The Brookhaven Group

10/28/2026

Talking with your parents about their wishes as they get older isn’t always easy. ❤️
You may worry about making them uncomfortable, or they may not feel ready to discuss it. But understanding what matters to them can make a difference if your family ever faces difficult decisions.
💬 The conversation doesn’t have to cover everything at once. You might start with a couple of simple questions:
▪️“Have you thought about what you’d want if you ever needed help making decisions?”
▪️“Do you have important documents somewhere we could find them if needed?”
Over time, those conversations may cover medical preferences and documents like a will or power of attorney.
And if your parents aren’t ready to talk? That’s okay. Respecting their comfort and independence is part of the conversation, too.
This isn’t about taking over. It’s about listening, so their wishes are understood if they’re ever needed.

End-of-life planning can be difficult to discuss, but the right approach can make the conversation easier.

10/28/2026

As the holiday season approaches, we're excited to announce that we'll be collecting nonperishable food items throughout the month of November to benefit the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.

How you can help:
A collection box will be set up at our office from November 1st through November 23rd. Stop by anytime during business hours and drop off any nonperishable items you'd like to donate.

Drop-off location:
13700 State Road, Suite 11
North Royalton, OH

Items that are always appreciated include canned vegetables, soups, and proteins (tuna, chicken, beans), pasta and rice, peanut butter, cereal, and shelf-stable milk. Please check that all items are unopened and within their expiration dates.

Every donation, big or small, helps a neighbor in need. Please feel free to share this with friends, family, and colleagues who may want to take part.

Thank you for helping us make a difference in our community!

10/26/2026

🤖 An AI assistant that handles your emails and pays your bills? That sounds pretty convenient.

But how much access are you comfortable giving it?

Personal AI agents are designed to handle tasks on your behalf, sometimes using sensitive information like banking details and email accounts. And while they may save time, some cybersecurity professionals warn that granting them too much access carries risks.

One concern is something called prompt injection, where malicious instructions hidden in a website or email could trick an AI agent into doing something you never authorized.

🔐 A couple of questions worth asking before giving an AI agent access to sensitive information:
▪️What information does it need? Researching products doesn’t necessarily require access to your accounts.
▪️Can it make purchases? There’s a difference between comparing prices and authorizing transactions.

Convenience and privacy don’t always go hand in hand. Reviewing what an agent has done on your behalf may help spot actions you never intended.

The more access you give personal AI agents, the more capable they can be. But should you trust them?

10/26/2026

You are cordially invited to COCKTAILS & CONVERSATION.

We are excited to be hosting the North Royalton Chamber of Commerce for Cocktails & Conversation— a relaxed evening designed for local professionals, business owners and community members to connect, catch up and build relationships.

➡️Meet new people
➡️Strengthen local connections
➡️Enjoy a cocktail or mocktail and light refreshments with casual conversation
➡️Grow your network without the pressure of a formal networking event
➡️Enhance your knowledge in a brief Financial Market & Strategy Dialogue

Whether you’re a longtime Chamber member, new to the business community, or simply looking to meet more people in North Royalton, we’d love to have you join us. Come for a cocktail. Leave with a connection.

RSVP today to guarantee your spot https://www.brookhavengrp.com/events/cocktails-conversation

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

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.

10/20/2026

Social Security recipients will receive a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2027, translating to approximately $75 more per month on average.

The increase comes as inflation continues to affect everyday expenses. September's Consumer Price Index showed prices rising 3.7% over the past year.

But will the adjustment be enough? A September AARP survey found that roughly three-quarters of adults age 50 and older didn't believe a 3.5% COLA would keep pace with rising prices.

The actual increase will vary by recipient, and expenses such as health care, housing, and groceries may affect how far that additional income goes.

The Social Security Administration projects a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment for older adults and people with disabilities starting in 2027.

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.

10/16/2026

Fidelity's 2025 wealth transfer study found that roughly 67 percent of parents age 55 and older have never told their adult children what they will inherit, or whether they will inherit anything at all.

About 33 percent would prefer the kids are kept in the dark about the amount.

Their reasons should feel familiar:
✔️ Worry that a specific number will dampen a child's drive
✔️ Discomfort talking about money at all

The same study found:
Most adult children say they are ready to handle whatever they inherit and would rather shape things while their parents are still around to explain the "why" behind decisions.

Families who have inheritance strategies share some similar habits:
💬 Kids know who the financial professionals are and how to reach them
💬 Everyone knows where the estate documents are
💬 They try to manage any surprises well ahead of time

So, do you tell your children or not?

There's no single right answer here.

Sharing exact numbers isn't necessary, but most families find that a broad discussion can help with priorities and expectations.

10/14/2026

Your child may already have a Trump Account. That doesn’t mean it’s set up.

The Treasury Department says automatic enrollment now covers every eligible child with a valid Social Security number. But a parent or legal guardian still has to formally activate the account, either at trumpaccounts.gov or through the program’s app.

📌 Babies who are U.S. citizens with a Social Security number and were born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028, may qualify for a one-time $1,000 government contribution once the account is claimed.

A few details families are weighing: Yearly contributions are capped at $5,000, though government and charitable contributions don’t count toward that limit. The money generally can’t be touched until a child turns 18, and earnings are taxed when withdrawn. That’s a key difference from 529 accounts, which grow tax-free but are limited to education costs.

Which account fits best depends on what a family is saving for, and that’s a conversation worth having with a financial professional.

Your child may be enrolled in a “Trump Account” whether you realize it or not. Rolled out earlier this year, the Trump Accounts program allows parents to claim special investment accounts for children who are 18 years old or younger.