I grew up watching Let’s Make a Deal with Monty Hall. Eager audience members would scream wildly, pleading with Monty to pick them to play the game. Once Hall had chosen someone to play, announcer Jay Stewart would bring down what looked to me like a TV dinner trey with a small package on it. […]
“Honey!” the mother pleads, looking into her adult daughter’s eyes. “I just want you to be happy. Listen to your heart!” This line (or one like it) shows up in every sappy Hallmark movie I watch with my wife. I can’t imagine worse advice to give someone—whether in the area of romance, parenting, career advancement,
Why Listening to Your Heart is a Bad Idea Read More »
No matter why I go see my doctor, he always does a few things first. Whether I’m complaining of cold or flu symptoms, or getting an annual physical, he first listens to my heartbeat, assesses my breathing (with an extra cold stethoscope), and looks down my throat, up my nose, through my ears, and into
Time for a Fiscal Physical? Read More »
“You’re saying I should invest NOW?” Jordan almost choked as he thrust the heavy weights over his head. He and his buddy Patrick regularly solved all the world’s problems during their noon workouts. On this day, the conversation had turned to personal finance. “Dude, the stock market is HORRIBLE!” Jordan said emphatically as he set
Two “Dudes” Work Out an Investment Plan Read More »
“I have some other things I’d like to do,” he said with a slight hesitation in his voice. “So, I don’t think I can commit to that right now.” He was responding to my encouragement that he establish a regular saving plan. How unfortunate. Because except for those rare souls who win the lottery or
Why People Don’t Save Read More »
One of my clients emailed me recently, saying “People keep sending me this video. What am I missing?” The video featured an attractive young man. He was glib, funny, a bit ironic, and full of confidence. The gist of his message was “Borrow money at 4% and invest it at 8%, and you’ll make a
The Long Hard Road to Instant Success Read More »
It’s football season again. For the next 4-5 months, every Friday through Sunday—okay, almost every day that ends in “y”— big, strong young men (and Tom Brady) will suit up and take to the gridiron. What’s fascinating is that these gifted athletes will listen to and follow the instructions of coaches twice as old and
The Benefits of Being Older Read More »
After two-plus years of pandemic protocols, 2022 was the summer we finally got back to one of our great American traditions: the road trip. Road trips can be epic or awful, unforgettable or regrettable. (We could swap stories, I’m sure.) The difference usually comes down to planning. The same is true with the journey of
On the Road Trip to Retirement Read More »
“What Hath God Wrought.” That was the first telegraphed message, sent on May 24, 1844. It traveled 50 whole miles—from the United States’ Capitol all the way to Baltimore. Before Samuel Morse’s landmark invention, news and information moved at the speed of a horse, a train, or a ship. With the introduction of the telegraph,
When Information Becomes “Too Much” Read More »
One year into retirement Al is…unhappy. His issue isn’t money. Al’s always been a diligent saver. At age 45, he hired a financial planner. They drafted a wise plan and stuck to it for the next twenty years. Fact is, when Al walked away from his career last year, he was in great financial shape.
The Four Forgotten Retirement Challenges Read More »
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