AUGUST 2026

Welcome to our August Newsletter!

You can already tell that summer is getting closer to being in the rear view mirror…it’s subtly starting to get dark earlier and the School Zone signs are flashing again. Living in Texas, I am frankly done with the triple digit heat – bring on fall!

Would it surprise you to know that a huge percentage of people are still carrying a mortgage after retirement? Check out the statistics, debt free retirement seems to also be in the rear view mirror.

Also in this issue:

Back to School Sticker Shock – find out how much you’re actually paying vs previous years
Misconceptions in Lending – Are you Missing this with your LO Training program?
The most beautiful 1300 mile road trip in America – want one last hurrah before school really kicks in? Check out the most scenic road trip in the U.S.

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The Death of “Debt-Free” Retirement

Mortgages account for roughly 70% of all household debt balances in the U.S. For decades, conventional wisdom advised homeowners to clear their mortgage entirely before entering retirement. However, over the past three decades, a massive demographic shift has taken place: more older adults are carrying home loans into their golden years, and the amounts they owe have surged dramatically...

Back-to-School Sticker Shock

There is something about the start of a new school year that always feels like a fresh beginning. New teachers, new classrooms, freshly sharpened pencils and, of course, the annual trip to stock up on everything from notebooks and backpacks to shoes and lunch boxes. But this year, that familiar back-to-school tradition is coming with a noticeably bigger price tag.

For many families, the surprise isn't necessarily what is on the school-supply list...

Loan Officer Training —Are You Teaching The Fundamentals of Great Lending?

The most successful loan officers recognize that every question is an opportunity to either build confidence or create hesitation. When we replace "Do you understand?" with "Let's explore this together," we communicate something far more valuable than information—we communicate partnership.

One of the greatest misconceptions in lending is...

The 1300 Mile Most Scenic Road Trip in America

Near the spine of the United States’ Continental Divide, there’s a highway that goes by many names—it’s been dubbed “America’s Most Scenic Road Trip” and the “National Park Highway.”

Both are understandable monikers—after all, the route passes by no fewer than seven national parks, and an assortment of national monuments and forests. But avid road-trippers might recognize...

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AUGUST 2026

The Death of “Debt-Free” Retirement

Loan Officer Training —Are You Teaching The Fundamentals of Great Lending?

The 1300 Mile Most Scenic Road Trip in America﻿

The 1300 Mile Most Scenic Road Trip in America