Personal financial planning is critical to help ensure that, in both good times and bad, emotions do not lead to irrational money management decisions and costly mistakes.
For most Americans, their house is their most significant asset. But it’s also the most personal one. There's a lot of emotion inside those four walls. If you want to buy your first or next home, it’s crucial to have a game plan going into it. Here are a few principles to consider when it comes to buying a home.
I bought a puppy back in April, and it has been one of the most challenging things of my adult life. Training a new puppy is hard work and takes a lot of intentionality and thought. The same can be said about building a financial plan. I have a few tips that might help others avoid my mistakes.
We know our clients are looking for more than just status; they’re looking for purposeful ways to use their wealth. Here are just a few examples of how you can impact the people, organizations, and community around you.
Once the proverbial game clock expires on December 31st, our financial decisions are, for the most part, locked in. There’s no going back. Here are some suggestions to consider for your savings and/or to mitigate the tax bite for 2021.
Planning your gift-giving budget for the holidays may give you a little more freedom and a little less stress. Here are a few ideas of how you can plan ahead … for next Christmas, of course!
As we kick off 2022, many of us likely have decided on a few financial New Year’s resolutions. Starting the year off on the right foot is important to accomplish your 2022 financial goals. Here are a few ideas to consider when planning for the year ahead.
Because saving money early and often can be difficult, consider how you might help those closest to you to do more of it. Here are some scenarios and ideas.
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.
Here are some ideas and tools you can use to help make your saving automatic, the biggest key to growing your savings.
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.
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.
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.
You can’t have spring without spring cleaning. As you tackle your home, yard, and other spaces this year, your financial plan might also need to be spruced up. Here are a few tips to clean up your financial plan this spring.
In more than a decade of working with clients, I’ve discovered that one thing tends to do more damage to financial plans than any other.
A few weeks ago, I talked with our two kids – one a preschooler and the other a kindergartner – about money. Here are some starter topics for you to discuss with your kids.
Stock market risk is the primary focus of the financial news. The reason is simple. The scarier the headline, the more eyes are attracted to it.
Earning your first paycheck is an undeniably exciting time. But do you know what to do with your pay? With three key steps, you can build good financial habits early.
I am extremely fortunate to work with many different types of clients. Some of my favorite clients are the owners of privately owned businesses. There are always opportunities to have conversations that go well beyond managing investments.
You’ve been working for several years now – you’re earning, saving, paying down debt, investing, and giving. What’s next?
The best way to accomplish your financial goals is by being intentional with the money that comes in. Identify the priorities you have for your money. You could break those priorities into four categories: Due, Extend, Gift, and Spend.
