U.S. drug prices are rising again, but this isn’t chaos—it’s by design. Americans pay roughly three times what Europeans do because the U.S. market funds global pharmaceutical R&D. Companies hike list prices broadly, cut select Medicare or negotiated-program prices strategically, and rely on opaque discounts behind the scenes.

If you’re trying to figure out what the One Big Beautiful Bill actually did to construction jobs, the short answer is: nobody really knows—and that’s the real problem.

There’s no clean government number saying, “X construction workers lost their jobs.

Christmas Day is almost over. The house is asleep, and I’m left sitting quietly with the news that my aunt has just died.

There’s something quietly disarming about the timing. Not tragic in the theatrical sense—just precise. Almost considerate.

There’s an app for that—and many of you have likely already downloaded it. If the title resonates, use the app to reach out and talk it through, or call the support number clearly printed on your medical identification card.

You’ll notice this same app and contact information referenced elsewhere in the newsletter—and that’s intentional.

In short: treasure the now, risk the growth, and the extraordinary emerges.

What did you expect from our monthly newsletter? A cute cat meme and a donut recipe?

Yes, it’s a little heavy. But that’s kind of the point. The moment you stop hiding, the moment you actually engage—even for a second—the extraordinary has a chance to happen.

A small number of people—formerly participants in the Defined Contribution Plan—decided, for reasons that defy both logic and fiscal restraint, to move their money out of the Plan … only to place it with a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) charging a rather eye-watering 1% to 1.5% per year.

Quick update from something I noted within the December newsletter—and yes, this one actually matters. So, if you’re Medicare-eligible, now would be an excellent time to stop scrolling and pay attention.

First, the good news: those fear-soaked headlines screaming about “Medicare cuts in 2027” are doing what headlines do best—panicking people for sport.

Here we are in 2026! How lucky are we?

We’re willing to make one cheerful prediction with near-total confidence: almost no one rang in the New Year declaring,

“This is the year I finally understand my benefits.”

And honestly—that tracks.

This Administration plans to reduce in-person visits to Social Security field offices by 50% in 2026—despite earlier commitments to keep them open and accessible.

Last week, the media confirmed that in-person visits will be halved during the 2026 fiscal year—a direct reversal of now-Commissioner Frank Bisignano’s promise to the Senate that reducing these services was not his goal.

As the year draws to a close, it’s a natural moment to zoom out—to notice the legacy you’re standing inside of, whether or not you think about it every day.

December is full of labor milestones not because history is sentimental, but because change has a habit of arriving when people decide that “the way things are” isn’t good enough.