Ralph has always been aggressive when it comes to investing. But as he ages, he’s second-guessing himself more and more. Is my approach the best approach? Here’s what I’d tell Ralph: It depends on how you define financial success. I find people define financial success in three broad ways. Often these definitions are unconscious and […]

When my oldest son walked across the stage at his college graduation, my wife got all emotional.  A month later, when he called home and announced, “Dad, I got a job!” I was the one who got emotional.  Here’s the advice I gave him as we discussed what to do with his paycheck. (Note: It’s […]

I hear stories like this all the time:  “So, this guy talked me into putting some money into his investment opportunity. Frankly, he just wore me down. I’m not sure how that investment’s doing, or even if this guy is on the up and up. Suggestions?” Two words: Take responsibility. Financial problems begin when you […]

As I type this sentence, you can purchase a fancy Viking 7 refrigerator/freezer online for just under $30,000 (that’s $2K off). Or you could drive to your local home improvement store and get a Whirlpool model on sale for $1,499. Which one’s “better”? It depends. Suppose you buy the Viking and park it in your […]

They were an easy-going couple who rarely squabbled—UNTIL he suggested they create (and live by) a budget. Each time he gently brought up the subject, she got defensive. He walked away muttering to himself. They remind me of a story I heard John Maxwell tell. A friend showed him a list of New Year’s resolutions: […]

Every day we face a variety of financial decisions: When it comes to making financial choices, my observation is that some people struggle all the time, and all people struggle some of the time. What’s behind this reluctance to choose?  After decades as a financial planner, I’m convinced most of our indecision is caused by […]