My kids love vegetables! I might have the only boys who will eat asparagus and brussels sprouts. They know that vegetables are good for building healthy bodies. Even if they think they won’t like a vegetable, they give it a try. Most of us don’t like vegetables this much, even though we know they are good for us. The same … Read More
College Planning vs Student Loan Planning
Benjamin Franklin once said that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. While he wrote this in reference to fire safety, his assertion that it’s easier to stop something from happening in the first place than to repair the damage after it has occurred can be applied to multiple scenarios. Take, for instance, college planning. Would you … Read More
What are all these Fees?
When it comes to investing, the hope is that your nest egg will grow into something bigger — regardless of whether it’s earmarked for your children’s education, retirement, or some other long-term goal. But growth — specifically in the financial space — is tricky because there is no magic bullet. A number of factors determine whether you gain or … Read More
Have You Covered Your Ass(ets)?
What is your biggest asset? When I ask this question to prospective clients, most respond that it is their house. Others say it’s their retirement savings account. I contend that your biggest asset is your ability to earn money over your lifetime. Without that, all of your other assets disappear. You probably have insurance on your home and car, and … Read More
A Watched Pot Never Boils: A Lesson in Retirement Planning
In the past, people used to work until they died. That was when the average lifespan was about 55. Then, people worked for the same company until they retired, then collected a pension and social security, then died around the average age of 72. Now, many recommendations say to plan for a life expectancy to age 100. That’s a really … Read More
How to Read a Morningstar Report
When meeting with clients to review their portfolio holdings, one of the most frequent questions I’m asked is: “Is this a good fund?” And at first glance, I’m not always sure. Funds don’t have feelings or emotions, so ‘good’ isn’t always the right descriptor. Financial products are not inherently good or bad, but how they are used can be either … Read More
When it Comes to Financial Decisions Should You Go with Your Head or Heart?
How do you decide when and where to spend your money? Do you use a rational, well thought-out process — with every dollar being accounted for or do you just throw caution into the wind and go with what feels right? If you’re like most people, you probably do a little of both. Consider this: just about any decision that … Read More
The Value of Financial Discipline
Making the right decisions when it comes to your money can be tough. I mean, you’ve worked hard to earn it, so you can spend it on what you want when you want, right? Technically, yes…buuuut that doesn’t necessarily mean you should. This is where discipline comes into play. Discipline means being able to say no when you don’t feel … Read More
Focus on What Matters
It’s no secret that we live in a consumer-driven culture. In our quest for ‘more’, it’s considered normal to think “if I only earned $________ more per year” or “drove a ______ car” or “had a bigger house…” I’d be happy. In fact, as a Certified Financial Planner™, I catch myself thinking some of these same thoughts from time to … Read More
Do You Need a Financial Timeout?
At one time or another we’ve all been guilty of buying things that we didn’t really need. Sometimes it’s the newest smartphone on the market; at other times, it’s eating out when a home-cooked meal would have done the trick. No matter the reason, haphazard spending is the direct result of not having a plan in place when it comes … Read More