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 […]

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 […]

“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, […]

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. […]

Did you know your family has a “wealth culture”? (By “culture,” I mean the collection of common beliefs, values, assumptions, customs, and behaviors that mark a group of people.)  Every group of people displays a certain culture. Cities do. So do schools and churches, civic organizations and sports teams.  Businesses also have distinct cultures. (I’m […]

“You can pay me now, or you can pay me later.” That was the tagline from a famous Fram Oil Filter ad campaign back in the 1970’s. It featured a grizzled auto mechanic holding up an inexpensive oil filter, then pointing over his shoulder at a car engine in need of an expensive rebuild.  You […]