Back to the Basics: Why Buying Luxury Items Is Less Harmful at 62 Than at 22
Why Buying Luxury Items Is Less Harmful at 62 Than at 22 This rant may come as a surprise to you, at least coming from me. It’s actually a little surprising to me that I’m writing it because I wrestle with this topic quite a bit. The subject is that of luxury items; things like a ’69 Camaro, a Florida …
Briefcase Study: Consider the Platinum Rule
Are You A Caregiver? Consider the Platinum Rule In this Briefcase Study, we’re going to focus on a topic that isn’t financial, necessarily, but a heart issue instead. If you find yourself, like so many others, caring for a family member as they age, you’re doing some very challenging work. We hear a lot of the stories from the families …
2021 Spring Newsletter: Salt Lake City
Walk outside. Do you smell that? Fresh-cut grass, turned-over dirt, worn leather, peanuts… It’s baseball season! The most wonderful time of the year! As you all know, sports looked quite different in 2020. The Major League Baseball season was shorter than usual and didn’t start on time. The same thing happened with my son’s baseball season, but we were happy …
Caregivers and the Bystander Effect
Have you ever witnessed an emergency like a car accident or a person having a seizure or other medical issue? Did you immediately jump in and assist that person in crisis? Was there a dialog in your head that said something to the effect of, “I’m sure somebody else will handle this; I mean, there are so many other people …
Report: First Quarter Economic Update
What A Difference A Year Makes The first quarter of 2021 included the one-year anniversary from the March 2020 equity market’s bottom. For the first quarter of 2021, equity markets encountered volatility but still created all-time highs. With the potential of herd immunity following mass vaccinations, investors finished the quarter with hopes that the end of the pandemic could be …
Can There Be a Retirement Planning Formula?
For years, I’ve been on a quest to determine the optimum set of inputs to design the ideal retirement plan. And while the topic of formulas may not appeal to you, I hope you’re somewhat comforted that it does hold some appeal for me, a retirement planning guy. I’ve thought much about the ideal blend of guaranteed income sources, risk-based …
Frugal Is As Frugal Does, Mostly
Years ago, when I first began in this business of money stuff, I had it in my head and in my heart that I wanted to help people budget better in an effort to save more money for long-term goals. After all, that’s the subject that attracted me to this business in the first place. My wife and I had …
A ‘TINA’ Market? Who’s TINA?
We need to talk about the stock market for just a bit. And before some of you tune me out because investments aren’t your thing, at least read far enough that you learn a new term with which to impress your friends. Because not only do I want you to win financially, I also want you to have a strong …
So, What’s the Deal With Bitcoin?
I’m not going to suggest that being unaware of Bitcoin’s recent craze points to one’s under-rock living situation…but it’s close. The digital cryptocurrency’s meteoric rise in ‘value’ has lead many people to wonder, “Did I miss out on millions?” While the answer is likely a yes, it may be wise to learn a bit more about Bitcoin before calling it …
Is Your Home An Asset?
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 …
