VFP In The Media (1st Quarter of 2026)

Written by Jonathan Vance, CFP®, EA

One side effect of having passion and conviction about what you’re doing is that you become considerably more willing to broadcast your thoughts to the world than before.

Or at least that has been the case for me. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to share my thoughts with reporters on topics I’m interested in writing about to begin this year.

As you’ll see, I tend to gravitate the most towards talking about retirement planning, financial planning & investment management fees, and other “hot topics” as they arise, such as an appropriate use of artificial intelligence in financial planning.

I’ll stop introducing there and get right into it. Below you’ll find brief summaries and links to articles that I was able to contribute to in the first quarter of 2026. I’ll plan to make one summary post each quarter moving forward, and I hope you enjoy!

Experts share whether they would trust AI with their financial planning

By J.R. Duren | Yahoo Finance | January 5, 2026

In this piece, I provide my thoughts on using popular Large Language Models (LLMs) for personal finance and investments.

• The VFP Take: I discuss AI being a great educational tool and starting point for general queries, but also that critical thinking is still a necessary complement to LLMs when you’re formulating long-term, multi-faceted strategies. 

I’m 62 and retired with $1M and no debt. My objective is income. A financial adviser wants 1.25%, but I’m wary...

By Alisa Wolfson | MarketWatch | February 6, 2026

I give my two cents on what someone in this position might consider regarding financial advisor fee structures.

• The VFP Take: While a 1.25% assets under management fee might be considered close to the “industry standard” for someone with a $1M portfolio, there are alternatives available that may provide both higher levels of service and lower costs.

Retirees Are Returning To Work — Here’s the Big Reason Why

By Gabriel Vito | Yahoo Finance | February 18, 2026

Driven by real experience working with real retirees, I provided my thoughts on what might drive someone back to work once they’ve already "left the building."

• The VFP Take: People return to work for many reasons after they’ve agreed to hang it up. What I’ve seen the most of in my practice has been more voluntary and less so out of financial necessity. 

What a Wealthy Retiree’s Monthly Budget Looks Like at Age 76

By Jennifer Taylor | Yahoo Finance | February 27, 2026

I was able to provide some real-world examples drawing from my experience working with "wealthy retirees", though I’m much more likely to just label them as “regular folks.”

• The VFP Take: Spending rarely stays stagnant throughout retirement. Many factors influence spending comfort when you’re first retired versus fifteen years later. Although one specific budget category seems to demand a larger allocation as my clients move through retirement: The Generosity Bucket.

I’m 62 and want to retire in 2 years. I have $180K in savings, but no 401(k) or investments. So now what?

By Alisa Wolfson | MarketWatch | March 4, 2026

I discussed how to bridge the gap between a modest savings pool and a successful retirement.

• The VFP Take: I often remind clients that we always have "levers to pull" to influence our financial future. In this case, we have less levers available than someone who is, say, in their early 20s, but that doesn’t mean we can’t look at where we are and still chart the best path moving forward.

You’re probably paying your financial adviser about 1%. Here’s exactly when that’s worth it — and when it’s not

By Alisa Wolfson | MarketWatch | March 4, 2026

Lastly, I weigh in on a topic that is controversial enough to warrant two pieces this quarter: The financial industry standard ~1% Assets Under Management (AUM) fee for wealth management services.

• The VFP Take: There are certainly circumstances where hiring an advisor on a ~1% fee basis can end up being fair and reasonable, but I argue in favor of other fee structures (specifically, with the use of hourly or flat fee models). Whether or not everyone agrees is to be determined, but I believe it’s non-negotiable that clients understand their options so they can select the model that best suits their needs. 

Looking Ahead

That’s it for my media contributions so far this year. I’m looking forward to continuing to share my thoughts as we head into Q2.

And if short-form articles are less your style, you can read my deep dives on taxes, investments, retirement, and more by clicking over to my blog.