I love my kids, but towards the end of a long road trip, well…you probably know. What is it about our minds that make us more impatient the closer we get to our goal? If we are honest with ourselves, we are just like our kids. We drive a little faster on that last stretch…
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A fellow advisor once told me a story about trying to help his grandmother with her life planning. “She refused,” he said. “She insisted that John, who had been her advisor and friend for years, was doing just fine for her. Besides, she couldn’t take away the business from a lifelong friend.” He continued by…
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Wow! 2021 has been a whirlwind… sometimes literally in paper. It seems we have had a new proposal almost every day from lawmakers. Social Security alone has been addressed in 10 different bills this year. And taxes? Keeping up with introduced or impending changes is a full-time job. The good news is that we are…
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Stop for a moment and think about all of the change that has occurred since we entered this decade less than 2 years ago. Who would have thought the world would be set back on its heels? Several times in the past week I have had conversations about how busy it is for everyone. Everyone…
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There is a bit of chaos and change in the world today. Okay, a lot. And everyone is looking for answers. Whether it is how to lower taxes and keep your hard-earned dollars, find people to work, invest in markets (financial, real estate or otherwise) that appear overpriced, but also feels necessary to fight the…
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Today’s 70 is yesterday’s 50. Today’s 70-year-olds are performing mentally and even physically the way 50-year-olds did in the past. Most of us will live 20-30 years longer than our grandparents and parents; thus, retirement will be 20 to 30 years longer than it was for generations before us. It is no longer enough to…
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If you’ve ever wondered what your financial advisors do with their free-time, here’s your answer: Google geeky things like this. This happens to be one of my favorite things to look at each year. It gives us an indication as to where we are from a financial literacy perspective. This year’s list was very interesting.…
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Let’s just lay it out on the table: money often brings out the extreme in people. Money is a frustrating topic. You find two-sided information on every topic you search regarding money. Everyone you know seems to know everything about what you are going through. And caution! Marriage counseling may be required. It can be…
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In this world of vast information, just about anyone can claim to be a financial advisor. Moreover, the McDonald’s of financial advisors are popping up on every corner in those big brand names you recognize. Unfortunately, this means most of the advice families receive is generic information. I say “Unfortunately” because very few families have…
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You’d almost have to live in a cave to not realize that times are tough right now. And under these uncertain conditions, people are hoping to find the perfect investment—one that’s safe, but offers an outstanding return. Our experience tells us that there is ultimately only one perfect investment—family. As a Life Planning firm, we…
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