October 2026

Hi everyone....I hope you are having fun and enjoying the fall season . You are receiving this because you are a friend of Bernard Ringer. If you don't want to receive this, no worries, just give me a heads up, but this letter will be worth your time, and will help empower you as an investor by me sharing some helpful tips from my 28 years as a wealth manager. My objective is to make sure your time is always well spent . If you know good folks that need a financial plan and second opinion review of their investments at no cost, have them give me a shout at www.BIGGwealth.com .

Journeys...

Gail and I have had some fun travels these past few months. We ran around Bolivia and had a fantastic time around the high altitude Uyuni Salt Flats. Surrounded by volcanoes, and bordered by the Andes Mountains, the sight of flamingos in high altitude alkaline salt ponds is breath taking.

I then headed over to Japan where we had our fair share Buddhist and Shinto Shrines . Japan is made up of over 700 islands , mostly old lava flows, and the lush vegetation , zen gardens and amazing sea food will make you want to go back every year.

We then headed over to South Korea to take a look at the DMZ border with North Korea. The military history along with resiliance of the Korean people, coupled with the rugged landscape , K-pop culture of Seoul, and let's not forget Korean BBQ, will make you want to visit

While we were there we though we would also check out , Taiwan, Okinawa and Singapore with its amazing cultural history, bustleing business vibe and amazing architcture.

...are you going anywhere fun? ...share with me what you have been up to....looking forward to it

One more reminder of the reason your portfolio keeps replacing the money you take out

This is the 62 year score card of equities versus the cost of living:

• Where did the S&P 500 close out 2025 compared to

where it ended in 1964?

• to those clients who are

stepping into retirement: how much did the S&P 500

pay out in cash dividends last year versus 1964?

• And how did both price performance and dividend

payments compare to consumer inflation or cost of living—which,

in a two-person three-decade retirement, will be what

matters most?

The answers are suitably consistent:

• The S&P 500 closed out 1964 at 84.75. It ended

this past year at 6,845.50.

• The cash dividend paid out in 1964 was $2.58. In

2025 it was $78.50.

• The Consumer Price Index ended 1964 at 31.3. It

ended 2025 at 326.

disclosure: These views are those of the author, not of the broker-dealer or its affiliates. This material contains an assessment of the market and economic environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. All investments involve risk, including loss of principal. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Actual results, performance, or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Information is based on data gathered from what we believe are reliable sources.

Dividend payments are not guaranteed and may be reduced or eliminated at any time by the company.

The Consumer Price Indexes (CPI) program produces monthly data on changes in the prices paid by urban consumers for a representative basket of goods and services (Source: U.S. Department of Labor).

All indexes referenced are unmanaged. The volatility of indexes could be materially different from that of a client’s portfolio. Unmanaged index returns do not reflect fees, expenses, or sales charges. You cannot invest directly in an index. Consult your financial professional before making any investment decision.

On our trip to Taiwan, we stayed in Taipei....The counterweight inside the Taipei 101 skyscraper is a tuned mass damper (TMD) counterweight. It is a 660-metric-ton (728 short tons) golden steel sphere suspended as a giant pendulum between the 87th and 92nd floors. Because the tower sits just 660 feet from a major fault line and faces frequent typhoons, the TMD functions by swaying in the opposite direction of the building's movement, absorbing kinetic energy to decrease structural stress and reduce overall sway by 30% to 40%.

• It is made of dozens of steel layers: Rather than being cast as a single solid piece, the 18-foot-diameter sphere is meticulously constructed from 41 concentric steel plates welded together, with each individual layer measuring 12.5 centimeters thick.
• It is fully visible to the public: While most skyscrapers hide their tuned mass dampers inside mechanical cores, Taipei 101 intentionally designed its damper room as a publicly visible tourist attraction. Visitors at the building's observation deck can stand just feet away from it.
• It has set dramatic performance records: During Typhoon Soulik in 2013, the massive pendulum set an official record by oscillating a dramatic 70 centimeters (about 27.5 inches) to stabilize the tower against fierce wind gusts.
• It is not the only damper in the building: While the giant golden sphere handles the main structure, Taipei 101 features two additional smaller tuned mass dampers at the very tip of its spire. Weighing 7 tons each, they specifically counteract the wind forces acting on the highest point of the tower.
• It cost millions to build: High-tech safety at this scale comes with a premium price tag; fabricating and installing the custom-built room-sized mechanism cost $4 million USD.