A Missed Vikings Game and My Emotional Spending

My husband and I bought tickets to see the Vikings play their final game of the regular season. We wanted to do something fun during the dark and cold days of January, and we wanted to do it together, without the kids. But...

The Secret to Increasing Your Fitness Level and Net Worth

Are you really saving as much as you could without someone pushing you? Are you really investing in the most appropriate manner without someone advising you? Are you really on track toward financial independence at the earliest age possible without someone mapping out the path?

What Tax Documents Do Investors Need to File?

I start getting anxious this time of year when I am forced to collect all the necessary information for my tax advisor. In preparation for the upcoming tax deadline, Monday, April 18, 2022, I wanted to summarize what to expect in the way of relevant tax information related to your investments.

Saving for a Rainy Day

According to a 2020 Federal Reserve study, 36% of American adults do not have enough cash to cover a $400 unexpected expense1. While the opposite 64% say they DO have enough, that still leaves around 90 million American adults unable to handle a modest money disruption in their lives. 

Savings Ho!

It has been eight years, but the memories are still fresh! My wife and I loaded our four daughters into our Dodge Grand Caravan and headed west for our long-anticipated “Westward Ho!” journey. As we crossed the great plains into the Rockies and traversed the high desert of New Mexico into the arid Arizona desert, we laughed, fought, slept, played games, and created incredible memories. 

Don’t Borrow from Your Future Self

While each person has different long-term goals, a common future desire that exists for most people is retirement. There's a day coming when you won't want to, or can’t, work anymore, and your income will need to be replaced. This is a huge “future self” liability that has to be considered.

Getting Rid of Debt Can Help You Save

At the end of 2021, outstanding consumer debt in the United States, including mortgages, student loans, auto loans, credit cards, etc., totaled $15.6 trillion, which equates to about $50,000 per American. Clearly, we are no strangers to debt. Ultimately, getting rid of consumeristic debt will help you save and accomplish your goals. 

Alphabet Soup

Many industries use acronyms. Financial services are no different: QCD, RMD, DAF, and IRA to name a few. They each have their own rules and guidelines. We enjoy working with clients on a daily basis to help make sense of these terms.

5/29 is for 529’s

May 29th is National 529 plan day. While there are many ways to save for future college expenses, a 529 plan remains one of the best.

Raising Kids, Lowering Taxes

Raising kids costs money. But what if I told you that raising kids also lowers taxes? Here are a few areas of tax relief available to parents.

Don’t Leave Your Last Round to Chance

I certainly would argue that building a business is more than just a dice game, but both involve risk. How you fill out your scoresheet in Yahtzee is a good example of what business owners might decide to do with their business profits.