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YOUR FINANCIAL ADVOCATE 25 OCT
Walking My Daughter Down the Aisle SURREAL, BITTERSWEET, PERFECT
I’ll be honest with you: I didn’t expect the shakes. I’ve spoken in front of plenty of people in my life, and usually I can keep it together. But that day, standing there with the microphone in my hand, watching it tremble so badly I could hardly hold it, I realized something: This wasn’t just another moment. This was the moment . My little girl had just gotten married. Even now, a couple of weeks later, with Sophie and Kyle off honeymooning in Greece, I’m still trying to put words to what I felt that day. Surreal is the best way I can describe it. Surreal, but also calm. There was certainty … certainty that this was right for her and that she had found someone who would keep
her safe, loved, and secure. That’s all a father really wants for his daughter.
Mario Kart. I saw a woman of grace and grit, someone who can light up every room she enters. And I knew she got here not just by luck, but because of the circle of influence around her: family, teachers, friends, her mother Julia, and yes, Kyle, too. None of us gets here alone. I told Kyle in my speech that there’s a little Ralph in all of us men. And in Ralph’s story, Vanellope made him a medal so he’d always remember he was her hero. Years ago, Sophie gave me a replica of that medal. I’ve carried it with me ever since. That night, I passed it on to Kyle, because now, he’s her hero. As a father, handing over that role is bittersweet. But when I watched Sophie and Kyle together, especially during that “test drive” three years ago on a family cruise, I knew. They fit. Julia and I saw it then, and we see it even more clearly now. A few weeks ago, Julia and I celebrated 35 years of marriage. That number still feels surreal, because love doesn’t feel like math — it feels like choice. It’s a choice you make over and over again, not just in the big moments but in the messy, glitchy, ordinary ones. That’s what I want for Sophie and Kyle: not perfection, but resilience. So, here I sit, still with a lump in my throat, still trying to find the words, but knowing this: My daughter is married, she is loved, and she is safe. And for a father, that is everything.
The wedding itself didn’t go quite as planned. Sophie wanted an outdoor ceremony, but the weather had other ideas. The rain pushed us inside. But, in one of those small gifts life sometimes gives you, it cleared just long enough afterward for pictures. We got the best of both worlds: the shelter of the indoors and just enough sunshine to realize how unbearably hot it would have been outside. Even that worked out for the best. And then there was the ring bearer, our dog proudly trotting down the aisle with the rings. It was perfect, a reminder that weddings don’t need to go according to plan to be beautiful. When it came time for my speech, I struggled, not because I didn’t know what to say, but because I knew too much. Every time I thought about it beforehand, I’d lose it a bit. And sure enough, when I looked out at Sophie in her wedding dress, it all came rushing back: years of memories, from our cocktail hour rituals and Mario Kart battles to movie nights where we saw ourselves in Ralph and Vanellope from “Wreck-It Ralph.” I’ve always been Ralph, big-hearted, clumsy, rough around the edges. She’s always been my Vanellope, small, mighty, and full of spark. That movie taught us something we already knew: You don’t have to be perfect to be powerful, and love makes you braver.
Seeing her on her wedding day, I didn’t just see the little girl who used to beat me at
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HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING AT THE LAW FIRM, AND WHAT DO YOU DO HERE? I started working at DuPont Law Group in June of 2025. My typical workday begins with reviewing client files and preparing for meetings. I spend most of the day consulting with clients on their estate plan and working with business clients on tax planning strategies. My favorite part of my job is helping my clients feel empowered. Estate planning and retirement planning can feel overwhelming, but when my clients walk away with a clear plan, it gives them confidence knowing their future is taken care of. WHAT IS SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU? I really enjoy cooking. I like experimenting with and learning new recipes. It gives me a creative outlet. It’s actually a lot like estate planning: Both involve creativity, careful preparation, and delivering something that provides lasting satisfaction. REAGAN ALLEN ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEY & FINANCIAL ADVISOR STAFF SPOTLIGHT:
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE WHO IS HESITANT ABOUT CREATING AN ESTATE PLAN? Estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy or the elderly. It’s for anyone who wants to prepare for their future and protect their legacy for their loved ones. The hardest part is just starting the conversation. But once you’ve done that, it’s definitely the most important thing you can do.
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(Without Putting Them to Sleep) How to Teach Your Teen the Power of Investing
MAKE IT RELATABLE Teens today love brands like Apple, Nike, and Netflix. Help them see that behind every product they use is a company, and those companies sell shares of ownership called stocks. When they realize they can own a piece of the companies they already love, investing becomes much more tangible. Some parents even buy a single share of stock in their teen’s favorite brand as a birthday or graduation gift. It’s symbolic and sparks curiosity. TEACH SMART HABITS, NOT SHORTCUTS It’s important to stress that investing isn’t about “getting rich quick.” Teenagers are exposed to social media hype, in which investing is sometimes portrayed as a gamble or shortcut. Instead, talk about diversification, spreading money across different investments to reduce risk. Compare it to playlists: If one song is bad, the whole playlist isn’t ruined.
LET THEM PRACTICE Plenty of investing apps and simulators let teens try building portfolios without risking real money. Some even allow parents to open custodial accounts so teens can start investing for real under guidance. Hands-on experience will stick with them far longer than theory. FRAME IT AS FREEDOM Finally, frame it as all-around empowerment. Investing is less about charts and tickers, and more about creating choices: choosing what career to pursue without financial fear, deciding to travel, opting for security for their own future families. When teens understand that investing gives them freedom, not just money, you’ve given them a lesson that will outlast any allowance.
When it comes to teaching kids about money, most parents focus on the basics: saving, budgeting, and maybe even how to avoid credit card debt. But here’s the truth: The earlier your teenager learns about investing, the more powerful their financial future can be. And no, it doesn’t have to be a boring lecture about the stock market. In fact, it can be fun, practical, and surprisingly eye-opening for them. SHOW THE POWER OF TIME Teenagers often struggle to think beyond next Friday night, but investing is all about the long game. A great way to show this is through a simple compounding example. Explain that if they invest $100 a month starting at 16, and stop at 26, they could end up with more by retirement than someone who starts at 30 and invests for decades. The “time machine” of compounding is one of the most powerful motivators.
SUDOKU
CREAMY BRAISED SHORT RIBS
Inspired by RecipesByJanet.com
INGREDIENTS
5 lbs bone-in short ribs Ground black pepper 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced 6 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves 1 cup white wine or broth
1/2 cup water
• • • • • •
• • • • •
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chopped kale (optional) 4 tbsp salted butter, divided
8 fresh sage leaves
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. 2. In a large braiser, season short ribs with black pepper. Scatter onion, garlic, and thyme over ribs. Pour in white wine or broth and 1/2 cup water. 3. Cover the braiser with a lid and roast for 2 1/2–3 hours. 4. Increase temperature to 400 F. Remove the lid, skim excess fat, and stir in heavy cream, kale, and 2 tbsp butter. Roast uncovered for 10–20 minutes. 5. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Melt remaining butter and fry sage leaves until crisp. 6. Serve ribs hot with creamy sauce, garnished with sage.
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YOUR FINANCIAL ADVOCATE A publication of Advocate Wealth Solutions, blending original and curated content, and is intended to educate the general public about investing, finance, estate planning, personal injury, and small-business issues. It is not intended to be legal or financial advice. Every situation is different. The information in this newsletter may be freely copied and distributed as long as the newsletter is copied in its entirety.
INSIDE
The Little Girl Who Beat Me at Mario Kart Just Got Married PAGE 1 Staff Spotlight: Reagan Allen Our Podcast Client Appreciation PAGE 2 Investing Early Could Be Your Teen’s Biggest Superpower Creamy Braised Short Ribs PAGE 3 Wicked Wanderlust PAGE 4
Haunted Horizons A HALLOWEEN TRAVEL TRIO
If your idea of fun seasonal travel is touring a spooky castle in October rather than hitting a sandy beach in July, here are three vacation ideas that will take your Halloween fun to spine-tingling new heights this year!
most extensive Ouija board collection — and the Salem Witch Museum.
BOURBON BONE-CHILLERS If you want to add Southern charm to your Halloween chills, a trip to New Orleans, Louisiana, is in order. From above-ground cemeteries and ghost tours to ghoulishly adorned shops in the French Quarter (including the must-visit Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo on Bourbon Street) and an annual Halloween parade, The Big Easy will surely put you in touch with your spooky side. DETOUR TO DRACULA’S DEN From the classic 1922 film “Nosferatu” to the Francis Ford Coppola-directed cinematic masterpiece “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” that premiered 70 years later, our cultural interest in vampires has spanned decades — and, in
WHERE WITCHES WANDER When it comes to Halloween-themed
the case of Transylvania, Romania, centuries . Anyone with a passport and a desire to catch a glimpse at the real-world aesthetic that helped define the image of Dracula and other distinctive undead characters should visit Bran Castle, an amazing monument of Gothic architecture and the long-rumored residence of infamous 15th century- era prince and mass murderer Vlad the Impaler — widely believed to be the real-life inspiration behind the Dracula character. While many of the legends associated with Transylvania may be more fiction than fact, the locale remains the go-to spot for anyone with an affinity for apparitions.
adventures, no other place on the East Coast offers more macabre merriment than Salem, Massachusetts. Known for its infamous witch trials of the late 1690s, the city transforms its dark past into a destination that balances historical facts with tongue-in-cheek kitsch. The weeks leading up to Oct. 31 are filled with more magic shows, tours, special events, and Halloween-themed shopping opportunities than you can shake a broom at. If you decide to partake in the area’s devilish fun this year, visit the Salem Witch Board Museum — which boasts the world’s
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