Field notes on tax,
wealth, and succession.
A quarterly-ish column written by Cynthia Lau and the Golden Way practice — a patient, unhurried record of what we're watching, what has changed in the code, and what families we advise are quietly doing about it.
The Archive—All Essays
ChineseLAPressOn the Eve of Mother's Day, the Lai Family Pledges $1 Million to City of Hope
Alfred Shiu-Wai Lai, 83, dedicates a million-dollar gift to the Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute in his late mother's name. Cynthia Lau, his longtime accountant, helped seed the conversation that led to the donation.
No. 02Green Card vs. Citizenship — The $2,000-a-Month Question
Social Security retirement benefits depend on earnings and years of work, not on immigration status. The real gap lies in SSI, Medicaid, and the immigration cost of retiring abroad — and it is routinely under-counted.
No. 03The 2026 Retirement Windfall — 10 Legal Moves to Keep Tens of Thousands
Between the Merry America Act and SECURE Act 2.0, 2026 is an unusually generous year for retirement. But the breaks come with sharp edges — and one wrong step can spike your Medicare premium or push your Social Security into tax.
No. 01How Much Do You Need to Retire in America? The Hardest Number Isn't the Cash — It's the Healthcare
Saving in 401(k)s, buying property, riding the stock market — when does it actually become 'enough'? Retirement is rarely just a money question. It is a contest played simultaneously across risk, health, and lived experience.
The Episode Library—All Episodes
Wealth CodeWill Social Security Get Capped? Why Bigger Checks Could Face Bigger Cuts at 67
Wealth CodeA $2,000 Monthly Retirement Gap? Green Card vs Citizen Benefits and Taxes
Wealth CodeHow Much Cash Do You Need to Retire in the U.S.? The Healthcare Cost Trap
Wealth CodeIs the American Retirement Dream Over? The Hard Reality for Chinese Americans
Wealth CodeComing to America at 50: Should You Work for 40 Credits or Risk No Benefits?
Wealth CodeChina Property Tax Rollout: Will Overseas Chinese in the U.S. Still Owe Taxes?
Wealth CodeIRS Penalties for Skipping Retirement Withdrawals: Spend It or Leave It to Kids?
Wealth CodeLow Income and Under 10 Years of Work: Did Your U.S. Payroll Taxes Go to Waste?
Wealth Code