Issue #18: December 2025

Congratulations to this month's sponsored giveaway winners:
Stephen K., Michael H., Jen B., Chuck K.

There are two Stephen K.'s subscribed to my newsletter. The other one already won, so it's not a repeat!

Life

Winding down my travel business

This is my last month as a travel advisor at Fairy Godmother Travel. It's been a fun two years, and I learned a lot. I booked trips for people to Spain, Portugal, Norway, Costa Rica, Croatia, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Norway, Italy, Germany, France, Disney, Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and many more. I think sometimes I take on too much, and I have to let things go. This is one of those things. I will be passing on my business to my mentor, Michelle Shumate. She was our travel agent for our first and second Disney cruise. We had such a positive experience with her that I decided to give it a try, and she agreed to help me learn. Thanks to everyone who supported my business over the past 2 years. It was fun!

It's been a busy month and my whole family got sick last week, so I procrastinated a lot on sending this month's newsletter out. I'll have to keep it short this month.

Personal Finance

I hope everyone enjoyed the guest post last month. Adam is one of the best investors I know, and his unconventional approach is a reminder that it's good to be able to think outside the box.

I'm reading The Psychology of Money this month, and it's really good so far!

Child Tax Credit Update: What Changed and Who Still Qualifies

One quiet but important change heading into 2025 (and carrying into 2026) is the increase in the Child Tax Credit.

What changed:

• 2024 tax year: Up to $2,000 per qualifying child
• 2025 tax year (and 2026): Increased to $2,200 per child, with future increases tied to inflation

Not a massive jump—but for families with multiple kids, it adds up and, more importantly, brings stability after years of temporary changes.

Who qualifies (phase-outs):​
The credit begins to phase out once your income exceeds:

• $200,000 for Single / Head of Household
• $400,000 for Married Filing Jointly

The phase-out works like this:

• The credit is reduced by $50 for every $1,000 of income above the threshold.

Example (Married Filing Jointly):​
If your household income is $420,000, that’s $20,000 over the limit.
$20,000 ÷ $1,000 = 20 × $50 = $1,000 reduction​
Your $2,200 credit becomes $1,200 per child.

Why this matters:​
Many upper-middle-income families still qualify—especially those with more than one child. If you’re near the income cutoff, timing income, bonuses, or capital gains can make the difference between keeping or losing the credit.

Bottom line: the Child Tax Credit is bigger than it was in 2024, more predictable than in prior years, and still very relevant for families earning well into the six figures.

Real Estate

The Market is Surprisingly Active​
The Northern Virginia real estate market has been surprisingly active as we close out December. I’ve been working with multiple buyers, putting one under contract last week and another just today. While supply is somewhat limited, people still need to move, and demand remains steady.

Looking ahead to spring, it’s hard to predict exactly what will happen, but the market here still feels stable and strong. With many federal employees returning to the office and hiring picking up again, I expect demand to grow both inside the Beltway and in nearby neighborhoods.

At the USPTO campus in Old Town Alexandria, they continue to hire aggressively—well over 100 new employees each month—bringing in people from all over the country, including California, Utah, New York, and Florida. The NSF is also relocating to the USPTO campus, which should add further activity in the area.

Personally, I’ve been returning to the office, usually leaving home around 5 a.m. and working longer days so I can carve out time for real estate and take days off when needed. I plan to bank comp time to use for vacations and to continue growing my real estate business without missing a beat.