Over the past 12 months, by far the most common question I’ve been asked is about inflation and its potential long-term effects on retirement plans.  Ever since food prices started rising about 18 months ago, inflation has increased the cost of goods and services...

Record Keeping.  Successful people tend to be organized.  It’s an even easier task now than it used to be, due to electronic files, online accounts and computer storage rather than the old school manilla folders.  But whatever method you use to keep track of your...

If someone offers you a free horse, cattle, donkey, mule, or goat; it’s probably best to pass unless you like repairing fences, gates and barns while trying not to get kicked, bit or hooked.  The same general principal applies to anything mechanical, especially...

I’m of the age now that when the phone rings in the middle of the night, it’s normally not an invitation to join a great party.  In fact, when it has occurred, I’m grateful for when it’s a wrong number or something funny.  But like some of you reading this, I’ve...

There has been a fair amount of press coverage over the past two weeks about potential changes to retirement accounts in 2023.  All of this of course is subject to being passed by Congress and signed into law by the President, but a number of the changes...

This checklist should provide some actions that apply to your unique situation.  It will, hopefully, help you minimize your taxes or avoid penalties.  It may also help your estate planning and charitable giving.  In difficult years like 2022, there can be...

Casinos and insurance companies have more in common than you might think.    Casinos know the odds and probabilities of every game.  They know the odds are in favor of the casinos, not the people placing bets.  So, casinos spend a lot of time...

I believe that almost all financial, investment or insurance offerings can help a specific need.  For example, a reverse mortgage can be a viable option in the right situation for someone.  But it’s not the right solution for everyone.  Also, sometimes...

While many people are more familiar with the term 401(k), 403(b) accounts are very similar and have some unique features.  In fact, the main difference is the IRS code governing for-profit business retirement plans is in Section 401(k) while the Section 403(b) covers...

Without rehashing the difficulties and challenges that have arisen over the past two and a half years, it’s important to use positive actions to deal with today’s challenges.  It’s a matter of what can you do vs. what you should do.    One of the...

I’ll turn 58 in September.  December will mark 3 decades for me as a financial advisor.  So I’ve seen a few things.  I’ve had challenging business and life experiences, as well as having successes that far outweigh the occasional setbacks.  And...

Try that line at your family reunion this summer!  It’s a great thing that we are paying more attention to our finances, but perhaps we can approach this in a more positive way.  While credit scores have been around for decades, there seems to be a lot of...