Blog
The Pursuit of Independence as Your Financial Goal
Blog“The Pursuit of Independence as Your Financial Goal" As your financial advisor, I believe a truly great life boils down to a simple, two-part formula: Independence plus Purpose. Purpose is personal—it might be family, community, your faith, or your work. But...
“A Note on Markets, Perspective, and Gratitude”
Blog“A Note on Markets, Perspective, and Gratitude" As we approach Thanksgiving, a time for family, reflection, and gratitude, it’s also a time when many of us naturally take stock of our financial lives. The financial news headlines have been hard to ignore lately,...
“7 Important Ages for Retirement Planning”
Blog “7 Important Ages for Retirement Planning" The amount of decisions and timeframes that arrive at your doorstep as you head into retirement can be overwhelming. It’s hard to keep track of what age you become eligible for Medicare vs. when you can take...
“Medical Debt, a Uniquely American Problem”
Blog “Medical Debt, a Uniquely American Problem” Having spent many years living overseas, I was surprised and saddened upon my return to the USA to see just how complex and expensive the American healthcare system had become. I do realize and appreciate that...
“Is Now the Time for Individual Stocks?”
Blog “Is Now the Time for Individual Stocks?" This post was certainly relevant when we first wrote it back in April of 2020. However, over a year later, and a reminder of how picking individual stocks usually pans out can be valuable. It’s not that...
‘An Extremely Difficult Time to be a Home Buyer’
Blog“An Extremely Difficult Time to be a Home Buyer” There are a number of “takes” on the current housing market and whether we are in a bubble or whether much of the price growth is warranted. I’m not here to answer that particular question but this recent...
“Important Tax Concepts for Retirement”
Blog “Important Tax Concepts for Retirement” Tax planning strategies are an essential component to maximizing retirement income. The more income you have in retirement, the more you get to spend or pass down to your heirs. While you might not be making a...
“What to Consider before Investing in Cryptocurrency”
Blog “What to Consider before Investing in Cryptocurrency” Over the past few months, I have received more and more questions regarding bitcoin, etherium, and various other cryptocurrencies. What exactly is cryptocurrency? Should I be investing money into...
“Preparing for the Non-Financial Side of Retirement”
Blog “Preparing for the Non-Financial Side of Retirement" Retirement is something to look forward to. It can be an extremely rewarding period of life when you’re able to give back, build into the next generation, and have some fun along the way. However,...
“Increasing Retirement Success with Small Tweaks”
Blog “Increasing Retirement Success with Small Tweaks” We first published this article in May of 2020, but the reality is that the core topics remain particularly relevant. This past year has seen many people forced into retirement or making decisions on early...
“Creating a Retirement Paycheck”
Blog “Creating a Retirement Paycheck” For many, transitioning from work to retirement is learning to live without a steady paycheck. This can be challenging as expenses continue even after you stop working. Many of us would like to create a reliable income stream in...
“Who Owns Stocks in the United States?”
Blog “Who Owns Stocks in the United States?” I recently read an interesting article by Ben Carlson over at his blog “A Wealth of Common Sense”. The article he wrote dives into who actually owns stocks in the United States and how that has changed over the...
“Donor Advised Funds for the Charitably Minded”
Blog "Donor Advised Funds for the Charitably Minded” For many, the idea behind charitable giving has absolutely nothing to do with potential tax benefits. The fact that you are contributing to a cause that you are passionate about and one where you can see the...
“Making up Lost Ground Saving for Retirement”
Blog “Making up Lost Ground Saving for Retirement" There can be many reasons older Americans are financially ill-prepared for retirement. Some people don’t make enough money to set aside for their later years. Others have bad luck in their career, poor...
“Rob Lovelace on the Year Ahead”
Blog “Rob Lovelace on the Year Ahead" Rob Lovelace, an equity portfolio manager with the Capital Group was recently interviewed about his 2021 outlook. This week, we dive into some of the questions he was asked and what he sees on the horizon for equity...
“What are the Actual Details of the $1.9T Stimulus?”
Blog “What are the Actual Details of the $1.9T Stimulus?" The President and Congress recently passed the American Rescue Plan Act which amounted to $1.9 Trillion. If you read that without having to pause, you’re not alone. I think we’ve become quite...
History Suggests Rising Interest Rates Are Good for Stocks
Blog “History Suggests Rising Interest Rates Are Good for Stocks" Over the past few weeks, the stock market has trended down. From Feb. 12th to March 8th the S&P 500 is down 2.8% and the Nasdaq is down 10.5%! While this is only a 3-week period it has...
“Investing Lessons from 2020”
Blog "Investing Lessons from 2020" Most of us want to leave 2020 behind (myself included), as it was a year filled with difficulty and heartache for many. However, the year was filled with investing lessons that I think are worth noting for years to come. I...
“Should You Buy at an All Time High?”
Blog “Should You Buy at an All Time High?” Following the sharp market declines in early 2020 due to COVID, the stock market has been on quite a tear. The S&P 500 actually finished 2020 up over 16% and is currently up approximately 3.5% already for 2021. With many...
“The Stock Market is Fascinating Right Now”
Blog “The Stock Market is Fascinating Right Now" These stories were recently published by Yahoo Finance. The stock market is a very interesting place right now. Valuations are quaint. Great earnings aren’t being rewarded by investors. Companies doing poorly...
Show Your Money some Love this Valentine’s Day
Blog“Show your Money some Love this Valentine's Day" I know what you’re thinking: “What a romantic topic for Valentine’s Day!” However, there is good reason to talk about finances on a day normally dedicated to romance and that’s because money matters are one...
Should I Use Retirement Savings to Pay Off the Mortgage?
Blog“Should I Use Retirement Savings to Pay Off the Mortgage?" Beginning retirement with no debt might sound appealing. After all, you’re on a fixed income, and it’s not unlikely that you’ll go back to work and start earning an income in your final years of...
A National Study of Millionaires
Blog“A National Study of Millionaires" Over the past several years, the single largest study of millionaires has taken place through Dave Ramsey’s team over at Ramsey Solutions. In their study, they surveyed over 10,000 millionaires and compiled some key...
Two Very Different Economic Stories
Blog“Two Very Different Economic Stories" There are two economic stories that seem to be currently flying under the radar. With an inundation of news and media outlets it’s hard to believe anything would fly under the radar, but I certainly haven’t heard much...
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