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  • Dennis McNamara, CFP®, CHFC®, AIF®, CSLP®

    Today, as co-founder of wHealth Advisors, I find immense fulfillment in knowing that we use our platform as a force for good. As a firm, we’re founded on the industry’s highest standards for ethics and transparency while also offering pro-bono services to those in need. Financially, we donate a portion of our gross revenue annually to qualified 501(c)3 organizations (which are nominated + voted on by our clients).    Personally, though, I find the greatest satisfaction in helping my clients gain financial peace of mind through prudent money management. Prudent money management is like a positive feedback loop: when we are no longer burdened by finances, other dimensions of our lives also tend to improve. As we continue to grow we realize that as important as money is, those other dimensions of life are equally (if not more!) important.    As modern philosopher Naval Ravikant reminds us: “The three big ones in life are wealth, health, and happiness. We pursue them in that order, but their importance is reverse. A calm mind, a fit body, and a house full of love. These things cannot be bought.”  My life’s mission has been dedicated to helping others use money to close the gap between who they are today and the best version of themselves that awaits ahead. I am excited to meet you and look forward to the opportunity of working together on your journey to financial independence!    Designations: 

    • Certified Financial Planner™ 
    • Chartered Financial Consultant® 
    • Accredited Investment Fiduciary® 
    • Certified Student Loan Professional® 
      Featured in: 
    • Forbes
    • U.S. News & World Report
    • Financial Advisor Magazine 
      Outside of wHealth Advisors:  Educating myself more on: Stoicism, permaculture, climate justice, systemic racism, health & longevity science    Happiest when: outdoors with wife, Arabelle, and son, Manny    Stays active with: strength training, functional range conditioning, hiking, cycling, surfing, and yoga    Financially splurges on: Single-origin coffee

Posts by Dennis McNamara, CFP®, CHFC®, AIF®, CSLP®

How to Destroy Your Wealth

Johnny Carson and Charlie Munger have both given memorable commencement speeches. While most traditional commencement speeches take a stab at bestowing wisdom and sharing the keys to happiness and success, Johnny and Charlie

Top 5 High-Leverage Strategies to Maximize Healthspan

In both health and finance, we are the sum of our daily habits. While we can’t control our genetics any more than we can control the stock market, we can influence

Bryan Johnson and the “Don’t Die” Movement

Have you heard of Bryan Johnson? The man who spends $2M/yr optimizing his health and tracking all of his biometrics to reverse his rate of aging? The man who has swapped blood plasma with

Eight Timeless Insights from Daniel Kahneman

As financial planners, we work with our clients to make the most of their finances, aligning their money to be in integrity with their diverse wants, needs, ambitions, fears, and behaviors. When

The Stock Market is NOT a Casino, it’s a Racetrack

By Dennis McNamara: The stock market is not the casino, it’s the horses on the racetrack. I’ve always balked at the analogy of comparing the stock market to the casino

Living an Examined Life: 8×3 Days + The Four Ashramas

In my early 20s I lived with a Costa Rican farmer. A seemingly healthy man with a happy disposition, I assumed he was approaching 50 years old but found out that he was 67. When

Fear Is A Helluva Drug

If you pay any attention to financial punditry, you will always be able to find someone making bold predictions about the US being on the brink of a recession, depression,

Comprehensive Guide to Preventive Health Screenings: Benefits, Costs, and Options

Preventive health screenings and treatments are essential tools for those looking to take a proactive stance on their health. These methods are designed to identify potential health issues early, potentially

What Issues Should I Consider At The Start Of The Year?

The beginning of the new year is the perfect time to discuss the various factors influencing your planning. For example, we can: Look at your progress toward your goals and
SECURE 2.0 Act

Beneficial Ownership and the Corporate Transparency Act

With each new year we welcome an array of new laws and regulations. A notable inclusion in 2024 is the Beneficial Ownership reporting requirement for small businesses, mandated under the

Charitable Contributions in the Season of Giving

As the year winds down and the season of giving takes hold, we wanted to take a moment to revisit charitable gifting. Whether you’re driven by altruism or the practical

An Ode to Costco: Mastering Healthy Eating Without Going Broke

With the holiday slew of gift-giving, family meals, and festive gatherings on the horizon, savvy shoppers will inevitably seize on the many value purchases offered at Costco. While you can

The Health 401(K)

At the intersection of wealth and health lies a profound insight: the greatest asset you can possess isn’t in your bank or brokerage account, but in your body and mind. Enter

To 529, or Not to 529?

…THAT is the question. Like us, you may be debating the best way to save for your child’s education. You have also probably heard of the most notable account for education saving

Five Financial Myths We Need to Bury

In a world increasingly fueled by clickbait headlines and social media algorithms, easy one-size-fits-all advice and quick hacks get plenty of undeserved attention. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in

Light Management for Optimal Health

When it comes to optimizing health and longevity, the lion’s share of attention is given to nutrition, fitness, relationships, and sleep. But have you ever considered light exposure? Inspired by

Men’s Health Month

For starters – Happy (belated) Father’s Day to all the rad dads out there. In addition to Father’s Day, June also marks a special time on the calendar as it’s Men’s
Information about Estate planning and old glasses.

The Great Game of Generational Wealth: Your Guide to Estate Planning

In the immortal words of Benjamin Franklin, “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Let’s add one more certainty to the list: the majority

Ancient Wisdom, Modern Medicine, and Everything In Between

The Paradox of Choice, both a book and term coined by Barry Schwartz, suggests that with increased options, we face increased stress, decision paralysis, and dissatisfaction with the chosen option.
AI Creating new cybersecurity dilemmas

Cybersecurity in the Age of AI

Imagine a world where machines can think, learn, and adapt at lightning speed, transforming our lives in ways we never thought possible. This is no longer the stuff of science
Kiplinger Advisor Collective

Dennis McNamara Invited to Join the Kiplinger Advisor Collective

Incredibly honored to share that I’ve been invited into the Kiplinger Advisor Collective, joining a brain trust of financial experts I’ve long admired and followed.    Our first member call

A Cautionary Tale: Baby Boomers Want a Do-Over

A recent study by Annuity.com reported that if Baby Boomers could go back and make different choices, most would prioritize their health over their money. Similarly, In a survey by the Nationwide

FDIC Refresh: Are you covered?

While many were watching the Oscar’s, finance fans were watching the implosion of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), the 16th largest bank in America. For those interested, we wrote a brief, high-level summary of
Silicon Valley Bank

WTF, SVB?! A TL;DR

While many were watching the Oscar’s, finance fans were watching the implosion of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), the 16th largest bank in America. Our TL;DR on what happened to SVB: SVB’s
Nature is medicine

Nature Is Medicine

We live in a fast-paced world, surrounded by technology and endless responsibilities. With so much to do, it’s easy to overlook the importance of connecting with nature. Many of us
Debt Ceiling

A Looming Debt Ceiling

If you follow business/financial news at all, it’s likely that you’re aware of the looming debt ceiling crisis. In this month’s contribution, we want to peel back the onion and provide
Health is Wealth

Health is Wealth: Virtual Event (client-only)

BIG NEWS! In 2023, we are partnering with Stevyn Guinnip, a financially-focused health coach and founder of Grow Wellthy! Over the course of 2023 we’ll be offering four virtual events that will help
SECURE 2.0 Act

SECURE 2.0 Act: If You Don’t Know, Now You Know

On December 23, 2022, Congress passed the SECURE 2.0 Act. This comes roughly three years after the original SECURE Act which was passed in 2019. SECURE 2.0 expands the original. While there are

Optimizing Your Nervous System

This Wellness blog was first featured in our December 2022 monthly newsletter. Similar to that month’s financial contribution, this article is written 99.9% by AI. The first sentence started “At
DALL-E

AI Wrote This Blog

For this month’s contribution, we allowed AI to write this blog. A few weeks back I learned about the artificial intelligence company known as OpenAI. DALL-E What initially brought OpenAI

72-Hour Longevity Fast

Many of you will be familiar with “intermittent fasting” – it’s quite popular these days. For the past three years I (Dennis) have been practicing a form of IF known

Men’s Health: The Wisemen Retreat “FIRE” Experience

The Wisemen Project is a men’s group that melds proven, ancient techniques of movement, breath work and meditation with cutting edge scientific research. The group was formed as a powerful

Preparing Children for their Financial Future

Preparing children for their financial future is a key concern of many parents. A a follow-up to last month’s contribution focused on financial considerations for those between 15-24 years old,

Improving Longevity Through Relationships

Improving longevity through relationships is a crucial health pillar that receives far less attention than it deserves.  As we’ve discussed before when it comes to longevity, it’s well documented that

Preparing Young Adults for their Financial Future

With back-to-school right around the corner, we wanted to use this blog to address preparing young adults for their financial future. particularly those between the ages of 15-24. While some
The Dreaded "R" Word

The Dreaded “R” Word

Probably like you, we’re hearing the dreaded “R” word – recession – being referenced quite a bit lately. In fact, in the month of June, Google Trends – which analyzes
Attention

Attention: Our True Source of Wealth

Time is often cited as one of the most (if not the most) valuable currencies. In his recent feature on the Tim Ferriss Show, Sam Harris disputes this. Sam posits that attention, not time, is
die young late

The Changing Longevity Landscape

Living beyond age 100 may become commonplace. Now, before I go down this rabbit hole, a disclaimer: Extending lifespan beyond known biological bounds is still sci-fi stuff. However, also consider

Conscious Breathing: Our Hardwired Superpower

Depression, anxiety, and sleep dysfunction rates among both children and adults have reached epidemic levels and are getting increasingly worse. To our own detriment, many of us go through life

The Federal Reserve’s Toolkit + Market Hangover

The Federal Reserve’s toolkit consist of two blunt tools: the fed funds rate + quantitative easing. In this month’s contribution we’ll discuss the potential short and long-tail impacts of both.
SEC enforces ESG disclosure

The SEC Finally Enforces ESG

With Earth Month upon us, we’re happy to report one small, incremental bit of progress in finance: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will finally enforce ESG disclosure and begin

The Centenarian Olympics

Training for the Centenarian Olympics Training for a long, healthful, and functional life is not the same as training for performance. Eminent longevity doctor, Dr. Peter Attia, notes that, for most people, the

When Worlds Collide

Investors need to be prepared for when worlds collide. Collisions – whether they be on a macro level (like war, famine, geopolitical strife etc.) or on the micro level (a

Sleep Hacking: Proven Tips For Better Sleep

By “hacking” your sleep – that is, following proven tips to optimize both the quality and duration of your sleep – you can set yourself up for a successful, productive

Finances for Fathers: Episode 64 of the Dad.Work Podcast

Dennis McNamara had the opportunity to connect with Curt Storring, the host of the Dad.Work podcast, in a wide ranging conversation focused on finances for fathers. Some highlights from the

The Benefits of Cold Exposure

As you may know, cold exposure – also known as cold thermogenesis – has numerous benefits, from muscle recovery and fat loss to mental health, mood enhancement, insulin resistance, and

The 101 on I Bonds

Before diving into a 101 on I Bonds, let’s first acknowledge that they’re the most boring investment that we’re recommending to… just about everyone*. If inflation is something that’s top

Living Your Eulogy Virtues

Awhile back in our piece on Minimalism we touched on the topic of death. Inspired by John’s January newsletter reflections on the passing of both John Madden and Betty White,

New Year’s Resolutions

For the 50% of your that feel like Michael Scott, this may not be for you. However, If you’re one of 31% of people planning to make a New Year’s

End of Year Planning

Some end-of-year housekeeping and planning strategies to close out the year on a good note: Review your portfolio: with upcoming transitions in mind. Are allocation changes needed to begin preparing