Most folks are convinced the wealthy know some big financial “Secret” the rest of us don’t. Like, they went to “the right” school and met “the right” people. Or they heard about Tesla before anyone else did, or got in on the ground floor of Amazon. Or somehow, they cracked the code on those free […]

Do you live within your means? If you answered yes, that’s a problem. Here’s why. Caleb and Jessica bought a new house last year and spent more than they planned. The expenses that accompanied their new home were more than expected.  “We are still living within our means,” they explained to me, “but we can’t […]

An old joke says that if you keep one foot on a hot stove and your other foot in an ice bucket, on average you should be comfortable. That line always makes me smile. It underscores a reality in the world of markets and investing—averages can be both mathematically accurate and experientially awful.  Case in […]

The stock market is at an all-time high. Which is great, right? Your 401(k) has never been higher, and you’ve never been richer! But wait. “What goes up must come down,” right? If the market is soaring now, is a dip—or a crash—just ahead?  It’s a dilemma: Should we be content or concerned? Should we […]

When it comes to money, are you: (a) a financial wiz; (b) your own worst enemy; or (c) somewhere in between? In my 30+ years as a financial advisor, I’ve observed that by adulthood most people have developed a “financial self-image.” Maybe you’re one of those few souls who see yourself as good with money, […]

Bernie Madoff died this week. Madoff was the architect behind the biggest Wall Street fraud in history. The former chairman of the Nasdaq stock market index, Madoff positioned himself as a self-made financial genius. He claimed to know how to avoid market fluctuations and deliver steady, handsome returns.  Famous clients like movie director Steven Spielberg, […]