I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. Whether you reached your personal goals last year or faced challenges, a new year always brings new opportunities and a fresh start. The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019, popularly known as the SECURE Act, was signed into law in late 2019.…
Everyone has a favorite ornament on their Christmas tree. For some, it’s those red, shiny glass spheres that reflect the lights around them, bathing the room in a warm glow on Christmas Eve. Others prefer ribbons, beads, or candy canes. There are those whose fondest ornament is the tiny macaroni angel or baked salt dough…
Happy New Year! I was thinking about goals and New Year’s resolutions when I came upon the story of John Goddard—an adventurer, lecturer, and perhaps “the world’s greatest goal achiever.” If you’ve ever read the book Chicken Soup for the Soul, you might be familiar with Goddard’s name. (His story was included…
On October 3, 1789, President Washington gave the nation’s first Thanksgiving Proclamation. In it, he both specified the exact day the nation should come together in gratitude and suggested some of the things Americans had to be grateful for. Washington released a second Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1795. After this, only one president – James…
My Memories Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. As I get older, I think more and more about Thanksgivings past and all the food, laughter, and company I enjoyed from childhood to adulthood. As a child, my mother’s extended family always gathered at someone’s home. I find myself nostalgic for the holiday…
Showtime in 12 Days With elections right around the corner, many have been asking me what the results could mean for the markets. Here are four things you should know about the relationship between midterms and markets. 1. The stock market usually dips before a midterm election. As you know, this has…
We’ve now begun the fourth quarter of 2022 and for those of you 70 1/2 or older, you should be strongly considering using the second-best provision in our tax code: The QCD (Qualified Charitable Distribution). Your gifts must be received before the end of the year, here’s how it works. Not 70 1/2 yet?…
Who Will Pay? How many times have I asked you, “Do you believe taxes will be higher in the future?” For those who look out at Pikes Peak every day, picture a little snowball rolling down the mountain getting ever larger. If you’ve ever hiked the mountain, the snowball has past the Golden…
Investing Like Water I’ve been thinking about water. I know that might seem like an odd thing for a financial professional to think about. Especially during times like these, with interest rates on the rise, inflation remaining stubbornly high, and volatility dominating the markets. But, as investors, this is exactly the time…
Perhaps this question has crossed your mind more than once as you consider your financial future. There are many issues surrounding this question and one of the first steps to finding the answer is to evaluate where you are today. It’s good to take a snapshot of where you are currently and paint a picture…