What is on the mind of investors this month? Mostly concern. There is much negative chatter about inflation, recession and a double-dip bear market. Here are some of the frequent investor questions that I am hearing: ∎ “Is the bear market over?” Probably not. While...
financial planning
Fair doesn’t always mean equal when distributing wealth
When the final bell tolls, how much money do you want to leave to your children? How much is too much? How much is too little? It is almost a rhetorical question since there isn’t a right or wrong answer. Years ago, I had a widowed client, Max, who was 84 years old....
The key to financial security? It comes back to budgeting
A global economic slowdown and raging inflation have many households examining their spending choices. In good times and bad, budgeting is perhaps the most important tool to help you reach the goals in your personal financial plan. According to a 2020 Forbes Advisor...
Elder care hits hard; seek insurance advice and plan early
“Old age comes at a bad time! When you finally know everything, you start to forget everything you know.” (source unknown) The Grand Dame of our family (we’ll call her “Ella”), 93 years old, has had a rough past five years: She has broken both hips, broke her foot,...
Inflation is challenging. Take a breath and re-balance your investment portfolio
“I will survive!” sang Gloria Gaynor in the 1970s. Back then, it could have been a battle cry: Oil prices surged, inflation peaked at 14%, and the U.S. stock market plunged 45%. Almost 50 years later, we are facing challenges on the same fronts, but not at the...
Here are some smart financial planning moves for your spring ‘cleaning’
A few weeks ago, we cleaned out and reorganized our bedroom closet and our garage. The annual spring ritual leaves us feeling better and a few dollars richer as we gave away some clothes, shoes and coats and sold some bigger items online. Now our attention is turning...
War is emotional, but rarely impactful on company profits
There is a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The loss of life is tragic and disturbing. And it is OK to wonder, “What does this mean for my investments?” Our financial planning firm recently hosted a current events webinar with Apollo Lupescu, Ph.D., vice president of...
Here’s how to keep your focus on the big picture during unsteady times
Here we are in 2022 and the world seems like a crazy place (again)! Armies on the move. Consumer prices reaching decade highs. The coronavirus pandemic continuing to impact our daily lives. What should be your next decision with your personal finances? Should you sell...
Balancing Act: Interest Rates
“What are your IRAs paying?” asked my mother-in-law. Being extremely risk-adverse, and 93-years-old, she was referring to the prevailing interest rates on an IRA bank account or an IRA annuity. However, as I politely discussed with her (as she was preparing her famous...
It’s always a good time to audit your retirement income strategy
Do you have enough money saved to retire? Are you financially independent from the need to earn a paycheck? This is some important math as the coronavirus pandemic has moved some workers into early retirement, voluntarily or involuntarily. Stated another way, when you...