At first glance, financial planning seems like a numbers game: How much have you saved? What’s your withdrawal rate? How are your investments performing? But beneath all those numbers, there’s a deeper, quieter question that lives at the core of every financial plan: How much is enough? It’s not a question most people ask out … Read more
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of What Exactly? As we approach the Fourth of July, I’ve been reflecting on that iconic phrase from the Declaration of Independence: “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” It’s a bold promise. And yet, somewhere along the way, many of us swapped that last word. We replaced happiness with … Read more
Are You Still Doing Things You Don’t Have To? When you start thinking about to enjoy retirement, you’re probably focusing on what to start doing—travel more, pick up hobbies, spend time with family. But just as important is knowing what to stop doing in retirement. Why? Because the habits that served you during your working … Read more
If you’re comparing investment portfolios, it’s easy to be dazzled by one that would have crushed it over the last decade. But here’s the catch: just because a portfolio looks amazing in hindsight doesn’t mean it’s the best investment strategy going forward. In fact, these backtested portfolios may be giving you a false sense of … Read more
A few years ago, a good friend of mine asked me to consider the difference between “strength” and “power”. I have been pondering this concept ever since. I’ve been spinning it around and around in my head and considering it from all angles. At first glance strength and power seem pretty similar. We largely use … Read more
Serving as an executor (or personal representative) can be a lot of work and take a lot of time, so it’s understandable that you would want to reduce the hassle for your loved ones as much as possible. As a financial advisor, I often hear people talking about various estate planning strategies they wish their … Read more
When it comes to managing investments, “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” is probably one of the oldest and arguably wisest principles you should apply. But it’s also perhaps the most misunderstood. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” usually refers to diversification. A portfolio that isn’t properly diversified can lead to … Read more
Congratulations! You’re getting remarried! How exciting! And maybe a little terrifying? Like just about every big decision in life, there are probably many layers to the emotions you’re feeling. There are a lot of things to consider in a second marriage… things you didn’t think of in your first marriage, things you think about differently … Read more
Congratulations, graduates! This is such an exciting time in your life. Your future is full of possibilities… and pressure! When you graduate from high school you’re sort of expected to know what you want to do with your life. Let’s get real: almost no one has discovered their “life calling” at 18 years old. And … Read more
We can probably all agree that just about nothing in life lasts forever. Life is full of changing seasons. “Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end.” -Lucius Annaeus Seneca (or Semisonic for all the 90s rock fans.) Seeds of the Season Spring always makes me think of my dad. He loved spring. Every … Read more