Dyer & Co Newsletter - Thanksgiving Edition

We’re pretty big on gratitude. Looking through a thankful lens makes it a little more difficult to be whiny most days. If we are thankful for a growing city with complex infrastructure needs, for example, then it’s harder to be grumpy about all the road construction happening near our HQ. At least in theory. 

But it can be easy to overlook how much we take for granted. We are able to feed, clothe and shelter ourselves. Not everyone in our community is as fortunate. The cost of goods and housing continue to rise. We are also seeing a significant reduction in public funds. This has created significant pressure for some of our neighbors. When we think about gratitude, are there ways to transform that into generosity? If you’ve felt the impulse to help and want to be strategic about where your money goes, we can help you think through different charitable techniques to maximize your impact and maybe even reduce your taxes in the process.

Hopefully you have heard us say that it is a genuine privilege to be at the table with you for the financial planning that we do. We are grateful to have the opportunity to do this work alongside you.

Finish Strong

Somehow, we’re already approaching the close of another year. What do you still need to do to finish 2025 well?

• Where do you stand with capital gains and losses? Are there moves that could reduce your tax bill?
• Have you maxed out your retirement plan contributions?
• Does a Roth conversion make sense this year?
• Are there opportunities for charitable giving to support the causes or communities you care about?
• Is it time to open a Donor Advised Fund?
• Have you taken your required minimum distributions (RMDs) from your IRA?
• Do you need to use remaining funds in your Flexible Spending Account (FSA)?
• Is gifting part of your estate planning strategy? You can give $19,000 ($38,000 for a married couple) to recipients without reporting it to the IRS.

As we wrap up 2025 and tackle year-end moves, start thinking about what you'd like to look different a year from now. What's one financial habit you want to change? One goal you want to hit? Next month, we'll challenge you to set some goals and we can help you stay on track.

Corrections and Clarifications:


Yikes! A friend, client and astute reader caught a mistake in our Halloween Newsletter. We touched on the benefits of using your IRA to make Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs). This has become a very popular way to financially multitask. You can satisfy your required minimum distribution (RMD); support worthwhile causes and avoid income taxes.

We could have done a better job explaining that you can make QCDs starting at age 70 1/2 while RMDs don't begin until age 73. We also quoted the 2024 QCD max. In 2025 you can give away up to $108,000 from your IRA in the form of a qualified charitable distribution. Thank you for the feedback!

Questions Worth Asking

Family and money are both complicated, and conversations that mix the two can feel even more so. Thanksgiving offers a rare chance to have meaningful conversations that can make all the difference when life becomes unpredictable.

Below are thoughtful, non-intrusive questions that can open the door to better understanding, better planning, and better support across generations.

Stories and Reflections

• What's something about money you learned the hard way?
• When did you first feel financially secure? What did that look like?
• What's one money decision you've made that you'd do differently now?

Planning and Care

• Do you have an estate plan in place or any wishes you want us to understand?
• What lifestyle do you envision throughout retirement?
• Are you saving for your future, and is there anything you wish you understood better?
• If something happened to you, would someone know how to manage your bills, accounts, or important documents?
• Have you chosen someone you trust to make financial or medical decisions for you if you couldn't?
• Would our family know where to find key documents if something unexpected happened?
• Does it make sense for anyone in our family to help someone else right now?
• What's your biggest financial worry right now, and is there a way I can help?

These talks give your family clarity and peace of mind. Bonus: it's a safer conversation than most other things on the table this time of year. Try one or two of these. Let us know how they land.

Thank you for reading. If you liked this content, please share with a friend. You can always reach us by replying to this email or at 704-323-6872.