It’s been said that the top three sources of marital conflict are money, sex, and in-laws (not necessarily in that order). As a financial planner, I’m only qualified to address one of those issues. So, last week we tackled the subject of “marital conflicts over money.” We identified four possible outcomes to such conflicts:  Today, […]

I’m not a marriage counselor or family therapist, but I know this: One of the biggest sources of tensions for couples is money. Finances have a way of triggering conflict or fueling old resentments. What can we do about this? Well, first, we need to understand the different ways we tend to deal with conflict […]

Social Security is facing a big problem. In eight years, the program will have only enough funds to send recipients 76% of their promised benefits. Imagine a retiree currently receiving $1,000 in monthly benefits suddenly getting just $760 per month.  That 24% cut in income would be devastating to many.  Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La) believes […]

A couple I know is downsizing. Though this new house has “good bones,” it needs some renovating and a great deal of updating.  The wife wants a to-the-penny budget in advance. The husband maintains that since they can’t predict everything they might need or want to do until they get into the project, any budget […]

Every now and then, I meet someone who tells me, “I love my work. And because of that, I’m not wild about the idea of ‘retirement.’ To me, that sounds like punishment, not paradise. Yet every time I go see my financial planner, retirement is all he talks about! Tell me: If I’m NOT planning […]

Your spouse found a renovated lake house. The property’s beautiful, and the price is nice. But when you mention current interest rates and the risk of taking on more debt, you hear, “Babe, c’mon! Life is short. This is our chance to build some memories with the kids. Besides, if we don’t pull the trigger—and […]