The financial services industry has evolved over the years. For decades, nearly everyone who worked in the industry was a stock broker and the job was to sell stock. Ideally, the stocks went up more… Read More
Investing in Gold
Questions about investing in gold are almost always a tell. If someone is interested in investing in gold, chances are that person is worried. Over the years, gold has acquired a reputation as a go-to… Read More
Saving for Education
Last week, we reviewed a book on children, money and values. One topic the book covered was saving for kids’ needs, which typically included either education or providing them a nest egg post-college. The book… Read More
Handling the Unexpected in a Financial Plan
I have worked as a financial advisor for almost 15 years, and one of the best things about the job is seeing clients achieve their long-term goals. Our focus in planning is to help clients… Read More
How Federal Employees Can Plan a Successful Early Retirement
If you are a federal employee and are considering early retirement, this article will help you understand your options and how to determine if early retirement is feasible. We’ll examine how your FERS annuity and… Read More
Realistic Investment Expectations
Bear markets are a preoccupation for many investors and they are one of the primary reasons that the idea of timing the market is attractive. But the reality is that bear markets are the exception… Read More
Alternatives to Market Timing
In last week’s post, I walked through the challenges of market timing strategies in investing. The buying low and selling high that characterizes an ad-hoc approach doesn’t work, and it can be tough to stick… Read More
Market Timing
I’ve begun reviewing what happens in market downturns in client meetings. It isn’t because I believe a bear market is just around the corner, but rather because it has been nearly 10 years since the… Read More
Is Pet Insurance a Good Idea?
We got Corabelle after staying at a Bed and Breakfast in Northern Wisconsin where the two sisters that ran the place had Bart. Bart was a Burmese cat that sat on my lap when I… Read More
The Process Of Buying A New Car
In last week’s post, I walked through a series of questions you should consider when it comes to a new car purchase. If you’re like me, it’s tough to resist the combination of new car… Read More