Sam Graff - Financial Advisor

✈️ Against All Odds, Southwest Takes the Crown 👑

2025 was no smooth ride for airlines — from controller shortages to tech meltdowns. But Southwest Airlines soared above the turbulence, landing the top spot in WSJ’s Airline Scorecard, ending Delta’s 4-year streak.

For an anxious flyer like me, I take these reviews to heart.

Fewest complaints ✅
Lowest tarmac delays ✅
Cancellations under 1% ✅

While others scrambled, Southwest streamlined, invested, and executed.

📉 Meanwhile, American & Frontier? Tied for last.

In aviation, resilience is everything.

The Best and Worst Airlines of 2025 The winner has spent billions improving its operations—while navigating a corporate shake-up and revising its strategy. And the best airline is…

The Cost Of Living Like A Billionaire Hit A New High In 2025 Inflation was roughly twice as steep for billionaires than regular folks in 2025, according to Forbes. Since 1982, it has tracked the ultra-luxurious goods and high-end services frequented by the richest of the rich, ranging from Gucci loafers to sailing yachts. Here's how much the prices went up fo...

🚘 Innovation doesn’t always come from the top. Sometimes, it comes from getting rained on.

In 1986, a Ford engineer named Jim Moylan got soaked at a gas station—and had a simple idea that would go on to impact billions: a tiny arrow on the fuel gauge to show which side the tank is on.

No patent. No credit. Just a memo, a smart solution, and a legacy that lives in nearly every car today.

Moylan passed away at 80, but his quiet brilliance is still pointing people in the right direction.

The Genius Whose Simple Invention Saved Us From Shame at the Gas Station You probably don’t know the name Jim Moylan. But you might well know the idea that made this unknown engineer who recently died into one of America’s greatest inventors.

Tax changes are coming in 2026, and they might actually help your paycheck.

The IRS is bumping tax brackets up by 2.3%, and the new One Big Beautiful Bill Act is expanding credits + deductions. Translation: lower taxes for many, and potentially more take-home pay if you tweak your withholding.

Bonus: Low-tax years are a prime opportunity for tax-advantaged planning like Roth conversions or strategic investing. Future you will thank you.

The 2026 Tax Brackets: What’s Changing and How to Prepare The 2026 tax brackets increased by about 2.3% compared with the year prior, so if your wages don't increase by more than that percentage next year, you should be taxed at the same rate.

👵🏽👴🏾 America is aging — fast. By 2034, older adults will outnumber kids for the first time in history. That shift is already reshaping everything from retirement savings to health care, housing, and long-term care.

The good news? Retirement account balances are rising. The bad? Not everyone’s keeping up — and poverty rates among older adults are climbing.

This is a wake-up call: Smart planning now matters more than ever. Especially while tax rules still work in your favor.

7 Numbers Shaping the Retirement Landscape in 2026 As the new year begins, savings have hit unprecedented levels, but rising health care costs and growing poverty make retirement unaffordable for many. Here are seven stats that provide insights into some of the key trends shaping retirement in 2026.

The Climate Rules to Look Out For This Year Carbon taxes, climate risk and new ways to account for emissions are set to occupy the minds of sustainability chiefs in the months ahead.

V***e Clicquot may not have won the taste test—but it owns the branding game. 🟡🍾

I love their bold yellow label, their consistency, and how they’ve turned a bottle into a status symbol.

Even when better-tasting options exist, people choose the brand they trust. That’s the power of emotional branding.

It's not always about what’s in the glass—it’s about what the glass represents.

And isn't taste subjective anyway?

***eClicquot

Still Buying V***e Clicquot? These Champagnes Beat It in a Taste Test It’s the Champagne everyone knows, a ‘safe’ gift for the host of a holiday party. But are you paying for the marketing or the quality of the wine itself? Wall Street Journal wine columnist Lettie Teague offers a few outstanding-value alternatives.

Three Years of AI Mania: How ChatGPT Reordered the Stock Market Three years ago, OpenAI released ChatGPT, setting off a mania on Wall Street for all things artificial intelligence. And the stock market hasn’t been the same since.

What’s Your Plan for Financial Security in Retirement? Feel confident and happy with a solid financial plan for your retirement years.

What Is the Average Social Security Benefit for Retirees in 2026? The average monthly benefit for a retired Social Security beneficiary in 2026 will be $2,071.

Why Lower Interest Rates May Not Fix America’s Job Market The Federal Reserve has been cutting interest rates to boost the job market. Many of the labor market's persistent problems, such as a shrinking workforce and the rise of AI, cannot be solved by rate cuts.

Markets move fast. Weekly check-ins help you stay ahead, combining past data with current trends to make smarter investment decisions. Stay informed, stay strategic

Market Week: November 17, 2025 The latest issue of Market Week is available.