BUSINESSES WILL FIND A WAY

A friend asked if the China trade war is the only issue that matters anymore to Wall Street. Based on the daily financial news, one might get that impression. It reminds me of a quote by the late Benjamin Graham, who is viewed by many as the father of value investing. He said, “Over the…

IS SOCIALISM CONSISTANT WITH INVESTOR GOALS?

​I try to avoid political topics, but quite often politics and investing cross paths and it’s part of my job to warn my clients when the one might negatively affect the other. One current issue I found interesting were the stories of this year’s Black Friday protests. Apparently, some individuals who take issue with our…

ARE YOU A HIGH FLYING INVESTOR?

​I saw an interesting story in the news of a pilot who hit some power lines with his small airplane. The accompanying picture showed the plane dangling upside down from the lines, while a fire department ladder truck rescued the pilot. I could only imagine how he must have felt as he hung there waiting…

DO WE KNOW HOW BLESSED WE ARE?

My sister found a trove of old family photos going way back to the 1800’s. As I looked through the collection, what stood out the most was how dramatically different my life is from what my recent ancestors experienced. In the time frame of humanity 100 years is just a blip, but what a difference…

A BOLD STEP IN CHOOSING A FINANCIAL ADVISOR

A university student interested in financial planning came to my office to discuss the industry. He asked, “What is the most important thing for me to do to prepare to be a financial advisor?” He listed the potential classes he might take, and internships that were available to him, trying to give me a bigger…

HOW FREE IS FREE

​I drove past a business in town and noticed a big tent with banners advertising free hotdogs. In the parking lot stood quite a long line of people waiting for their food. I chuckled when I recognized many successful acquaintances in that line. I thought on the uniqueness of the situation. These well-heeled individuals were…

ROMANCE SCAMS MOVING TO THE TOP

Years ago I had a client for whom I created a financial plan designed to get them comfortably to the end of their lives. A few months after the husband passed away, we received a call that was out of the ordinary. This nice lady needed $25,000 to pay for some remodeling in her home.…

THE ELECTIONS GOOD NEWS

An extensive exit poll this week demonstrated the vast divide in American politics. On each issue the respondents came down heavily along party lines. One question that stood out to me was, “How do you feel about the state of the economy?” Over 85% of Republican respondents said it was “Great” while over 85% of…

SIX MISTAKES FINANCIAL ADVISORS MAKE

Financial advisors often write articles telling investors what they are doing wrong. Some print booklets with titles such as, “The ten biggest mistakes investors make,” or “The eight reasons to never own (fill in your favorite investment to hate)…” I would like to turn the tables and discuss mistakes Financial Advisors make. 1 – Telling clients they…