Mr. Stillman's Opus

Ready to grow your wealth with confidence? Let’s talk!

Ready to grow your wealth with confidence? Let’s talk!

Ready to grow your wealth with confidence? Let’s talk!

Ready to grow your wealth with confidence? Let’s talk!

Ready to grow your wealth with confidence? Let’s talk!

Ready to grow your wealth with confidence? Let’s talk!

Ready to grow your wealth with confidence? Let’s talk!

Ready to grow your wealth with confidence? Let’s talk!

Ready to grow your wealth with confidence? Let’s talk!

Ready to grow your wealth with confidence? Let’s talk!

Sometimes the best lessons come from the most ordinary places, like the chicken coop. A simple thing like farm-fresh eggs can teach a powerful lesson about investing. Here’s the scoop: farm-fresh eggs can sit safely on your counter for weeks because of a natural protective coating called a “bloom.” But wash that coating off, and suddenly they spoil fast and need to be refrigerated. Your investments are a lot like those eggs. Over-handling can shorten their shelf life and hurt long-term growth. Instead, patience and restraint usually pay off. Just like eggs last if you leave them alone, your portfolio can thrive if you trust the protective power of time, diversification, and sound strategy. Pre-retirees and retirees, take note: sometimes the smartest move is knowing when to do absolutely nothing. Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

Ready to grow your wealth with confidence? Let’s talk!

Ready to grow your wealth with confidence? Let’s talk!

Ready to grow your wealth with confidence? Let’s talk!

Ready to grow your wealth with confidence? Let’s talk!

This week, we're back on the farm with another hands-on financial lesson, because sometimes the best way to understand money is to get your boots dirty. In part two of our Finance Lessons from the Farm series, John breaks out a literal toolbox and a little dirt to teach a big concept: using the right financial tool for the right job. He walks through common missteps, explains how these mismatches happen, and shares how to rethink your approach so every tool in your financial plan is aligned with its intended purpose. Just like you wouldn’t dig a hole with a four-foot level (seriously, don’t try it), you shouldn’t use life insurance as a long-term investment or stash your Roth IRA in bank CDs. These tools aren’t inherently bad, but they’re often wildly mismatched to the goals people expect them to accomplish. Tune in to make sure you’re using the right tools for the job. Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

Ready to grow your wealth with confidence? Let’s talk!

If you're only using your Health Savings Account (HSA) to pay for co-pays and prescriptions today, you’re missing out on its biggest superpower. In this episode, John reveals how to “hack” your HSA and turn it into a tax-free retirement goldmine. He also shares tips on contribution strategy, the portability of HSAs, what qualifies as a medical expense, and how to retroactively reimburse yourself in retirement. Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

Bees might not seem like financial gurus, but when it comes to patience, long-term planning, and compound growth, they might just outsmart most investors. In this episode, John teaches on what his personal beekeeping hobby taught him about investing, and why the early years of building wealth often feel frustrating or futile. Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

A new tax proposal, referred to as “The Big Beautiful Bill,” has officially passed the House. But before anything’s set in stone, it has to make it through the Senate, where revisions are all but guaranteed. The bill’s main goal? To extend several provisions of the 2018 tax code, with a few adjustments and updates along the way. In this episode, John breaks down what’s currently in the bill, what might shift in the Senate, and how it could impact your financial outlook. From a continued high standard deduction to a potential SALT cap increase, John lays out what’s worth your attention. He also covers proposed changes to healthcare subsidies and what they could mean for folks not yet on Medicare. If you’re wondering how this bill could affect your retirement plan, tune in for a clear, candid look at what we know so far. Here’s what we discuss in this episode: