Opposites Attract: Marriage and Retirement Planning
A wonderful blessing and a curse of marriage is the joining together of two very different people. While their values are likely the same, the challenges of living life together have caused many a couple to struggle with financial decision-making. One spouse may obsess over every penny, while the other spouse is a never-ending party, spending money feely, because “Hey, …
What’s Your Plan for Rising Taxes?
Much has been written and said about taxes. Nobody likes paying them, but pay them we must. Few people would volunteer to have a detailed discussion about taxes, but here we are, deciding whether to keep reading or just hit delete and hope everything just turns out okay. In light of the un-exciting nature of tax talk, I’ll start with …
The Power of Hindsight – Money’s Impact on Family
If you want to see my heart break, tell me a story about a family ripped apart by money quarrels. I just cannot stand to think that relationships once valued were severed by a disagreement over financial matters. I’m actually sick to my stomach having just written those two sentences. It just seems unnecessary, but it happens all the time. …
Recession Is Approaching
It’s coming, can you feel it? The next recession is getting closer and closer, there’s no doubt. How do I know this? Simply put, recessions happen and we haven’t had one in quite some time, so it’s a safe prediction to make that the passing of each day moves us closer to the next. Are you ready? Before we get …
Client Corner: Trip of a Lifetime for LaMar & Meg
This past March we went on, what we would consider, a trip of a lifetime. We flew into Sydney, Australia, boarded the Coral Princes and cruised around Australia and Tasmania. From Sydney we headed north, travelling counter clockwise around the continent stopping at every major city and some smaller towns. In Tasmania we stopped at Burnie and Hobart. At each …
Save The Date
SAVE THE DATE Rise Against Hunger Event Friday, June 28th from 5 to 7 p.m. Juan Diego High School We are excited to announce that we have finalized the details for our annual Rise Against Hunger meal packing event! Mark your calendars now and make plans to join us Friday, June 28th from 5 to 7 p.m. as we pack …
My Home Is an Asset. Or Is It?
Often in discussions of retirement planning, the home comes up as a planning item. After all, a home can represent one of the single largest items of value a person owns. But since we live in our homes, must maintain them, and constantly reinvest in them, the question for us non-Silicon Valley homeowners sometimes arises, “Is my home really an …
If Your Nest Egg Had Perfect Timing
I often suggest that good financial planning means we die with money left over. Conversely, that must mean that bad financial planning means we run out of money before we die. Of course, omitted from this binary look at the topic is the possibility that you’ll spend your last dollar as your last breath exists your body. Wouldn’t that be …
Briefcase Study: Has Spring Finally Sprung?! Spring Cleaning, Anyone?
Spring has to be your favorite season; or at least in your top three or four. Everything is new again, fresh, bright, ripe with hope of new adventures. I’m a sucker for spring. If you share even a fraction of my spring enthusiasm, you may also feel that deep-down desire to get things cleaned up and sorted after a long …
Back to the Basics: Social Security’s Health and Taxation
After decades of doing your job, saving money, and just plain navigating life, retirement approaches and shocks you with its complexity. The number of things to consider when planning a retirement is daunting, and Social Security is no exception. While the options have been reduced slightly, there’s still a lot to consider when claiming the benefit that you’ve funded and …
