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I've got valuable information and resources to share. Explore away! And check back often.

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What a wonderful evening at Rustic Roots Winery! Thank you to everyone who joined us as we partnered with Lakes Center for Youth & Families to support their Small Cards. Big Connections. campaign. Because of the generosity of our community, we helped raise $1,220 for the cause, including $750 in online donations and $470 in person. If you'd still like to support Lakes Center and the youth they serve, we've included a link to learn more and contribute. These $5 gift cards may seem small, but they make a meaningful impact. Lakes Center staff use them to encourage school attendance, celebrate progress, build connections, and recognize students who are taking positive steps forward. Sometimes a simple gesture is all it takes to remind a young person that their effort is seen and valued. A special thank you to Rachel and the entire Lakes Center team for bringing such great energy to the event and sharing more about their important work with local youth and families. We also appreciate everyone who stopped by the Thrivent booth, entered our giveaway, and took time to learn more about the mission. Thank you to Rustic Roots Winery for providing such a beautiful setting and thank you to everyone who helped make the evening a success. Community partnerships like these truly make a difference. https://lc4yf.ddock.gives/ #LiveGenerously #Thrivent #SmallCardsBigConnections #LakesCenterForYouthAndFamilies #LC4YF #ForestLakeMN #CommunityImpact #SupportLocal #MakingADifference #RusticRootsWinery

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What a wonderful evening at Rustic Roots Winery! Thank you to everyone who joined us as we partnered with Lakes Center for Youth & Families to support their Small Cards. Big Connections. campaign. Because of the generosity of our community, we helped raise $1,220 for the cause, including $750 in online donations and $470 in person. If you'd still like to support Lakes Center and the youth they serve, we've included a link to learn more and contribute. These $5 gift cards may seem small, but they make a meaningful impact. Lakes Center staff use them to encourage school attendance, celebrate progress, build connections, and recognize students who are taking positive steps forward. Sometimes a simple gesture is all it takes to remind a young person that their effort is seen and valued. A special thank you to Rachel and the entire Lakes Center team for bringing such great energy to the event and sharing more about their important work with local youth and families. We also appreciate everyone who stopped by the Thrivent booth, entered our giveaway, and took time to learn more about the mission. Thank you to Rustic Roots Winery for providing such a beautiful setting and thank you to everyone who helped make the evening a success. Community partnerships like these truly make a difference. https://lc4yf.ddock.gives/ #LiveGenerously #Thrivent #SmallCardsBigConnections #LakesCenterForYouthAndFamilies #LC4YF #ForestLakeMN #CommunityImpact #SupportLocal #MakingADifference #RusticRootsWinery

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That’s a wrap on The Summit 2026. Three days in Scottsdale learning, exchanging ideas with other advisors, and digging deeper into the intersection of retirement planning and tax planning. One theme kept coming back to me this week: Good tax planning starts with understanding the tax problem you’re actually trying to solve. That means looking beyond whether you received a refund or had to write a check in April. It means understanding what you’re actually paying in taxes today—and then looking ahead at how decisions around retirement income, Roth conversions, Social Security, charitable giving and other strategies could affect that picture over the years ahead. I’m heading home with a full notebook, some new ideas, and—probably most importantly—some better questions to be asking in our planning conversations. Continuing education is valuable. Turning what you learn into better conversations and better planning for clients is where the real value begins. Thanks to the teams at Retirement Tax Services and The Perfect RIA for another great Summit. And judging by the screen behind us, I know where I’ll be September 26–29, 2027. 🌵 See thrivent.com/social for important disclosure information.

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That’s a wrap on The Summit 2026. Three days in Scottsdale learning, exchanging ideas with other advisors, and digging deeper into the intersection of retirement planning and tax planning. One theme kept coming back to me this week: Good tax planning starts with understanding the tax problem you’re actually trying to solve. That means looking beyond whether you received a refund or had to write a check in April. It means understanding what you’re actually paying in taxes today—and then looking ahead at how decisions around retirement income, Roth conversions, Social Security, charitable giving and other strategies could affect that picture over the years ahead. I’m heading home with a full notebook, some new ideas, and—probably most importantly—some better questions to be asking in our planning conversations. Continuing education is valuable. Turning what you learn into better conversations and better planning for clients is where the real value begins. Thanks to the teams at Retirement Tax Services and The Perfect RIA for another great Summit. And judging by the screen behind us, I know where I’ll be September 26–29, 2027. 🌵 See thrivent.com/social for important disclosure information.

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10 days to go! We're officially in the countdown to Sip, Serve & Support! Join us on October 9 at Rustic Roots Winery as we gather to support a great cause. We can't wait to see you there and make a positive impact together! #GoodCompanyGreatCause #CommunityFirst #RusticRootsWinery #SupportLocalYouth #ForestLakeCommunity #MakingAnImpact #CountdownToGiving #ServeAndSupport

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10 days to go! We're officially in the countdown to Sip, Serve & Support! Join us on October 9 at Rustic Roots Winery as we gather to support a great cause. We can't wait to see you there and make a positive impact together! #GoodCompanyGreatCause #CommunityFirst #RusticRootsWinery #SupportLocalYouth #ForestLakeCommunity #MakingAnImpact #CountdownToGiving #ServeAndSupport

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Back in the classroom this week—although Scottsdale isn't a bad place to do it. I'm spending the next few days at The Summit 2026 with Retirement Tax Services and The Perfect RIA, digging deeper into an area of financial planning I'm passionate about: the intersection of retirement income and tax planning. The decisions we make around retirement aren't made in isolation. Roth conversions, Social Security, Medicare, charitable giving and how we create retirement income can all interact—and decisions made today can affect someone's tax picture for years to come. That's why continuing to learn matters. My goal this week is pretty simple: come home with a few new ideas that can make the planning we do for our clients even better. Let's get to work. See thrivent.com/social for important disclosure information.

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Back in the classroom this week—although Scottsdale isn't a bad place to do it. I'm spending the next few days at The Summit 2026 with Retirement Tax Services and The Perfect RIA, digging deeper into an area of financial planning I'm passionate about: the intersection of retirement income and tax planning. The decisions we make around retirement aren't made in isolation. Roth conversions, Social Security, Medicare, charitable giving and how we create retirement income can all interact—and decisions made today can affect someone's tax picture for years to come. That's why continuing to learn matters. My goal this week is pretty simple: come home with a few new ideas that can make the planning we do for our clients even better. Let's get to work. See thrivent.com/social for important disclosure information.

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Tom McCarthy and Leif Erickson here, your local Thrivent Financial Advisors and proud hosts of Sip, Serve & Support! We've shared a little about the cause and the venue, but now we'd like to reintroduce ourselves as the people behind the event. We're passionate about supporting our community, which is why we're partnering with Lakes Center for Youth & Families for an evening dedicated to giving back. On October 9, you'll find us at Rustic Roots Winery enjoying good company, connecting with new members of the community, and supporting a cause that helps local youth and families thrive. We hope to see you there! #LC4YF #Thrivent #CommunityImpact #SupportLocal #RusticRootsWinery #GivingBackTogether #ForestLakeMN #MinnesotaCommunity #InvestInYouth

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Tom McCarthy and Leif Erickson here, your local Thrivent Financial Advisors and proud hosts of Sip, Serve & Support! We've shared a little about the cause and the venue, but now we'd like to reintroduce ourselves as the people behind the event. We're passionate about supporting our community, which is why we're partnering with Lakes Center for Youth & Families for an evening dedicated to giving back. On October 9, you'll find us at Rustic Roots Winery enjoying good company, connecting with new members of the community, and supporting a cause that helps local youth and families thrive. We hope to see you there! #LC4YF #Thrivent #CommunityImpact #SupportLocal #RusticRootsWinery #GivingBackTogether #ForestLakeMN #MinnesotaCommunity #InvestInYouth

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We've already shared where we'll be hosting our October 9 event, but we'd also like to spotlight Rustic Roots Winery. What started as a local winery has grown into a St. Croix Valley destination known for its award-winning, estate-grown wines and welcoming atmosphere. From yoga classes and live events to weddings and celebrations, Rustic Roots has become a place where people gather, connect, and make memories. We're grateful to partner with a local business that continues to invest in the guest experience through its ongoing expansion. Construction will still be underway during our event, but signage will be available to help guide guests. We look forward to gathering at Rustic Roots in support of Lakes Center for Youth & Families. #RusticRootsWinery #SupportLocal #StCroixValley #LocalBusiness #SipLocal #MNWine #LC4YF #GatherForGood #Thrivent #ThriventGenerosity

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We've already shared where we'll be hosting our October 9 event, but we'd also like to spotlight Rustic Roots Winery. What started as a local winery has grown into a St. Croix Valley destination known for its award-winning, estate-grown wines and welcoming atmosphere. From yoga classes and live events to weddings and celebrations, Rustic Roots has become a place where people gather, connect, and make memories. We're grateful to partner with a local business that continues to invest in the guest experience through its ongoing expansion. Construction will still be underway during our event, but signage will be available to help guide guests. We look forward to gathering at Rustic Roots in support of Lakes Center for Youth & Families. #RusticRootsWinery #SupportLocal #StCroixValley #LocalBusiness #SipLocal #MNWine #LC4YF #GatherForGood #Thrivent #ThriventGenerosity

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Last week, we shared the incredible work Lakes Center for Youth & Families does in our community. Here's one way your support can make a direct impact: Donations from our event will go toward Lakes Center's Small Cards. Big Connections. campaign, providing $5 gift cards that help celebrate student achievements, improved attendance, and positive steps forward. These small rewards help build relationships, encourage engagement, and let students know they're seen and supported. And thanks to Rustic Roots Winery, every donation comes with two complimentary drinks during the event! Join us in making a difference, one small act of encouragement at a time. #SupportOurYouth #CommunityImpact #YouthMatter #RusticRootsWinery #ForestLakeMN #LiveGenerously #PurposeDrivenGiving #GenerosityInAction

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Last week, we shared the incredible work Lakes Center for Youth & Families does in our community. Here's one way your support can make a direct impact: Donations from our event will go toward Lakes Center's Small Cards. Big Connections. campaign, providing $5 gift cards that help celebrate student achievements, improved attendance, and positive steps forward. These small rewards help build relationships, encourage engagement, and let students know they're seen and supported. And thanks to Rustic Roots Winery, every donation comes with two complimentary drinks during the event! Join us in making a difference, one small act of encouragement at a time. #SupportOurYouth #CommunityImpact #YouthMatter #RusticRootsWinery #ForestLakeMN #LiveGenerously #PurposeDrivenGiving #GenerosityInAction

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We’re so excited to feature Lakes Center for Youth and Families at our upcoming Sip, Serve, Support event! Lakes Center does incredible work in our community, stepping in with hands-on guidance, care and connection for local youth and their families – especially when it comes to staying engaged in school. Check out the video below to see their impact in action! Representatives from Lakes Center will be hanging out with us at the event, so stop by, say hi, and see how you can get involved. https://youtu.be/gx7JJtUJr9g?si=JB37NXKsbuZcrIph #Thrivent #SipServeSupport #LiveGenerously #ServingOthers #CommunityImpact #EmpoweringYouth #SupportingFamilies #GivingBack #StrongerTogether #ForestLakeMN

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We’re so excited to feature Lakes Center for Youth and Families at our upcoming Sip, Serve, Support event! Lakes Center does incredible work in our community, stepping in with hands-on guidance, care and connection for local youth and their families – especially when it comes to staying engaged in school. Check out the video below to see their impact in action! Representatives from Lakes Center will be hanging out with us at the event, so stop by, say hi, and see how you can get involved. https://youtu.be/gx7JJtUJr9g?si=JB37NXKsbuZcrIph #Thrivent #SipServeSupport #LiveGenerously #ServingOthers #CommunityImpact #EmpoweringYouth #SupportingFamilies #GivingBack #StrongerTogether #ForestLakeMN

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Something exciting is on the horizon. We're preparing our first-ever Thrivent Community event, bringing people together to support a great local cause. More details coming soon!

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Something exciting is on the horizon. We're preparing our first-ever Thrivent Community event, bringing people together to support a great local cause. More details coming soon!

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Great morning at the Capital Club at Mendota Country Club listening to Gophers Head Coach P.J. Fleck! His message wasn't really about football—it was about life, leadership, and building a culture where people can thrive. The "Row the Boat" mindset is something all of us can apply, whether we're leading a family, a business, or a community. I always enjoy opportunities to learn from leaders who are passionate about developing people. Thanks for an inspiring presentation, Coach! 🚣‍♂️ Row the Boat. Ski-U-Mah. Go Gophers!

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Great morning at the Capital Club at Mendota Country Club listening to Gophers Head Coach P.J. Fleck! His message wasn't really about football—it was about life, leadership, and building a culture where people can thrive. The "Row the Boat" mindset is something all of us can apply, whether we're leading a family, a business, or a community. I always enjoy opportunities to learn from leaders who are passionate about developing people. Thanks for an inspiring presentation, Coach! 🚣‍♂️ Row the Boat. Ski-U-Mah. Go Gophers!

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Thrivent and its financial advisors and professionals do not provide legal, accounting or tax advice. Consult your attorney or tax professional.

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For additional information on professional designations and the requirements to earn them, visit https://www.thrivent.com/designations

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. owns and licenses the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States to Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., which authorizes individuals who successfully complete the organization's initial and ongoing certification requirements to use the certification marks.

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