July 2024 Market Commentary

July 2024 Market Commentary

The second half of 2024 started off well enough for most global stock markets.  That is, until we hit mid-month, and what had been the clear leaders so far this year became the weakest parts of the market.  Technology and Communication sectors had been exceptionally...
Navigating Life Insurance Questions

Navigating Life Insurance Questions

Life insurance can be pretty confusing. As a financial planner, I often get asked about it. Probably the most common question I hear is: in my case, should I even have life insurance?   It’s a good question. You are probably familiar with the prevalent ads showing...
A Simple Approach to Buy Low, Sell High

A Simple Approach to Buy Low, Sell High

The Great American Investment Creed of “buy low and sell high” sounds so simple, but it must be very hard to do on a consistent basis, or we would all be a lot richer.  To buy a stock like Amazon early on and get rich is the American dream. But it is not very...
Celebrating the Freedom to Invest Well

Celebrating the Freedom to Invest Well

I am so grateful to live in a free nation. I am so grateful for the freedom and right to pursue happiness, as established in the Declaration of Independence. Thanks be to many unselfish individuals that sacrificed much, even their own lives, so we can enjoy these...
June 2024 Market Commentary

June 2024 Market Commentary

We are just about at the halfway point of 2024, and so far, there is a surprisingly large rift between what is working and what is not.  It should be of no surprise that any index that has included Nvidia (NVDA) stock has done well this year.  And if not, then not so...
Summer Savings: Paying Off Debt While Making Memories

Summer Savings: Paying Off Debt While Making Memories

According to a GOBankingRates survey, 41% of respondents said their #1 financial goal is to pay off debt this summer. That’s great! But can you prioritize debt while still enjoying your summer? The answer is, YES!  Paying off debt doesn’t mean you have to...
Stephen McBride on the Future of America

Stephen McBride on the Future of America

With the 4th of July coming up, I thought this would be a good time to pass along a great article from Stephen McBride of RiskHedge on the future of America.  With all the media-generated worry and electioneering hype, it helps to keep our focus on what is real....
Make This a Great Summer by Practicing Strategic Omission

Make This a Great Summer by Practicing Strategic Omission

As summer comes upon us, many people take time off work to travel and spend time with family and loved ones. The summer provides many opportunities for us to make memories – memories that can last a lifetime and provide years of joy.  But life is complex. We often...
May 2024 Market Commentary

May 2024 Market Commentary

While the market is looking good so far year-to-date, most of that “goodness” happened in January and February, and now the market has been sideways (hasn’t really made any progress) since mid-March.  April gave us a classic 5% pullback in the S&P 500, and May...
Does Saying “I Do” Mean Combining Your Finances?

Does Saying “I Do” Mean Combining Your Finances?

Did you know that June is traditionally the most popular month for weddings?  May also makes the list, so I wanted to celebrate this season of love and commitment by dusting off a blog post from a few years ago.  It’s still highly relevant and I still get asked this...