Financial Planning That Shines Year-Round

Can you believe we’re already half way done with 2026?! 

Whether your summer has been filled with vacations, family activities, and a busy schedule—or you’ve been taking time to slow down and enjoy the sunshine—we hope you’re making the most of the season.

As always, we’re here for you. Our role goes beyond helping you manage your finances. We want to be a trusted resource and partner through every stage of life.

Christine shares more about this perspective in her reflections from the IPI Summer Conference below. In the meantime, we’d love to get to know you a little better outside of the office. Please take a few moments to complete our Client Connection Event Survey below.

Client Connection Survey

Your feedback will help us plan opportunities to connect with you beyond financial conversations—we look forward to hearing from you!

Christine is more than a financial advisor—she is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) professional. That means she takes a comprehensive approach to financial planning, helping clients navigate every stage of life with thoughtful guidance and personalized strategies.

Whether you have questions about retirement, investments, estate planning, insurance, or any aspect of your financial future, we’re here to help. No question is too big or too small. Our goal is to provide the knowledge, support, and confidence you need to make informed financial decisions and build the future you envision.

We spent three days in St. Louis for the IPI Summer Conference in early June. Between great networking opportunities, impactful industry speakers and amazing food (thanks to Gordon Ramsey’s trained chefs), we gained fresh insights on the evolution of our business and our clients.

Here are a few words from our team:

It’s Always About Family – Christine Rondeau

My main takeaway from the recent IPI Summer conference was simple: Our financial planning shouldn’t stop with you. Your legacy matters, and I want to help your children and grandchildren protect the wealth you have worked so hard to build.

I consider us a family advisory firm and we are here to support your entire family. My team and I want your loved ones to know us before they ever need to handle an inheritance or a family foundation.

We are currently planning some relaxed, non-work events so we can all get to know each other better. We are looking at options like a summer Wisconsin Timber Rattlers baseball game, an upcoming Wisconsin Herd basketball game, or a casual barbecue. 

We would love to hear your thoughts on these or any other activities your family would enjoy!

The financial plan we built together is strongest when everyone understands the goals. I am in your corner to ensure your beneficiaries are prepared.

When my office team calls to schedule your next appointment, please consider inviting your children or grandchildren to join us. We can even hold a relaxed family meeting right in the comfort of your home.

We are always your resource, and we will be here when you need us.

Warmly, 

Christine

Nothing is Written in Stone – Reyna Garza

From an administrative perspective, the IPI Summer Conference reinforced something that resonates with every client we serve: regardless of the size of someone’s portfolio, we all share the same desire for financial security and peace of mind—for ourselves and for the people we care about. Whether someone has hundreds of dollars or millions, every journey begins with a first step, and no account is too small to begin building a meaningful legacy.

One of the conference speakers, a former NASA Mission Control specialist, shared a lesson that particularly stood out to me: always evaluate and adjust. Very few things are perfect from beginning to end. Success comes from continually assessing where you are, making thoughtful adjustments, and moving forward with purpose.

I left the conference feeling inspired and even more committed to supporting Christine as we help our clients navigate life’s changes, adapt their plans when needed, and build the lasting legacy they envision for themselves and their families.

Reyna

A Great Introduction – Christine Milheiser

In my four months with the company, I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to our industry than my first IPI Summer Conference. It was incredibly rewarding to connect in person with the people I’ve been emailing and training with at the IPI home office. The organization truly has a family feel, and I appreciate how warmly they welcomed my husband.

Each day brings new opportunities to learn and grow, and I’m grateful to be settling into my role.  My previous 17 years of experience has provided a strong foundation and I am adapting to best serve you the IPI way. 

One of the most enjoyable parts of my position has been getting to know our clients. Whether speaking with you over the phone or meeting you in person, I truly appreciate the opportunity to connect and help support your financial journey.

I’m excited to continue expanding my knowledge, growing with the team, and providing the high level of service our clients deserve. I look forward to working with you!

Christine M.

June 15th was World Elder Abuse Awareness day, but it is important to be aware of warning signs and be educated all year round. 

Here are some suggestions for anyone, especially seniors to protect themselves.

Review Finances:  Regularly monitor accounts, the more you know about your accounts the quicker you will see when something is out of place.  We are also on our toes to monitor your accounts and reach out if something seems questionable. 

Plan Ahead: Keeping important financial and legal documents organized and naming a trusted contact will help prepare everyone for the unpredictability of the future.  

Shield Personal Information:  Don’t share account numbers or passwords.  In response to unexpected call, texts, emails, or pop-ups always questions the information needed. When in doubt call them back from a number you have, not their provided one.  

Don’t Grant Unsolicited Remote Access: Avoid clicking on unknown links or granting device access unless you initiated the conversation and can verify who you a interacting with.  

Here’s how you can help those around you.

Stay Informed: Sometimes it’s hard to talk about money with your parents or older family members, however it is important to keep an open dialogue about finances in order know when something isn’t right.  

Promote Account Security: Encourage additional security settings like; 2-step verification, security alerts, or mobile approve.

Report Suspicions: If you suspect financial exploitation, report it to local adult protective services, law enforcement, and other financial institutes. 

https://www.schwab.com/schwabsafe/protecting-senior-investors

We know how much you love the small print, BUT it’s not just extra paper!

Disclosures have good and necessary information for you; from what the role of a fiduciary is, to the client relationship with our firm. ADV2a & ADV2b are required to be offered to our clients annually. These disclosures can be found on our website or ask for a hard copy at your next in-person meeting.

www.ipistrategies.com

We are excited to share with you that along with our fresh logo and name update we are giving our website an update as well!

With functions like a meeting scheduler, informational blog posts and more, we hope you’ll be as excited as we are. 

In the meantime don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, where we post weekly!

IPI Wealth Management – Neenah

• Revisit your retirement contributions
• • If possible, consider increasing contributions to your retirement accounts before year-end. For 2026, individuals can contribute up to $24,500 to a 401(k), with additional catch-up contributions available for many adults aged 50 and older. 2026 IRA contribution limits have also increased to $7,500 for those under 50 and $8,600 for those 50 or older. Even modest increases can make a meaningful long-term impact, especially if you’re also taking full advantage of any employer match opportunities.
• Review any old retirement accounts
• • If you’ve changed jobs this year, you may still have retirement accounts sitting with former employers. Consolidating accounts may help simplify management and make it easier to keep your investment strategy aligned with your goals. Depending on the type of rollover, there may be tax implications, so it’s important to connect with me to determine the best strategy.
• Evaluate your cash savings strategy
• • Interest rates remain elevated compared to recent years, prompting many people to reconsider where they keep short-term savings. It may be worth exploring whether a high-yield savings account, a money market account, Treasury bills, CDs, or another cash-management strategy could better support your emergency fund or upcoming financial goals.

• Review your year-end spending plan
• • The final stretch of the year is a good opportunity to revisit your budget and prepare for seasonal expenses before they arrive. Holiday spending, travel, and end-of-year events can add up quickly, so creating a plan now may help reduce financial stress later. Reviewing spending habits, setting realistic expectations, and identifying opportunities to save can help you finish the year on a stronger financial footing heading into 2026.
• Review gifting and family planning opportunities
• • Year-end can also be a good time to revisit gifting strategies for children, grandchildren, or other loved ones. In 2026, the annual gift tax exclusion is $19,000 per recipient, which may create opportunities for those looking to support family members while also incorporating estate-planning strategies. I can help you review these opportunities and determine what may make the most sense for your specific financial situation and long-term goals.
• Double-check beneficiary designations
• • Beneficiary elections on retirement accounts and insurance policies are easy to overlook, but they play an important role in your overall financial plan. Major life events like marriage, divorce, births, or deaths are all good reasons to review them.

• Schedule a mid-year financial check-in
• • Sometimes the most valuable step is simply setting aside time to review where things stand today and where you want to go next. At a year-end conversation, I can help identify opportunities, answer questions, and ensure your financial plan still reflects your current goals.
   If you’d like to talk through any of these topics or discuss your own financial goals for the coming year, feel free to schedule a meeting by clicking HERE or give us a call and we’d be happy to help.

Information from Levitate Library

Figure 1: Info referenced from https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/401k-limit-increases-to-24500-for-2026-ira-limit-increases-to-7500 – original table

SECURITIES AND INVESTMENT ADVICE OFFERED THROUGH INVESTMENT PLANNERS, INC (MEMBER FINRA/SIPC) AND IPI WEALTH MANAGEMENT. 226 W. ELDORADO ST. DECATUR, IL 62522. 217-425-6340