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4 Money Lessons They Should Teach in High School
Blog“4 Money Lessons They Should Teach in High School" Growing up in America we are taught many valuable things in high school, but an area that has historically been ignored is personal finance. While Chemistry is almost always on the curriculum (I haven’t had to...
Leasing vs. Buying Your Next Car
Blog“Leasing vs. Buying Your Next Car” With the used and new car market being an interesting space right now, I thought this article from Eric Roberge at “Beyond Your Hammock” did a great job breaking down the age-old question of leasing vs. buying your next car. If...
Are we Living in the Roaring 20’s?
Blog“Are we Living in the Roaring 20’s?" With all of the negative headlines that are easy to pick up on and read about on the news it can sometimes be lost on us what we are currently experiencing. Coming out of COVID in 2020, net worths are at all time highs, stock...
Humility Comes with Experience
BlogHumility Comes with Experience The more time I spend in finance, the more I realize how little we truly know or how foolish it is to try and predict what is going to take place. I’m convinced that if someone is absolutely certain of their belief of what will...
The Life Satisfaction Smile
BlogThe Life Satisfaction Smile I heard the concept on a podcast recently that was talking about what makes people truly happy. It’s an age old question and one that I would guess we aren’t going to have a universal answer for or “solve” anytime soon. That...
Re-Thinking your Giving with a Donor Advised Fund
BlogRe-Thinking your Giving with a Donor Advised Fund 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...
Your Goals > Stock Market Movements
Blog“Your Goals > Stock Market Movements” For those who’ve been reading our weekly articles for some time, you might recognize the title. We have re-visited the idea that your personal goals should hold a greater weight in your mind than what is happening in the...
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 social...
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...
Maximize Social Security in 2024
Blog Maximize Social Security in 2024 Securing a prosperous retirement involves deciphering the complexities of Social Security benefits. This week’s post aims to unravel the intricacies of the Social Security calculation process and expound on four ways you...
5 Keys to Investing in 2024
Blog"5 Keys to Investing in 2024" I enjoyed reading this recently published piece from American Funds. Yes, there are concerns as we enter into 2024, but is there ever a perfect time to invest?? What a difference a year makes. At the start of 2023, market pessimism...
2024 Housing Outlook
Blog“2024 Housing Outlook" As we kick off another year, I’m filled with optimism. Not because I think everything will be smooth sailing, but because even if we have a tough year, the economy has proven resilient over the long-term and this will be another chapter in...
Retirement for the Next Generation
BlogRetirement for the Next Generation We have written posts in the past about setting your children up for retirement which you can find here. In this article, we wanted to dive in deeper to this concept of a Custodial IRA (sometimes called a minor IRA). I also...
“The realities of Diversification“
Blog “The realities of Diversification" 2023 has been an interesting year in the stock market. As we outlined a couple of weeks ago, the rally in the S&P 500 has really been driven by a handful of companies. When this happens, diversification can feel...
“Stocks have a Case of Bad Breadth”
Blog“Stocks have a Case of Bad Breadth" ‘Market-breadth’ refers to the number of companies responsible for driving the returns of the overall market. If a small number of companies account for the vast majority of the market’s (or an index’s) return over a...
“Housing Market Frustrations”
Blog“Housing Market Frustrations" Last week I spoke about the complacency we feel in the US economy despite some attractive economic metrics. Yes, unemployment is historically low, yes GDP grew over 4% in the third quarter of 2023, and yes inflation seems more under...
Complacency in the US Economy
Blog “Complacency in the US Economy” How bad or good is the US economy right now? Why is it that good news seems to create negative reactions in the stock market? Are we spoiled from the recent low interest rate...
Common Financial Scams Targeting Older Adults
Blog“Common Financial Scams Targeting Older Adults” As our world becomes ever more digital, it is easier and easier for scammers to present legitimate appearing situations that end up being financial scams targeted at the elderly. I’ve personally had friends and...
Can you Save Too Much in a Health Savings Account?
BlogCan you Save Too Much in a Health Savings Account? Health Savings Accounts are not spoken about nearly as much as they should be. For individuals and families currently enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan, the HSA is an incredibly tax...
Year-end Tax Planning
Blog “Year-end Tax Planning" As the calendar year winds down, it's the perfect time to think about your finances and make strategic moves to reduce your tax bill. Here are some straightforward year-end tax planning ideas that many should consider well before December...
“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...
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