Michael R. Craggett Jr. RICP - Financial Strategies Group

What would you do with a windfall?

A business sale. An inheritance. A bonus that lands bigger than expected.

Most people assume they'd handle it well.

But sudden money follows patterns. And the patterns aren't always flattering.

Psychologists call it sudden wealth syndrome: the anxiety, decision paralysis, and relationship pressure that arrive alongside a large sum. It shows up whether the windfall was a complete surprise or something you spent years building toward.

The 5 most common mistakes we see:

⏳ Upgrading your lifestyle before a strategy exists

🤝 Giving to family under emotional pressure

📊 Attempting to make decisions without professional guidance

⚖️ Freezing and making no decisions at all

📋 Missing the critical deadlines in year one

All five can be managed, but only if you get ahead of the emotions before the decisions start piling up.

The most important thing you can do in the first 90 days? Maybe nothing.

Tell very few people. Then consider building a team of professionals who can offer insights and guidance.

There is rarely a cost to waiting. There is frequently a cost to moving too quickly.

Net worth is one of the most telling numbers in personal finance. Add up your assets and liabilities to see where you really stand today.

What Is My Net Worth? Get a snapshot of your overall financial picture by calculating your total net worth.

Some days on the calendar mean more than others. Today is one of them. 💙

If someone you love has faced a cancer diagnosis, you know the journey doesn't end when treatment does. The fear doesn't just disappear. The follow-up appointments keep coming. And somewhere in the middle of all of it, there are these unexpected moments of pure gratitude that are hard to put into words.

Cancer doesn't just touch one person. It's the spouse who rearranged their whole life. The kids who grew up faster than they should have. The friends who showed up and kept showing up.

Behind every survivor is a family that went through it too.

Today is for all of them.

If you've watched a parent or grandparent navigate this disease, you already know.

It changes everything, and not just for them.

Families are often so focused on the day-to-day of caregiving that the legal and financial side quietly falls behind.

▪️ Who has the authority to make decisions if something changes?
▪️ Is there a long-term care plan?
▪️ Does anyone know where the documents are?

A power of attorney, a healthcare directive, a conversation about what care actually looks like.

These are so much easier to put in place when everyone is healthy and clearheaded than after a diagnosis.

If you have aging parents, this month is as good a time as any to start that conversation. We're happy to be part of it. 💙

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?" 📋