You’ve probably heard something along the lines of “If you want to get along with others, don’t talk about politics or religion.” For most people, a third topic could be […]
Grateful for Purpose
Although the holidays can, at times, be sheer chaos, they are also (hopefully) a time of reflection and gratitude. We’ve all probably endured a few struggles over the past year, […]
5 Scarily Easy Ways to Accumulate Debt
It’s officially “spooky season,” but there are scarier things than goblins, ghouls, and vampires. As a financial advisor, one of the truly frightening things I encounter is people in tough […]
Budgeting for Fall: 4 Considerations
Each season comes with its own set of joys and difficulties, and fall is no different. Kids may (or may not) be excited for the school year. We may (or […]
Why Retirement Can Feel Like Grieving
Retirement is something that people generally look forward to—all that freedom to do whatever you want! You can pick up an old hobby or learn a new skill. You can […]
The grasshopper and the ant: why planning ahead matters
One of Aesop’s fables features a hardworking ant and a lazy grasshopper. While the ant toils away, socking away food for the coming winter, the grasshopper sings, dances, and doesn’t […]
Preparing Financially for a Longer Life
The great news is, people (in general) are living longer, healthier lives. The bad news is, those long lives require a good deal of long-term planning, and many of us […]
Investment Lessons from the Dot-Com Era
Do you remember the late 1990s? It wasn’t only a time of flannel shirts and jeans. It wasn’t just Beanie Babies, “Friends,” and Leonardo DiCaprio. It was also a time […]
Why Trust the S&P 500?
Let me begin this post by saying yes, I do trust the S&P (Standard & Poor’s) 500 Index (with a certain amount of caution, of course). But why? Why is […]
Breaking the Taboo of Talking About Money
Like many good Midwestern families, we didn’t talk much about money when I was growing up. The topic came up occasionally, but never in much depth, and certainly never in […]