Focus
What you focus on and measure matters. If you focus on the daily swings in the markets and your investments it will lead you to become overly active in your investments. If you focus on reaching your long term goals it will lead you to doing the things that take you closer to those goals […]
Five Questions to Consider When Naming A Trustee
The responsibilities of a trustee are often complex and time consuming. Managing trust assets often entails familiarity with tax law, real estate markets, security markets, and financial planning. Often it is the oldest or most responsible heir who is given this duty. Here are some things you should consider before deciding on a trustee. Do […]
Finding the Right Fiduciary Financial Planner to Suit All Your Financial Needs
Not sure how to choose a financial advisor? It’s a big decision! Our guide on how to find a good CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner can help you ask the right questions and select someone able to help you reach your personal financial goals and find financial freedom. Do You Need a Financial Advisor? Depending upon where […]
Faith and Patience
In Lake Wobegon “All the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average” Sadly, we know only 49% of the children can be above average or the median to be precise. It’s true of children and it’s true of investors. If you believe brains are what is […]
What Duration Means to Your Bond Portfolio
Duration has a special meaning in the investment world. It is a measure of interest rate sensitivity in bond portfolios. You can calculate the duration for an individual bond or for a portfolio of individual bonds and you can derive an average duration. Why is this important? Because in a rising rate environment, like the […]
Don’t Put All Your (Easter) Eggs in One Basket
With Easter being Sunday, it’s a good time to reiterate the age old saying of “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. This applies to many things in life, but it is especially paramount in the world of finance and the creation of a comfortable retirement strategy. Diversification should be the foundation of your financial goals. […]
Don’t Pick All The Flowers
My neighbors had their granddaughter over this past weekend. She is a cute three or four-year-old who loves running around in the yard and looks to be a bit of a handful. This past Saturday, I saw her run to the front porch of their home and reach out to the roses that grow just […]
Don’t Be Fooled
If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Don’t be fooled by get rich quick schemes. Don’t be fooled by over optimistic return on investment pitches. Don’t make an uneducated commitment to a little known product or fund that promises too much too fast. Don’t be pushed around by salesmen who […]
Donor Advised Funds for Charitable Contributions
In the sector of charitable giving a new trend is emerging. This trend pools together the resources of the middle income class and has become for the second largest recipient of charitable funds in the United States behind only the Red Cross. Since the mid 1990’s Donor Advised Funds have flourished into a dominant force […]
Doctor’s Orders
It’s common for people to visit the doctor when they are sick. There are those who go whenever something arises, and there are those who avoid the doctor at all costs, often times self-medicating through WebMD or homemade remedies passed down from previous generations. Just as we should visit a doctor when our health is […]
