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_{Exploring the assembly line, dividing happiness, and moving faster}

Happy Thursday! Thanks for reading Intentional Dollar — where we look at old money ideas through a new perspective.

What’s inside?

• One idea to experiment with

• Two quotes from others

• Three questions to dig deeper

• Four lines of poetry for the point

Disclaimer: This is not investment advice. These weekly posts represent my simple thoughts, a few quotes, and some questions — for educational purposes only.

7 Ways to Take Control of Your Legacy

Planning your estate might not sound like the most exciting thing on your to-do list, but trust us, it’s worth it. And with The Investor’s Guide to Estate Planning, preparing isn’t as daunting as it may seem.

Inside, you’ll find {straightforward advice} on tackling key documents to clearly spell out your wishes.

Plus, there’s help for having those all-important family conversations about your financial legacy to make sure everyone’s on the same page (and avoid negative future surprises).

Why leave things to chance when you can take control? Explore ways to start, review or refine your estate plan today with The Investor’s Guide to Estate Planning.

Download your free guide now!

_{One idea to experiment with:}

The Assembly Line:

Mass media financial advice is like running an assembly line. Every output looks the same. Doesn’t matter the circumstance: the recommendation for you is the recommendation for me.

I recently witnessed this firsthand. A popular budgeting app, now positioning itself as a quasi-financial planner, offered me “personalized”recommendations. After filling out an intake form, the recommendations appeared. On the surface, nothing sounded outrageous. But what was missing was context, the digging that gives quality advice its stature. Without that, even a “good” recommendation can be disastrous.

One recommendation stood out: liquidate the entirety of my taxable brokerage account and use it to pay off debt. The reasoning? “You wouldn’t borrow to invest in the stock market.”

Here’s the problem: selling a brokerage account balance isn’t just moving cash. It can trigger taxable gains, sometimes massive. Depending on timing, bracket, and cost basis, the tax bill alone could outweigh the benefit of the debt payoff. In other words, this one-size-fits-all prescription could cause more harm than the debt it’s meant to fix.

That’s the danger of the new “advice factory” — whether it’s social media influencers, viral TikTok tips, or apps without fiduciary standards. There’s no safeguard, no duty of care, no prudence, and no real vetting. A single half-baked recommendation can derail years of progress.

AI and software will absolutely reshape the advice industry. Tools can give people access, education, and options in ways that used to be out of reach. But we’re not yet in a world where every app is consistent, reliable, and trustworthy.

Until then, context matters. Nuance matters. Depth matters. And advice that skips those things isn’t advice at all—it’s Ford’s assembly line.

_{Two quotes on dividing happiness:}

Money compounds when you add to it. Happiness compounds when you give it away.

_{Three questions on moving faster:}

1. What areas do I think I’m moving as quickly as I can?

2. How would I move faster if I had to?

3. What constraints block my ability to move at a faster pace? (Internal and external)

Which question stuck with you? Questions like these are spotlights for the mind. Reply to this email and let me know which one shined light on a previously dark cave.

_{Four lines of poetry for the point:}

Contact Me:

Content ideas, questions? Reply to this email or reach out to me at [email protected]

Disclaimer: This is not investment advice. These weekly posts represent my simple thoughts, a few quotes, and some questions — for educational purposes only.