By Laura Sorgi

I don’t profess to be a wicked smart investor, but as a fellow CPA and a lifelong friend of the original wicked smart investor, Christopher Hanson, hopefully I can write a column to live up to his high standards.
Christopher Hanson grew up on a quiet dead-end street in Braintree. He was the 12th child of 13 of Ann “Nancy” Hanson and the late Frederick W. Hanson, DMD. He had eight sisters and four brothers and was a fiercely proud uncle of his nieces and nephews. We grew up in the same neighborhood, where we played endless games of Old Maid, kickball, and “kick the can” in the yards before retreating home at dark.
He was a devoted son to his nonagenarian mother and would often post photos and stories singing her praises. He delighted in relaying well wishes and heartfelt messages from his friends to his mother. He loved his large family and especially enjoyed family gatherings surrounded by his siblings and their children.
He attended Archbishop Williams High School in Braintree and went on to graduate from the Isenberg School of Business at UMass Amherst, and earned an MBA from Babson College. He was a CPA and worked in finance his whole life as a financial advisor, and loved to give out financial advice informally to family and friends. He was also a talented writer, as he wrote this column for the South Shore Senior News.
He often expressed his admiration for the loving care nurses provide to their patients. He was especially proud of his favorite nurses, his Mom and sisters Margaret and Patty. This admiration turned out to be prophetic, as all his sisters (including non-RN sisters) took such loving care of him in his final days at his sister Patty and brother-in-law Mitch’s home. He died in September after a brief illness.
He kept his illness private to most; in fact, he didn’t tell me until I texted him numerous times telling him I was worried and asking him what was going on. You see, Chris was the type of friend who, if you asked him a question on text, he would respond immediately. He also would text quite often and say “Call me, I have some juicy news for you.” Thus, when his texts became infrequent and his responses were one-word answers, I became worried.
Fortunately, my years of financial and tax discussions with him provide me with some financial and not-so-financial advice that I would like to share with you, his trusted readers.

  1. Take care of those you love and take advantage of the power of compounding interest and investing.
    Chris told me that he had started an investment account for one of his nephews that he helped care for. He would collect cans when walking and invest the money in the stock market in a small brokerage account for his nephew’s future. He was amazed at how the account had grown with sensible stock picks. The lesson he hoped to instill was to invest consistently, no matter how small, and you will be thrilled with the value of your portfolio as the years progress. (On a side note, as an added benefit to society, recycle your cans. If you don’t care to recycle, give them to someone else who will).
  2. Live below your means. Chris loved clothes, but he loved even more the thrill of purchasing a designer suit or tie at a thrift store. He loved to tell the story of the Burberry raincoat or the Brooks Brothers jacket that he scored used for a fraction of the price. There are many bargains out there; you just have to hunt. Don’t buy expensive labels that you can’t afford to attempt to impress people. Chris was happier telling the true story of the bargain than purchasing something he could not afford at full price.
  3. Buy a book of stamps and keep it in your drawer . Chris would often send cards and delighted in making someone’s day by receiving a card from him. He would send a birthday/holiday card to my elderly mother and when I called to thank him he would respond, “Can you just please send a card back to my mother?” He believed that for less than a dollar, you could make anyone feel really special with a personal note in the mailbox.
  4. Attend your high school reunion and reconnect with friends. Chris had already told me that he had started to plan his 40th reunion for AWHS in the fall of 2025. He wanted to ensure that it was held in the most welcoming location that would ensure a large turnout. When I told him that my sister held her 50th reunion in the AWHS cafeteria, he asked me to send photos and asked many questions to ensure that it would be the perfect location for his classmates. He wanted it to be affordable, but nice too. I assured him that it would be.
  5. Don’t make every decision on finances alone. When I visited him in his final days, he sat up and asked me, “What do you think of parents who immediately sell their home and downsize when their youngest child moves out?” I responded that I could see the pros and cons of selling quickly. He replied that it was shortsighted and a little selfish. He said that life was very difficult for young people these days and they needed a soft place to land, as many boomerang back home. Always wanting to debate him, I asked, “But don’t you think young people just need to have more grit?” He replied, “Yes, but it is important for children to know that if they fail, they can always go home to regroup.” I admitted that it is a wonderful and altruistic act for a parent to help give their children a leg up to save and get ahead in these challenging times. Sometimes it is a better decision to make a decision based on emotion, even if it might be costly for a short time.
  6. Pay a compliment, as it doesn’t cost you. Chris loved Facebook and often posting positively about his family (especially his nieces and nephews) and friends he ran into. Saying something nice to someone and being kind is priceless, and in this world of hostility and negativity, it is needed now more than ever.
    Chris Hanson, “Chridder,” The Wicked Smart Investor, is gone from our physical world, but he will live on in his stories and all the hearts of the many family and friends who knew and loved him. He was a wonderful son, brother, uncle, and friend to many. May he rest in eternal peace. Fittingly, the family requested that donations may be made in his memory to his beloved high school: AWHS Office of Advancement, 40 Independence Avenue, Braintree, MA 02184. All donations will support the Chris Hanson ’85 Summer Math Institute as well as the naming of a mathematics classroom, ensuring his lasting legacy at AWHS.