One of the primary reasons I wanted to put a budget in place was for Christmas. After the fifth delivery on December 23rd, I realized we had a problem – or at least I had… Read More
Leaving Federal Service: Financial Issues to Consider When Taking a Job Outside the Government
One of the primary reasons clients begin working with us is job change. Beyond just a change in employer, there is usually a change in salary, benefits are different and you’ve got to decide what… Read More
Preparing for an Unexpected Death: Steps to Take Now
A lifelong friend of mine recently passed away, and it was a sudden and totally unexpected death. As a financial advisor, I deal with the possibility of death all the time. In the hundreds of… Read More
Federal Employees and the Impact on Retirement of No Raise
When President Trump announced several weeks ago that he was freezing pay for Federal employees, it had to feel like Groundhog Day. The top pay increase in the last 7 years came in 2010, and… Read More
How to Maximize Happiness: A Few Ways Money Can Make You Happy
We’ve all heard the adage that money can’t make you happy, but most of us realize that’s not quite true. If you don’t have enough to cover the necessities, more money will most certainly have… Read More
529 Plans: What You Should Know About Saving For College
At some point, most new parents or grandparents begin thinking about how to pay for college. Since educational costs have risen at a rate well in excess of inflation over the last two decades, covering… Read More
The Ups and Downs of Investing in Emerging Markets
One of my favorite charts on investing is the Callan table of investment returns. The chart depicts the return of various asset classes1 from year-to-year, and just a glance at it shows how volatile relative… Read More
Long-Term Care Insurance: How to Determine If It Is Right for You
A question clients often ask as they approach retirement is whether or not they need long-term care insurance. The basic concept is pretty straightforward – if, at some point in the future, you need long-term… Read More
Working Past Retirement Age – Things to Consider
A pretty common stereotype when it comes to retirement is the overworked, underpaid worker who would retire immediately and pursue the Island Life if they only could. And while I have worked with some clients… Read More
Medigap Insurance: What You Need to Know
If you are planning for retirement, estimating healthcare costs should be part of your plan. In recent posts, I have covered a Vanguard study on retirement healthcare spending, as well as the structure of traditional… Read More