Blog

In my most recent articles, I wanted to start with some of the fundamentals. So, I’ve shared on creating a budget; teaching kids about finance; the power of compounding; just to name a few.

As we go through each post together, I want to build on the fundamentals.

Especially during challenging times our current realities are filled with ups and downs. Those ups and down can be related to stress, finances, emotions, health, and many other personal events that many of us experience at various times in our lives.

In times of crisis, it is hard to know what to do. But taking some type of positive action no matter how small can wire you for success over the long term.

We challenge ourselves to take just a moment to look long term and think of positive change over a timeframe measured closer to decades rather than days.

What you keep after taxes is paramount to your long-term success. 

Your energy, your focus, your long-term success.

Behavioral Finance is where the study of psychology meets with economics and finance. Recent studies, bestselling books from world class researchers and even Nobel Peace prizes suggest having a basic understanding of human behavior and our cognitive biases can help you succeed and stay successful as you plan and invest for your financial future.

I have a seven year old. She loves to spend. This is not something that has just started. When I took her to the stores when she was younger, she would ask to swipe and sign. She was between 2 and 3. This has not changed. She uttered her first word as we were walking the aisles of Target. This should tell you something!

The thought of creating a budget, or even thinking about a budget causes some people serious anxiety.  Many of us hear the word budget and immediately think of “financial handcuffs” or cutting back on the things we love. The irony is, if used properly, a budget provides the framework and visibility for reaching your future financial goals.  It brings awareness to your situation and can save a lot of strife in relationships (money is one of the major causes of disagreement in relationships).

Over the past few weeks I've received a number of calls and emails from clients asking if I thought we were in a bear market. The S&P 500 has fallen nearly 9% since October 1, 2018 and it is having an impact on investor psychology. Fears about trade wars, home prices, retail sales, and commodity prices (to name a few) have come to the fore and sentiment has abruptly shifted. The narrative about interest rates has quickly turned from "higher rates are good because it shows our economy is strong" to "the Federal Reserve is going to hike us into a recession."