If this isn’t you – who should you share this with? A few years ago, I met with someone who we’ll call Sam. He asked me a very simple question: “Why can’t I ever seem to get ahead financially?” I asked Sam to tell me a bit more about himself. He continued: “I’m a college…
DetailsWhere will you go when you’re enjoying your 2nd Half? We’ve heard from clients recently who have been to: Hawaii New York Phoenix Their Backyard San Diego Cabo San Lucas Disney Cancun Death Valley Sedona Europe Outer Banks Ecuador RV Travels Washington, DC Shark Swim in Baja …
DetailsImagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening, it deletes whatever balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course! Each of us has such a bank. Its name is…
DetailsSince President Trump’s election, the markets have climbed to record heights, partially thanks to investor enthusiasm for Trump’s policies. One of those policies is tax reform. After months of behind-the-scenes talks between the White House and Capitol Hill, Republicans have at last released their plan to update the tax code. Tax law is murky, and…
DetailsI don’t think anyone truly knows what to say when a tragedy strikes. The shooting in Las Vegas is a terrible tragedy. What can we say that hasn’t been said before? How can words alone make a difference? It’s also hard to know what to do in times like these, especially when we are very…
DetailsRecently, an acquaintance of mine admitted that it was time to start thinking about retirement. “The problem,” he said, “is that I don’t even know where to begin!” I told him that, before doing anything else, he should ask himself … The Six “W” Questions of Retirement Do you remember learning the six “W” questions…
DetailsI’d like to tell you a fable that makes a true point. Once upon a time, some eminent scientists developed an interest in the bumblebee. (Let’s make them actual rocket scientists, at NASA.) They hoped the tiny insect held some secrets of flight that could be applied to shuttles re-entering the atmosphere. But the wings…
DetailsYou’ve probably seen headlines like this over the past few days: Equifax® Says Cyberattack May Have Hit 143 Million Customers1 Credit agency Equifax announced one week ago that it suffered a data breach affecting 143 million U.S. consumers. The announcement prompted me to check if we had been hacked. Our personal responses from Equifax were:…
DetailsThis September marks a special sort of birthday. It’s the 40th anniversary of the launching of Voyager 1. Voyager 1 is a probe built by NASA, launched on September 5, 1977 to study the outer Solar System. Its primary mission was to study Jupiter, Saturn, and their various moons. Having accomplished this, the probe is…
DetailsWhenever a tragedy occurs, it prompts us all to stop and think. We think about why the tragedy happened, and what we can do to prevent it in the future. We think about what we love and value most. We think about what that tragedy says about us, both as Americans and as human beings.…
DetailsThere once was a time when the threat of nuclear war hung over America’s head like a storm cloud that just wouldn’t go away. Those days, thankfully, are long over—but the sky turned a little bit grayer in the last couple weeks. As you probably know, tensions have surged recently thanks to news that North…
DetailsLast month, I introduced Newton’s Laws of Finance. They’re my spin on Newton’s famous “Laws of Motion” that you probably learned about in school. This month, let’s look at Newton’s Second Law. Here’s how a textbook might describe the original: The acceleration of an object as produced by a net force is directly proportional to…
DetailsWhen you were in school, you probably learned about Newton’s Three Laws of Motion. First published by Sir Isaac Newton in 1687, these laws explain how physical objects move. They are so important—and easy to understand—that most of us still remember them even decades later. I was thinking about these laws the other day when…
DetailsA singing bird was confined in a cage which hung outside a window, and had a way of singing at night when all other birds were asleep. One night, a bat came and clung to the bars of the cage. The bat asked the bird why she was silent by day and sang only at…
DetailsRESOLVED That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States. So said the resolution presented before the Second Continental Congress on June 7, 1776. The Revolutionary War was already raging, but this simple statement set wheels turning that changed forever the lives of two men whose fondest dream was to have…
DetailsThis month we celebrate Father’s Day. It’s a chance to show our fathers, grandfathers, great grandfathers, and also men who serve in the role of fathers how much they mean to us. A chance to show how their hard work, sacrifice, and commitment have paid off. A chance to recognize good fathers everywhere. But what…
DetailsThanks to many of you for your patience over the last 10 days while I’ve been out of the office. We’ve enjoyed a high school graduation, Disney and the beach. John graduated from Colorado Springs Christian and is moving on to new opportunities. He’s been working at Domino’s since early this year. He’s doing well…
DetailsDuring this Memorial Day holiday, may we remember all those who have died in defense of the freedoms that we enjoy every day. The following story took place in the fall of 2000, and I thought I’d share it with you in honor of this special day. Perhaps share it with your family before dinner.…
DetailsIt’s been said that checklists are a great way to simplify a complex task. They help you do everything that needs to get done. They keep you organized. They ensure nothing gets skipped or forgotten. With that in mind, I’d like to share a very important checklist with you: The “Thanks, Mom” Mother’s Day Checklist…
DetailsAs you save for retirement, you also recognize the possibility of having to pay major health care costs in the future. Is there some way to plan for these expenses years in advance? Just how great might those expenses be? There’s no rote answer, of course, but recent surveys from AARP and Fidelity…
DetailsHopefully you’ve survived Tax Day and looking for some good news? I have a quick tip that might give you some hope and fun. Every year I suggest that you search the online government databases for any possible unclaimed assets. It’s quick and only takes five minutes. A couple years ago I found some old…
DetailsInstead of April 15 as the final day for taxes to be completed and postmarked (or e-filed), this year it’s Tuesday, April 18. And it’s all because of a little-known holiday in Washington. Tax day is pushed to the next business day if April 15 falls on a Saturday or Sunday. But this year, tax…
DetailsIt’s Spring Break in Colorado Springs and I’ve been reflecting on the “holiday” called Spring Break this week. I grew up in Virginia and I don’t remember ever having a “Spring Break” during my grade school and high school years. I do remember having Good Friday and the Monday after Easter off. We always looked…
DetailsMany of you are aware I went through the most difficult and challenging time of my life, years ago, during divorce. I have a special place in my heart for anyone who is going through this. The process can be devastating, the decisions overwhelming, and seeing your children hurting and confused is agonizing. There are…
DetailsYou’re 2nd Half is just ahead of you. Are you ready? If you’re IN your 2nd Half, is it what you hoped for? There are phases or chapters as you prepare and live through your 2nd Half. Being prepared and clear on your expectations for each chapter is critical to your success. I’ve seen those…
DetailsTuesday night President Trump spoke to a joint session of Congress and said, “The stock market has gained almost $3 trillion in value since the election on November 8, a record.” I’m not the fact checker, however it is true that we’ve seen an unprecedented rise (unexpected for many) in the market. In the last…
DetailsWe all have filing cabinets and boxes of statements and records that we retain … “just in case”. I cover 22 different types of documents and how long you should keep each. Read more… When I started in the 80’s the permanent copy was only the paper copy. We had a file room dedicated only…
DetailsI continue to meet with folks who have overlooked valuable Social Security options. I agree the options can be complex and confusing. That’s our job to help you sort them out and understand which strategy is best for you. These don’t have to be you: Filing too early Filing too late (it’s not always best…
DetailsThese tools if used properly can make a huge difference to your heirs and estate plans. TOD, JTWROS…what do these obscure acronyms signify? They are shorthand for transfer on death and joint tenancy with right of survivorship – two designations that permit automatic transfer of bank or investment accounts from a deceased spouse to a Read…
DetailsWhen a spouse passes away, the emotion and magnitude of the loss can send our lives reeling. I’ve seen it many times. I’ve watched spouses who are prepared and those who aren’t. It’s rarely easy. Many of us may have watched our parents or grandparents experience this dramatic change. This profound change can affect us…
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