Little did I know when I posted my last blog in February that I would be weathering a financial COVID storm. As I began tax season, I did not know how life would turn upside down in the coming months. So much as has changed, including a tax season that never seemed to end.
From time to time I have had clients that I believed need to do some work on budgeting. In, both, my professional and personal life I like to walk my talk or said another way practice what I preach. So, it was time for me start or rather restart my budgeting journey. I had struggled in earlier attempts as I dislike bookkeeping type work and after a “honeymoon” period usually stop the effort.
It can be scary retiring after a near lifetime of working. Perhaps even scarier is realizing that you must live on what you have now in investments. The markets daily ups and down with the television, radio, and social media hype only enhance this fear. How are you to do your retirement investing? Put them under a mattress or bank CD’s earning very little interest? Here is a method that works for my clients.
Black Friday Discount Strategy that works on other days too! I’ve looked at Fitness Trackers for awhile now and have narrowed it down to the Fitbit Charge 3. I was happy that stores marked it from $150 to $120 on Black Friday. I discovered that several stores offer additional store benefits as well. For example, …
Holiday Spending Is January a painful month financially? For many people, January it is a not great month for their finances. One reason folks struggle in January is because they overspent in the December holiday season. Gifts, meals out, parties and more all take a toll on personal finances. Having a spending plan for the …
What is Retirement The retirement years, for many, no longer exists the way they use to be for the early baby boom generation. Pensions are no more for many people. As a result, they must live on Social Security and the savings from a life time of working. Some folks continue to work into their …
Sunday ACP Conference My most important professional organization is the Alliance of Comprehensive Planners (ACP). ACP’s tax-focused model and financial planning philosophies align with my own. I, very much, look forward to the conference each year. It has been my pleasure to be part of the conference committee for this National level conference for the …
Financial Planning Weekly Thoughts for October 20, 2018 Read More »
10/7/18 Sunday Simplifying Some days are just not good ones to be dealing with personal finances and that is OK. Though I am passionate about financial planning, there are those days when I just don’t want to deal with my own finances because other things are going on in my life or I am just …
9/23 Do you hold individual stocks? Consider the size of your portfolio you may be taking too much risk. Just consider the wide swings of stocks like Tesla or the problems of Enron and others in the past. A diversified mutual fund or Exchange Traded Fund gives you the ability for a relatively modest …
9/16 Living on less than one makes doesn’t have to feel like money diet. It is about an approach to lifestyle. The cliche of giving up the expensive latte has merit. It can be replaced by an upscale cup of coffee prepared at home for less. Ultimately, there is money saved while still having a …
8/28 Automating savings is the by far the easiest way to put away for tomorrow’s financial needs. Sending a small amount to a 401K or bank savings account directly from a paycheck is painless once established. Likely after a few times, it won’t be miss it as much and increasing the savings contribution in a …
Now that the kiddos are back in school, what will they learn about money? The best I can tell from my 1st grader is that he will learn about counting money this year. He will certainly need to know how to count it though much less so in these days of plastic and digital money. …
