Choosing the right financial planner can be critically important. Being an industry insider for the better part of a decade has given me an interesting perspective on evaluating fellow planners and while some are wonderful, some should be avoided like the black plague. I see many people make the mistake of focusing solely on returns, […]
9 Ways to Evaluate a Financial Planner Read More »
I’ve already been asked this a few times this year (it’s January 2): Will the stock market crash in 2024? As we start the new year, we have an opportunity to reflect on the multitude of “mini-crises” that shaped the financial landscape in 2023. These challenges tested our resilience and forced us to confront the
Will the Stock Market Crash in 2024? What 2023 Tells Us Read More »
Retirement planning is a multifaceted endeavor, and for decades, the 4% rule has served as a guiding principle for many. But what if there’s a more dynamic approach to withdrawals that could better suit your unique retirement journey? Join me as we explore the idea of abandoning the conventional 4% rule in favor of a
Forget the 4% Rule: Why a Flexible Retirement Withdrawal Strategy is Best Read More »
There are so many key milestones along the retirement journey and knowing where these milestones should fit in your retirement planning timeline makes a huge difference. For example, knowing one of these retirement deadlines allowed one of my clients, we’ll refer to him as Donald Duck, to retire a whole 3.5 years sooner! Despite having
Retirement Planning Timeline: 8 Must Know Retirement Deadlines Read More »
At my firm, we have a policy that we don’t accept clients with accounts at multiple firms. At first glance having multiple financial advisors may seem like a good idea. After all, that’s increased diversification, right? While maybe our policy could come off as selfish or greedy, the reason for it is quite simple; it’s
Why You SHOULD NOT Have Multiple Financial Advisors Read More »
Unless you have lived under a rock over the last few years, you have noticed inflation increasing slowly and not so subtly reaching into your pocket. For many Americans, this has taken a toll on their financial safety net and impacted their ability to sustain unexpected expenses. We all now know that the so-called transitory
What the FED – Why Inflation Will Almost Certainly Increase to Close out the Year Read More »
It’s funny how some memories from our childhood stick with us, becoming a part of our identity and shaping our future. One such memory that has always stayed with me was the result of overhearing a conversation. When I was young my brother and I had a mowing business, and this particular day my dad
The Best Money Lesson My Dad Ever Taught Me Read More »
Let’s talk 529s…A 529 Plan is a is a tax-advantaged plan for education savings. Understanding and leveraging tax advantages is one of the biggest value propositions afforded to the clients that work with me, so why the heck would I not utilize these tax advantages for my own children? How a 529 Plan Works Ultimately
Why This Advisor Refuses to do a 529 Plan for His Children Read More »
For many people, their Social Security benefits are among the largest benefits that they take with them in retirement, so finding ways to increase your Social Security benefits can be very important. Doing your research to ensure that you get the most out of this stream of income is very important. That is why I
Increase Your Social Security Benefits: 5 Simple Ways Read More »
Last week my family and I had the wonderful opportunity to take a summer vacation up to the shores of Lake Michigan. While the drive made for a bit of a challenging trip, we really had a wonderful time and I have always enjoyed the change of pace and perspective that vacation can bring. In
Musings from Vacation: The Importance of the Proper Ordering of Money Read More »