Blog
“House Rich but Cash Poor”
Blog“House Rich but Cash Poor" If you are like many other Americans who have owned a house over the past ten years, you’ve seen very nice appreciation and therefore equity build-up in your home. While this shows up on a Net Worth statement, it oftentimes doesn’t lead...
“Avoiding Common Retirement Pitfalls“
Blog“Avoiding Common Retirement Pitfalls" There's no such thing as one-size-fits-all retirement planning and planning the perfect retirement may be a pipe dream. For many folks, their view of what retirement will look like tends to change after the first few months...
“How Much is Enough?”
Blog“How Much is Enough?" This question is always relative. How we answered this question in our 20’s might be very different to how we answer in our 40’s, 50’s or beyond. Additionally, who we hang around and compare ourselves to (dangerous!) also plays a big...
“America’s Problems are Relative”
Blog “America’s Problems are Relative” Not many people would argue with you if you said that America is a great place to live but also has many problems. Whether it’s our national debt, inflation, interest rates, or political division, it can be easy to assume that...
“In Good Years the Market Still Goes Down”
Blog“In Good Years the Market Still Goes Down" It’s a simple thought, but I really enjoyed this article from Ben Carlson over at A Wealth of Common Sense. I hope you enjoy it too: The S&P 500 is up just shy of 17% so far in 2023. Maybe these gains...
“Yield Curve Inversion”
Blog"Yield Curve Inversion" If you loan (not gift) someone money for 2 years, you would expect to get your money back plus some level of interest since they held your money for 2 years. If you decided to loan that same money to someone for 10 years you would...
“Good and Bad News About the Economy”
Blog “Good and Bad News About the Economy" It is hard to decide which voices you listen and ultimately which voices guide your line of thinking and decision making. I thought this recent article from Ben Carlson at a Wealth of Common Sense did a great job...
“The Increase in Americans Retiring Overseas”
Blog“The Increase in Americans Retiring Overseas” America can be an expensive place. Having personally lived overseas, it’s not to say that other areas are always cheaper, but the reality is that more and more Americans are finding retirement locations...
“How Americans Save, Spend and Invest”
Blog "How Americans Save, Spend and Invest" Ever since the pandemic hit us in early 2020, something that has been very interesting to watch is how Americans save, spend, and invest their money. While during COVID lockdowns, our spending choices looked...
Should we be Bullish for the 2nd Half of 2023?
It’s safe to say that with all the talk of a pending recession coming into 2023, the first half of the year has been more favorable than expected for stockholders. The S&P 500 is up around 20% from its lows in October 2022. This has been nice to see but is...
“Quoting and Comparing Home and Auto Insurance”
Blog Quoting and Comparing Home and Auto Insurance Many of you may not know, but May was national insurance planning month and while insurance isn’t the most exciting of topics, it is usually a place that monthly or annual savings can be found with a little...
“Debt Ceiling Showdown”
Blog “Debt Ceiling Showdown" I thought this recent article from Capital Group did a good job summarizing the debt ceiling issues and what, if anything, investors should be doing as a result. Unfortunately, the reality is that we’ve been here before in 2011...
Getting Financially Organized
Blog“Getting Financially Organized” Getting organized and staying disciplined can be difficult with any area of life. Sometimes when results can be visibly seen it can be a motivator (think staying fit or keeping your house clean). However, when it comes to...
“Is Cash King Yet Again?”
Blog“Is Cash King Yet Again?” The rapid and parabolic rise of interest rates throughout 2022 and into 2023 has meant that there are finally alternatives to investing only into high growth stocks. For so much of the bull run in 2020 and 2021, the alternatives...
“Uncertainty is the Only Certainty”
Blog“Uncertainty is the Only Certainty" If you keep up with the news on a daily basis, it’s hard not to notice the constant fluctuation and turmoil on a geopolitical and financial front. Whether it is increasing interest rates, persistent inflation, or inverted yield...
“Re-Thinking your Giving with a Donor Advised Fund”
“Donor Advised Funds are a great way to be more intentional and tax efficient with your charitable giving!”
“Positive But Cautious”
Blog“Positive But Cautious” The start to 2023 has certainly been a welcome reprieve from the difficult market of 2022. In the first quarter of 2023, the S&P 500 is up roughly 7% and GDP is expected to have grown around 2.0%. These are great figures and...
“Current Monetary Policy from the Federal Reserve”
BlogCurrent Monetary Policy from the Federal Reserve This week’s post comes straight to you from Brian Wesbury who is the chief economist at First Trust. I appreciated his unique outlook and focus on the money supply vs. simply talking about interest...
“2022 was Tough; What’s the Outlook for 2023?”
Blog 2022 was Tough; What’s the Outlook for 2023? Investors just went through one of the toughest investment years in history. This was quite a change from 2019, 2020, and 2021 which saw strong stock and bond returns despite the pandemic. The question on...
Caring for Elderly Family Members
Blog Caring for Elderly Family Members Often referred to as a “sandwich generation” there are many adults these days that are caring for both their own children as well as aging family members. Whether you have kids of your own, or they are already grown and...
“10 Book Ideas from Capital Group”
Blog10 Book Ideas from Capital Group If you have been a client for any length of time you have probably heard me (or my father) refer to American Funds (now called Capital Group) and their long-term track record of investment performance. While they have certainly...
“Realities of Recessions”
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A Checklist as you Approach Retirement
“A Checklist as you Approach Retirement"Retirement Planning can be a tricky and complex landscape. As you close in on retirement it’s vitally important that you have your “ducks in a row” and do everything you can to ensure you are set up for the best chance of...
Do I Need Umbrella Insurance?
Blog “Do I Need Umbrella Insurance?” Umbrella insurance is an important risk management tool, particularly for people who have wealth, income, or future income potential. Additionally, it’s cheap relative to most other types of insurance! I’m always amazed at the...
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