The bottom line for success in your financial house boils down to one word: budget. More specifically, know your monthly budget and the numbers that make it up. Now, I’m not talking about the easy figures, like the mortgage, power…

Decisions about pre-tax assets – such as 401(k)s, 403(b)s, simple IRAs, SEP IRAs, and traditional IRAs – can either protect or greatly reduce the beneficiary’s overall benefits, so make sure you understand related terms, options, and strategies. A pre-tax asset’s…

The only thing that is certain in life is change, so having flexible financial plans and products matters. Let’s look at two examples of how unsuspecting needs arose and how a greatly misunderstood financial product came to the rescue. A…

People make common financial mistakes every day – bad decisions that cost them money. Do any of these blunders apply to you? 1. Not paying off credit card balances.  Sometimes people have a credit card balance that seems small, so…

When one parent shoulders the responsibility of raising children, the pressure is real, especially with finances. The cost of basic expenses alone – food, shelter, and clothing – is enough to cause hardship. What’s a single parent to do? I’ve…

The electronic age has increased our productivity, yet compromised our financial safety. With threats all around us – like shifty telemarketing, phishing, scamming, spamming, and malware – we need to be on guard. Staying alert and knowing what to say…

Traditional gifts of the season tend to get broken, forgotten, or discarded far too quickly. Why not give a gift with long-term impact and long-term value? Here are three ideas that will transcend the season: Roth IRAs, Uniform Gift to…

As Thanksgiving approaches, we begin  a season of buying and giving. We make lists and hunt for perfect gifts. We spend more time with family and friends, entertaining, eating, and celebrating. It is an exciting time of year, but along…

In an effort to protect funds and plan for the future, people choose beneficiaries, strategically shift assets, or add joint owners with good intentions, but often without fully understanding the potential ramifications. Poor decisions can be costly, sometimes causing beneficiaries…

As a financial advisor, one of my goals is to help clients align their money with their deepest held values – and keep it there. This typically involves a learning curve and a process, with the most important part being…