Colonial River Wealth Management

10/30/2026

🎃 Halloween, then and now!

We dug into the archives for some Halloween memories from the Colonial River team, featuring childhood costumes, throwbacks from years past, and a few furry friends who couldn’t be left out. 🐾👻

Wishing everyone a safe, fun, and treat-filled Halloween weekend!

10/29/2026

Nationwide's 2026 study surfaced three key lessons from parents:

🎯 Not starting early enough.
More than 25 percent of recent retirees wish they had started sooner. Fifteen years of compounding early in a career can make a HUGE difference.

🎯 Not raising the contribution rate as your income grows.
Thirteen percent of recent retirees wish they had contributed more to their savings each year.

🎯 Claiming Social Security at 62.
More than a third of boomers plan to claim benefits the moment they become eligible, even though doing so cuts the monthly benefit by 25 to 30 percent for life.

According to the SSA, waiting past full retirement age adds 8 percent per year, up to age 70.

Across the research, three things seem to matter most:
1️⃣ Starting early
2️⃣ Getting an outside perspective rather than relying on instinct alone
3️⃣ Treating retirement as something that unfolds over decades rather than a single date on the calendar

10/28/2026

Our Advisor Fall Forum is underway in Richmond! 🍂

Bringing our advisors together is an important opportunity to step away from the day-to-day and focus on continued learning and professional development. From expanding industry knowledge to staying current on compliance and regulatory considerations, the Fall Forum is about equipping our advisors with the information and resources they need to serve clients thoughtfully and responsibly.

Of course, there’s always room to enjoy Richmond along the way. A canal cruise offered a great setting to connect and take in some of the city’s fall scenery before we moved into the presentations for the day.

We’re proud to invest in education, collaboration, and a strong culture of compliance as we continue working to deliver an exceptional experience for the clients and families we serve.

10/27/2026

Investing can be about more than financial returns. It can also be an opportunity to align your portfolio with the values and priorities that matter most to you.

I recently had the opportunity to share my perspective on sustainable investing, including how investors can think about balancing meaningful impact with their long-term financial goals. As the investment landscape continues to evolve, I believe thoughtful planning and a clear understanding of your objectives remain essential.

Devin J. Garofalo, AIF®
Colonial River Wealth Management

Devin J. Garofalo remembers when the conversation around sustainable investing was dominated by the single, stubborn assumption that

10/26/2026

How many years before you are ready to be "retired"?

It's one of the most important numbers yet.

TIAA's 2026 longevity literacy research found that workers who expect a shorter retirement save less consistently than those who expect a longer one.

That makes sense, but it also means the people who assume their retirement will be short are the same ones who may be building portfolios with shorter time horizons.

Once someone has already reached 65, the numbers shift.

According to Social Security Administration data:

📌 A 65-year-old man has roughly a 24 percent chance of living past 90

📌 A 65-year-old woman's chances are higher, closer to 35 percent

📌 For a 65-year-old married couple, there is about a 50 percent chance that at least one spouse lives past 90

The practical implication is not "assume you will live to 100."

It's that a retirement income strategy built around the "average lifespan" often assumes a person will die on schedule. Most people do not.

If retirement is on your horizon, the question to ask is, "What happens to my income strategy if I live to 95?"

10/22/2026

I’m grateful and honored to share that I have been appointed Chair of the Finance Committee for Blessed Sacrament Huguenot Catholic School.

For me, leadership has always extended beyond the work we do professionally. It also means finding meaningful ways to contribute our time and experience to the organizations and communities we care about.

I appreciate the opportunity to serve Blessed Sacrament Huguenot in this capacity and look forward to working with its leadership and fellow committee members as we support the organization’s financial stewardship and future.

Thank you to everyone who has placed their trust in me. It is a responsibility I’m proud to accept.

Devin J. Garofalo, AIF®
Colonial River Wealth Management

Expanded leadership role allows Garofalo to contribute his financial experience to organizational oversight, strategic planning, and community stewardship.

10/22/2026

Trust & Will's 2026 Estate Planning Report found that 56 percent of adults don't have core documents in place, including:

📝 A will: who gets what, and who is in charge of making it happen

🏥 A healthcare directive (or living will): what you want if you cannot speak for yourself

✍️ Two powers of attorney, one for medical decisions and one for financial decisions, each naming a specific person

📄 A letter of instruction: the practical map to where accounts live, who your professionals are, and what your kids or pets need

The friction is that estate work forces a family to sit with mortality, name specific people for specific roles, and make decisions that feel too permanent to rush.

Without something in writing, though, families are left improvising during one of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Most say they fully intend to get to it, but too many put it off until it's too late.

Don't put it off. Talk to a financial professional who can help.

10/21/2026

Protecting our clients goes far beyond their portfolios.

I’m proud to share my recent article where I discuss an increasingly important responsibility for financial advisors: protecting not only our clients’ financial futures, but also the sensitive information they entrust to us.

At Colonial River Wealth Management, we believe technology should help us serve clients more effectively without losing sight of security, privacy, thoughtful oversight, and trust. In the article, I explore cybersecurity, AI, the independent advisory model, and the role LPL Financial’s technology ecosystem plays in our broader approach.

As technology continues to evolve, so must the way we think about protecting the people we serve. Take a moment to read more by clicking the link below, and as always, contact us with any questions.

Devin J. Garofalo, AIF®
Colonial River Wealth Management

Introduction For most of my career, when financial advisors talked about protecting clients, we were talking about investments, insurance, estate planning, taxes, and helping families make sound financial decisions. Today, protecting a client means something more. It also means protecting their info...

10/20/2026

As the seasons shift, our commitment to guiding your financial legacy remains unchanged. We hope your autumn is filled with great memories, time with family, and reflection on the things that matter most.

Happy Fall from us to you! 🍂🎃

10/19/2026

What happens to your cash flow when you stop earning a paycheck?

The 2026 EBRI Retirement Confidence Survey caught something interesting about that shift.

📊 Among workers, 33 percent say they turn to a financial professional for guidance.

📊 Among retirees, that number climbs to nearly 40 percent.

National Retirement Security Week (October 19–25 this year) is a reminder to check whether your strategy is evolving with your lifestyle priorities.

If retirement is within a few years, the practical step is not rebuilding the strategy today.

It's identifying the two or three moving pieces that are no longer theoretical, the day you stop working, and consider working with a financial professional who can help guide you.