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 […]
Give Your Child Wings to Achieve Financial Independence
When I was young, there was no such thing as “helicopter parents.” We roamed around, rode our bikes everywhere, and returned home for dinner. We were also expected to work […]
Life is Short; Find Purpose in Your Work
I’ve encountered far too many people over the years who are miserable. They complain that they’re busy, work is stressful, they have no time to do what they love, and […]
Financially Preparation is a Gift to Those You Leave Behind
No one likes to think about their own mortality. That goes against all the advice books on happiness that tell us to “live in the moment” or “don’t worry about […]
The Benefits of Being a Patient Investor
In today’s interconnected, modern world, things tend to move at a rapid pace. We can order food with the click of a button. We can get toothpaste or cat food […]
Why Long-Term Investors Are NOT Panicking
Market forecasters predicted that the past few years were going to be a catastrophe, and they were wrong. If you had listened to the doom-and-gloom forecasters at the beginning of […]
When Spouses Have Different Retirement Goals…
It happens more often than you might think. A couple will sit down with me to discuss their retirement goals and dreams…and they’ll realize that their visions are very different. […]
Bad News Sells…But You Don’t Have to Buy It
“Sell now!” “A recession is imminent!” “Consumers are struggling more than ever.” Financial news media often paints a dire picture, regardless of whether the news at hand is good or […]
5 Ways to Spend Wisely During Winter
In the upper Midwest, winter is still very much upon us. We have at least a couple more months of cold and snow, which tends to zap our energy and […]