The largest single financial transaction you are likely to make will be on the day you die. On that day you instantly transfer your entire accumulated net worth, to someone else. It is amazing therefore, how little thought many people put into that moment. I see people spend more time planning a child’s birthday gift…
“Ok, kids, Line up in alphabetical order.” I cannot say how many times I have heard that schoolteacher’s call. Perhaps we were heading out for recess. Maybe we were lining up for the field trip bus. It may have been the lunch line and we were selecting white or chocolate milk. This scenario continued into…
The massive spending bill just signed into law, I will call it the “ACT”, contained several changes to the federal tax code. Though the general definition of a tax is a fee imposed by government on its members to cover expenses, the purpose of taxation goes far beyond the funding of government. Were it not…
The spending bill going through congress known as the Inflation Reduction Act (ACT- don’t get me started on the name), has caused confusion among investors as to how it may affect their assets. The ACT calls for a minimum 15% tax on major corporations. It also imposes a 1% tax on stock buybacks. Several estimates…
Research by a major financial firm revealed that teenagers today are much less prepared than their parents were to make good financial decisions. The study showed that parents are not teaching their children about money, nor is there much effort in public schools to do so. The research is discouraging because poor financial skills can…
I recently wrote about the Fed’s fight against inflation. Raising interest rates creates pain, but likely far less pain than runaway inflation. So, let’s see if the plan is working. I saw the effects of runaway inflation while visiting Zimbabwe years ago. In the storefronts were government issued signs that said it was illegal to…
I would like to deviate just today and give a brief glimpse into the life of a financial advisor. Understanding what we do may be beneficial to those who may one day seek the services of a Certified Financial PlannerTM, or consider becoming one. People initially come to us because they want to make sure…
A contractor at my house told me he needed to raise his prices because supply costs had gone up dramatically. He made a comment that caught my attention saying, “The solution to inflation is simple. Rather than sending out little stimulus checks, the government should just give everyone a million dollars and we would all…
I visited a high-rise hotel with floor to ceiling windows. As I looked out the window, I was suddenly hit with my fear of heights that had me quickly stepping away. After a moment I slowly approached again, trying to overcome my fear so that I could see the beautiful view. The following day, I…
It’s been a tough year but in many ways it has been necessary, and good. Obviously, the news focuses continually on the challenges facing the economy. I think the four biggest are inflation, the labor shortage, supply chain issues and higher interest rates. Our main economic issue today is inflation and that is significantly driven…