I recognized the importance of a good lead on the dance floor at my niece’s wedding. Even though I like to dance, I was grossly out-matched by my brother-in-law, who dances at a level worthy of Dancing with the Stars. When we first stepped on to the floor, I scrambled to keep up with him, unsure of what was coming. But the longer we stayed out there, the easier it became to anticipate what the next move was going to be. A good advisor is like that strong lead that makes the difficult Read on...
Simple Does It
There are a few things that immediately make me more relaxed and happy to face the day: a strong cup of coffee, a nice walk, and a hot shower. It’s nice to know that I can guarantee myself a good start to the day with such simple things. It got me thinking that people rarely do this with their finances. Instead, financial matters are treated like an overstuffed, messy closet that needs to be dealt with but remains closed (and avoided). Make no mistake, procrastination weighs on the Read on...
Attention, Shoppers!
It’s a great paradox of life that people will clip coupons, or drive out of their way to save $5 at a sale and yet, when it comes to their personal finances, they ignore the chance to save thousands of dollars. This opportunity is real: it is the employer-sponsored retirement plan. Participating in – or increasing contributions to – a 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), Simple IRA, SARSEP, or a Single K reduces taxable income. To quantify the value of this on a federal and state tax level let’s look at Read on...
Destination Unknown?
Imagine you’re about to set out on a road trip. You would absolutely need to have an idea of where you wanted to go – north, south, east, or west. You would have to work within the confines of how much time you had for this trip – that would determine how far you could go. Your financial goals are no different than that road trip; failing to plan means planning to fail. Even if you haven’t given retirement much thought, in terms of what it looks like and feels like, chances are Read on...