Practical ways to organize your digital life, plus a Medicare reminder and Kiplinger feature.

Hi Reader,

With the holidays approaching, many of us are looking forward to time with family and friends in the weeks ahead. This time of year has a way of reminding us how much we want to take care of them.

In that spirit, this month’s webinar, with guest Kate Hufnagel, offers some simple, practical ways to make life a little easier for your loved ones, whenever you’re ready to start. We also share a recent Kiplinger article we were interviewed for, on balancing retirement savings with the desire to help future generations.

We’re grateful for the trust you place in us, and for the questions and conversations we've had with you over the last month. If you haven't had a chance to schedule a fall meeting and would like to meet before the year is over, please reach out.

Warm regards,

The Arnold & Mote Team

November's Webinar - Beyond the Will: Protecting Your Family from Digital Chaos​

This month, we're joined by a special guest: Kate Hufnagel, founder of The Digital Wrangler.

We attended Kate’s session at a recent conference of NAPFA, a national association of fee-only financial advisors, and came away very impressed. So we asked her to talk with you about how technology is complicating estate planning, and why it pays to start your “digital estate planning” now.

Webinar Details:

The average estate takes over 900 hours to settle — and much of that burden falls on grieving families trying to track down digital accounts, passwords, photos, and devices with no roadmap. In today's high-tech world, our lives are more digital than ever, yet many of us haven't made a plan for what happens to that digital life when we're no longer here. In this eye-opening presentation, Kate will guide you through the concept of a digital legacy and learn practical, easy-to-follow strategies to help reduce stress for your loved ones.

You'll learn why modern-day legacy planning goes far beyond legal documents and how to organize your life in a way that brings peace of mind to you and clarity to those you care about. Whether you're beginning to think about these details or want to enhance the plans you've already made, this session will help you take the next steps confidently and thoughtfully.

At the end of our hour together, participants will:

- Understand what a digital legacy is and why it matters for families navigating loss in today’s technology-driven world.

- Identify the types of digital assets — including passwords, photos, accounts, and devices — that belong in any legacy plan.

- Learn practical tools, tips, and routines to get organized and protect the people they love.

Unlike our recent webinars, this one will be held live on Zoom instead of YouTube to make it interactive. RSVP here to save your spot.

Everyone who RSVPs will receive an interactive workbook the week before the event. If you have questions for us or for Kate, just reply to this email, and we'll either answer them during the webinar or follow up with you directly.

We look forward to seeing you at noon Central time on Friday, November 13th!

Missed last month's webinar? You can view a replay of "ETFs vs. Mutual Funds: When the difference matters" here.

Helpful Resource: How to Do a Medicare Part D Review

One final reminder: Medicare's open enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7. Your Part D plan’s premiums, covered drugs, and pharmacy network can all change for 2027, and even if yours didn’t change, another plan may offer the same coverage for less. Start with the Annual Notice of Change from your plan, then compare your options at Medicare.gov before the deadline.

Our Medicare Open Enrollment Guide (PDF) walks you through comparing plans on Medicare.gov step by step. It also covers what to review if you have a Medicare Advantage plan and what to do if you’ve received an IRMAA notice.

Arnold & Mote Video: Bond Ladders vs. Bond Funds​

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With the recent volatility in interest rates, we’ve been hearing a common question from retirees: Should I build a ladder of individual bonds instead of holding a bond fund?

The pitch usually goes like this: If you hold individual bonds to maturity, you never lose money (as long as you're paid back, of course!). But bond funds can lose value when rates rise. So ladders must be better, right?

Not exactly. In this video, we talk through an example and discuss times when a bond ladder may make sense.

For most savers and retirees, a short-term bond fund works great for upcoming anticipated withdrawals and has a lot of benefits over individual bond ladders, too.

Arnold & Mote Featured in the Press

Kiplinger: My Wife Wants to Start a College Fund for Our Grandson, but I Think We Should Keep Funding Our Retirement​

We were interviewed for this Kiplinger article on how to balance saving for your own retirement (or preserving the assets you have) with the desire to help future generations.

Our answers focus on using investment accounts like 529 plans and brokerage accounts that give you flexibility to control the assets and maintain the ability to use them for yourself if needed. And of course, a financial plan can help you feel comfortable with the assets you have and know you have a solid margin of safety, so you can begin using your savings to help others when you're ready.

See more recent press mentions on our Press Page.

Looking for Something From a Prior Newsletter?

As a reminder, you can now find the last 12 months of our newsletters here:

Whether you're new and want to browse issues you missed, or you're following up on a topic from a few months ago, you'll find everything at the link above. We'll also keep this link at the bottom of all future newsletters.

Quinn and the Arnold & Mote Wealth Management Team

(319) 393-4020

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