains distributions, according to a 2025 Fidelity report.

That is not a headline most investors expect, and it is a reminder that taxable distributions from mutual funds do not always reflect market performance.

What’s really going on:
A mutual fund can distribute taxable capital gains when the manager sells underlying holdings at a profit, even if you don’t sell any shares of the fund.

It can happen in a down year; gains on individual holdings can occur while the overall fund value declines.

Buying a mutual fund late in the year can still leave you responsible for distributions tied to that full calendar year.

Fidelity cites a Morningstar study showing taxes may reduce portfolio returns by up to 2 percent annually on average when not accounted for.

There are ways to manage surprise distributions, including tax-smart account placement, tax-managed funds, and evaluating ETFs, where appropriate.

Remember, mutual funds and ETFs are sold only by prospectus. Please consider the charges, risks, expenses, and investment objectives carefully before investing. A prospectus containing this and other information about the investment company can be obtained from your financial professional. Read it carefully before you invest or send money.

This is not about avoiding mutual funds. It is about the benefits of working with a financial professional who can show you what mutual funds pay capital gains and what funds are designed to manage payouts. Your tax, legal and accounting professionals can show you how a capital gain will affect your tax situation.

Think “tax-loss harvesting” is only for bad markets or complicated portfolios?At a simple level, it is this: using certa...
04/28/2026

Think “tax-loss harvesting” is only for bad markets or complicated portfolios?

At a simple level, it is this: using certain investment losses to manage taxes while keeping focus on your long-term strategy.

How it works in plain English:

➡️ Sell an investment at a loss, then replace it with a different investment that plays a similar role in the portfolio.

➡️ Use the realized loss to offset realized investment gains.

➡️ If losses exceed gains, up to $3k per year (for married filing jointly) may offset ordinary income on federal taxes, and the rest carries forward.

➡️ Losses can be saved to offset future gains.

➡️ Watch the wash sale rule, which is buying the same or substantially identical security within a 30-day period before or after the “tax-loss harvesting” sale (61 days total).

➡️ We can show you how tax-loss harvesting works. Your tax, legal, and accounting professionals can show you how your decision will affect your tax situation.

The goal is not to chase tax savings. It’s to keep more of the portfolio working over time while staying aligned with the strategy.

April is National Stress Awareness Month, and caring for aging parents is one of the biggest stressors many families fac...
04/16/2026

April is National Stress Awareness Month, and caring for aging parents is one of the biggest stressors many families face.

In our experience, stress drops when the basics are handled before there is urgency.

Here are 5 things to consider:

➡️ Financial power of attorney, so someone can act if needed

➡️ Healthcare proxy, so medical decisions are clear and legally supported

➡️ Account access, so a trusted contact can see what is happening without scrambling

➡️ Bill pay strategy, so nothing becomes a late fee problem on top of everything else

➡️ A shared “where things live” file, documents, logins, contacts, including key professionals

These are not fun conversations, but they are often a gift to future selves and to siblings who may need to step in.

When preparations have been made, families can give more time and attention to what actually matters.

Your Social Security claiming age doesn't just affect you. It could affect your spouse's income for life. 👇If you're the...
04/14/2026

Your Social Security claiming age doesn't just affect you. It could affect your spouse's income for life. 👇

If you're the higher earner, the age you claim shapes what your spouse receives as a survivor benefit after you're gone.

Claim at 62, and that smaller payment could follow them for decades.

A few things that surprise people when we walk through the math:

✅ Max monthly benefit in 2026: $2,969 at age 62 vs. $5,181 at age 70. Same person, very different outcome.

✅ Up to 85 percent of benefits may be taxable. A new $6,000 senior deduction helps, but it expires in 2028.

✅ Divorced after 10+ years? You may be eligible for benefits based on your ex-spouse's record without affecting their payments.

The break-even point between claiming early and delaying benefits falls between ages 78 and 81.

With the potential for one spouse in a married couple reaching 90, this decision deserves more than a guess. 💡

Any guess how much you’ll spend on healthcare costs in retirement?A 2025 study by Fidelity puts the after-tax cost at ab...
04/09/2026

Any guess how much you’ll spend on healthcare costs in retirement?

A 2025 study by Fidelity puts the after-tax cost at about $330k for an average retired couple and $165k for a single person, excluding long-term care.

Did you know…

⚠️ The $330k and $165k estimates are after-tax and do not include long-term care.

⚠️ Healthcare costs have typically risen faster than the average rate of inflation, the Fidelity report showed.

⚠️ Costs can vary by medical conditions and where someone lives, so rules of thumb can miss.

A lot of people underestimate this line item, enough that if you haven’t included assumptions for it in your retirement strategy, you should.

It deserves an in-depth financial conversation.

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