Each July 4 we Americans throw a national party. We celebrate our unparalleled freedoms which are the envy of the world. Our more “famous” liberties—freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, etc.—are spelled out in the Constitution’s Bill of Rights. But perhaps the hidden genius of that document is that it laid […]
Our Most Overlooked Freedom? Read More »
“The stock market is like gambling,” someone told me earlier this week. I understand such feelings. Thanks to inflation, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and other factors, the markets are more volatile than normal. The S&P 500 is a prime example. It fell 12% earlier this year. It has since recovered about half that year-to-date
When Investing Feels Like Gambling Read More »
Can you run as fast today as you could 20 years ago? Probably not. We get slower the older we get. And it isn’t just our 40-yard dash time that declines. Our willingness to accept change and tolerate risk both decrease with age. There are always exceptions. But most folks are far more safety-conscious at
The Benefits of Slowing Down Read More »
Why would anyone want to get out of debt? Think about it. You borrow money. You get to use that money now. Then you get to pay it back slowly, over time. Who wouldn’t want that deal? You might expect a financial planner to say getting out of debt is what everyone should do, ASAP.
Why Would Anyone Want to Get Out of Debt? Read More »
This week we celebrate Valentine’s Day. Merchants will sell millions of flowers and cards and tons (literally) of candy. And restaurants will serve up all manner of candlelight dinners to sweethearts who are clamoring to demonstrate their passion. But if you’ve been married for longer than about a month, you know that love needs deeper
The Things We Do for Love Read More »
Don’t you “love” it when you forget to buy something at the grocery store? So often I get nine of the ten things I was supposed to buy, but there’s always that one item I don’t remember until I get home. “Seriously? You forgot the tomatoes? How am I supposed to make spaghetti sauce without
Checklist for 60-Somethings Read More »
Over the last ten years I’ve lost about 100 pounds. Okay, it’s actually the same ten pounds, gained and lost ten times. Blame it on the holidays, I guess. Sweet people sending me sweets. My wife’s deadly—the good kind of deadly—pecan pie. Hey, I’m not complaining. I love all that delicious stuff. But New Year’s
A Tale of Two Diets Read More »
I have no idea how many dieting books, fitness club memberships or getting-organized supplies are sold during the weeks just before and just after New Year’s Day…but I suspect it’s a big number. Something about a new year suggests a clean slate – a fresh opportunity to do it again, only this time get it
Don’t Regret Those Resolutions … Focus on Habits More Than Goals Read More »
In my financial planning practice, I meet with a lot of “Type A” entrepreneurs. Their number one question? “Couldn’t I be doing better with my money?” I always have to smile. These driven individuals are used to optimizing everything they touch—or at least trying to. If they have three rental properties today, they want to
What Airplanes Can Teach Us About Money Read More »
Though he was past traditional retirement age, he was living every businessperson’s dream. A healthy company. A strong management team. The freedom to come and go. “Maybe it’s time,” he told me. “Time to pass on my business to my adult children—even though they’re not actually in the business. I’m thinking that if they’d just
Four Components of a Good Succession Plan Read More »
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