Where do we stand going into the Year Ahead?
It is always helpful to define where stand today and understand a few points about how we got here. So as a sequel to my last post, here are a handful of data points about today’s economy and market stats from the recent past. Several of these may surprise you.
I am not typically a reader of Money* magazine (who still reads hard copy magazines these days??). But I received a promotional copy in the mail recently and before throwing it out I figured it couldn’t hurt to breeze through a couple of pages. By the way, have you ever realized that lots of magazines save a truly “of-interest” article for the last few pages?
The article that caught my attention was short, and one where someone famous answers 5-6 intriguing questions. Being that I am pretty out-of-the-know when it comes to famous people, I almost always gain a new fun fact.
This particular article was about Terry Crews, the former (underachieving) NFL player turned Actor, and several of his views on having money… then not having money… and then working your butt off to re-invent yourself in order that you can have… enough money for the lifestyle you seek. Continue reading “Millennial Spirit For Adults”
It is nearing year-end and I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to double-check certain items NOW. The best financial advisers can and should be drawing your attention to these items in order to make your year-end easier and less stressful.
Here is a list of questions I review annually with clients:
Thank you to my friend and loyal reader, Bob, for the title of today’s edition. The idea of “reflection” came up last weekend while I was enjoying time in a wonderful Southern beach town where the restaurants and bars were full, the sidewalks hopping with people of all ages, the lovely (large) homes newly built or renovated, people enjoying relaxing time on the beach – even the dogs’ tails were wagging with joy! Times are GOOD in lots of places!
These things are what we live for. These things also take planning and discipline – because good times come in cycles. Nearly everyone with whom I spent my weekend is engaged in a different and exciting line of work: from real estate finance, to “retired”, to the medical profession (both human and animal), to start-up tech… to owning or having sold their own businesses. Conversations were around “what’s next?” in terms of work, homes, vacations, kids’ camp, and kids’ college. Continue reading “Reflections From the Beach”
What Emoji are you feeling these days when it comes to your financial life? Recall that an “emoji” is that little character that expresses an emotion using the keys on your computer or phone keyboard. Happiness, joy, confusion or sadness… there’s an emoji for it all. But just because the markets have been mostly joy … :o) … does not mean that your financial life is all joy and satisfaction. :/ (That is the “uncertainty/confused” emoji.)
College graduation may have been a long, long time ago for some of us or more recently for others – or for your kids or grandkids.
Inspired by this weekend’s upcoming graduation at the University of Notre Dame and “graduation season” in general I offer several basic pieces of personal financial advice that hold meaning for nearly everyone at every age.
Did you finish your taxes? Technically you have until Tuesday, April 17th to file – and pay if you owe – because of Emancipation Day in Washington, DC on Monday, April 16th AND a Sunday being April 15th.
Last year was bitter-sweet for taxpayers and investors. The stock markets enjoyed gains, gains, gains in 2017 – almost the 9th year in a row – and the economy delivered mostly good things in the way of jobs and incomes. There are always exceptions, of course, but 2017 was mostly a great year economically and investments-wise. So even though you probably paid more in taxes and likely had less investment losses to offset gains, it was a positive year. Remember, rebalancing your portfolio is a critical tool but one that can create taxable gains — and an attentive, qualified adviser will guide you to minimizing inevitable taxes on a profitable portfolio. Continue reading “Onward to Tax Year 2018”
And you thought going to the gym was hard?! Try Budgeting.
Please don’t quit reading yet – this may be one of the most frequent topics I discuss with my clients especially at tax time. Add in the ever-increasing future costs of healthcare and nearly everyone (wealthy or building wealth) will care about a budget at some point.
Continue reading “You Thought Going to the Gym is Hard, Try Budgeting”
Welcome to 2018. In checking out Dictionary.com I found:
“No rest for the weary definition. You must keep persevering no matter how tired or overworked you are.”
This could be the mantra of my readers, no matter if you are in your first job, running a company, or retired. If you want to be successful and informed, it takes hard work to wake up – and keep up – in America today. Continue reading “No Rest for the Weary”
Are you familiar with the saying, “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while”?
The year of 2017 (and every year since 2009) in the stock markets could fall under this category – and prove dangerous to those not recognizing or admitting this reality. In other words when the S&P 500, the index of the largest and most recognizable companies in America, rises every year (including dividends) for 9 years in a row (and was up over 13.5% in 6 out of those 9 years) we have been given a slightly false sense of security that investing is easy.
