Inheritance: Is Education The Modern-Era Farm?
As the cost of college rises, and careers become more high-tech, there’s a growing sense among many families with young children that the very thing their kids will need – college – is the very thing that’s becoming unattainable. There are horror stories about the debt loads that college graduates are carrying as they take their first steps into adult …
How To Steer A Hot Air Balloon
How does a balloon rise? Hot air. How does a balloon fall? Cooler air. But how does one steer a hot air balloon? The short answer is wind, but like most things, it’s not as simple as that. After all, wind will certainly cause a balloon to move but does the pilot have any control over where the balloon ends …
Fall Festival
We’re looking forward to seeing you on Thursday, October 20th. Proceeds from the evening benefit CASA of Johnson & Wyandotte Counties. Visit online to get a peek at some our auction items or register for the event: https://bit.ly/ergfallfest We’ve set our goal @ $50,000 to help local children who have experienced abuse and neglect. We’re sure we can do it …
Back to the Basics: Financial Decision Making a Four-Year-Old Would Approve Of
I fear that we’re all victims. All too often, we’re victim to forces that surround us that are pushing us to act in ways that appear to be rational but lack something critical: a clear purpose. In the busy-ness of daily life, we act on instinct and sometimes in haste. I do it and I suspect you do too. It’s …
Briefcase Study: The One Word Retirement Plan
Working in the retirement planning realm for so long has given me the opportunity to talk with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people about what they hope to experience during retirement. Discussions of money, time, and purpose lead to so many interesting insights about what a life well-lived might look like. A simple question like, “What would you like retirement to …
2022 Fall Newsletter: Kansas City
A recent article in The Guardian put the spotlight on a man – a lawyer – who was overcharged for a train ticket in India. He chose to fight it. After 100 court hearings and 22 YEARS, he won. He was awarded the outstanding amount, a $188 fine plus interest, and the satisfaction of having been proven right. He said …
Is Catching A Foul Ball Worth It?
Whether you’re a baseball fan or not, you may have heard that over the last few years, a number of serious injuries occurred during Major League Baseball games when fans were struck by foul balls. One incident resulted in the death of a 79-year-old woman and another fractured the skull of a 2-year-old girl. Either incident should result in dramatic …
Airline Pricing and Your Wealth
When you book a flight from Kansas City to Detroit, it’s well known that you’d best book the trip as early as possible to get the lowest fare. For if you have an emergency and have to book a flight the night before your trip, then it may be best to just cover your eyes when clicking ‘Purchase’ because it’s …
The Wealth Mirage
“We’ll retire when the 401(k) hits a million.” Or $500,000, or $5,000,000. It’s not uncommon at all for people to set financial goals like these that are very clear and very exciting. After all, what’s unclear about getting to a certain dollar amount in savings? And while I applaud these goals and will cheer for you as you work toward …
The Steak Dinner Decision
A confluence of forces is about to occur that may result in a decision to be made by aspiring and current retirees, like you. I could be wrong, but I think the confluence includes a nervous, teetering stock market, a ramping-up of marketing efforts by some ambitious financial advisors due to COVID fears subsiding, and your love of a free …
