Financial planning blog

Timely and free financial planning advice

May 8, 2019

Three Times the Retirement Assets

Planning, the simple act of planning, not even following a plan, creates money. In fact, even if you create a plan and don’t follow it, you still end up with more money. So say the researchers. (1,2,3) On the other hand, when I say the word “money,” your brain shuts down and your emotions shoot...

April 30, 2019

The Case Against Early Retirement

“Some things I hope I never do: clog the checkout line at a drugstore while laboriously counting out 54 pennies in exact change; drive 10 miles an hour in a 35-mph zone; serve my children freezer-burned tuna noodle casserole.” *1 Early retirement would be nice Retirement can be the opportunity of a lifetime to achieve...

Professional financial advisor specializing in investment strategies

April 23, 2019

ESG Investing and Earth Day

On Earth Day, 2019, we launched a three-part plan to do our part to increase our client experience, and help the planet, too. GO PAPERLESS First, it’s never been easier to go paperless with your investments. Click here to save thousands of pages of print (and hassle) per year. Chad Harmon collects 6 months of...

April 3, 2019

Fooled by Randomness

The equity and bond markets ended the first three months of 2019 with gains. The headlines attribute this to the Federal Reserve who, they say, said they will not raise interest rates in the near future. It’s not April Fool’s Day anymore, but this explanation is no more accurate than a bad joke. I offer...

March 26, 2019

Social Media, Your Kids and Your Money

Do people who use social media spend more than others? An inaccurate perception, called a visibility bias, researchers suggest is changing our consumption habits. We only post on social media expensive things, dinners, and experiences, and we don’t promote the mundane, everyday, saving. When our friends see us post, they are inclined to spend more....

March 19, 2019

Why we love the Health Savings Account (HSA)

We love Health Savings Accounts, (HSAs) and we think you should too. Like Francois Giguere, CFP®, says: “There are three big reasons I love HSA plans: They grow tax-free. You can keep them over for the rest of your life. You can invest the money.” Let’s look at each of these points more closely. An...

March 12, 2019

How to Diversify Your Tax Policy

Diversifying your tax policy may be more timely than ever before, now that we have so many changes happening in Washington DC. So says Dave Stevens, CFP, CPA, PFS, with A&I Wealth Management. In last week’s tax chat event, Dave discussed many ways to save a few dollars in taxes. We entered a respectful and...

February 27, 2019

Love and Money: How to Manage Finances Equally

Money is a leading cause of divorce and marriage counseling. How can couples avoid letting money ruin their love? The answer – communication. When you say, “I do,” you unite more than just your families – your finances are now intertwined as well. While there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to managing finances,...

February 20, 2019

1,000 Years Later, the Castles We Still Build

Over the past 1,000 years, the world hasn’t changed. So began the story from our new-to-us Certified Financial Planner® practitioner, Dave Stevens. Dave has been a friend to one or more of us for more than a decade and he joins our team with open arms, and over 30 years of investment experience. I hope...