Family Finances When Dad’s Losing His Grip
I recently wrote this article for Money Magazine. Follow this link to view it. The unedited version is below: Just the other day, the daughter of a client of mine told me that she did not expect her father to last much longer. I had known that her father’s health had deteriorated somewhat, but he still […]
Secrecy or Transparency? – That is the Question
In reading through Trusts and Estates Magazine online, I came across two sets of opinions regarding what parents should tell their adult children with regards to family finances and estate plans. With our young children, we have not had these conversations yet but plan to do so after they start learning how to manage their […]
Something we can learn from the French
Each year when our anniversary rolls around, I’m typically looking for something new to surprise Jennifer with. We both love to travel, so this usually involves a trip of some type. We usually go somewhere warm to scuba dive or somewhere cooler for good snow skiing. Napa was the choice this year because we won […]
Financially Independent Children in the Age of Entitlement
“Father Merchant, Son Gentleman, Grandson Beggar” – Spanish Saying A few years ago, meeting with new potential clients who were considering retirement, it became clear that the biggest hurdle that stood in the way of a successful future was the continued dependency of their adult children. Even though the children were well into their forties, […]
Beat The Clock -Last Minute Qualified Charitable Deductions
Congress has passed the “extenders bill” for 2014 (the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014). President Barack Obama just recently signed this into law. This bill revived qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) for 2014 only. There are NO transitional rules allowing 2014 qualified charitable deductions to be made in 2015 so you must get your 2014 it done before the end of […]
The Night Before Christmas
Every year with the kids, the night before Christmas brings new joys, challenges and memories. This is the one night of the year when we do not have trouble getting the kids to bed. We watch Santa delivering presents on the computer via the “NORAD Santa Tracker” waiting for him get close to Chattanooga. When […]
Large Tax Hits from Mutual Funds?
Mutual Fund Capital Gains Distributions They show up like uninvited guests, usually in early or mid – December and eat up our profits. They are one of the worst aspects of owning mutual funds. Funds might sell appreciated securities for a variety of reasons. Perhaps a stock hit management’s sell target–not out of the question, […]
Do Yourself a Favor on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year. Not just because I’m surrounded by spectacular cooks who create some of my favorite dishes or round the clock football games. It is also the time of the year where we take time to say thank you and think of all that we have to […]
The Charitable Spirit – Not Just for the Holidays
A lot has changed in the past few years. Angry Birds became a national pastime. Tennessee fans are starting to fill football stadiums once again . China surpassed the United States to become the world’s largest economy. Innovative technologies disrupted whole industries. One thing hasn’t changed, though, and that is Americans’ generosity, especially when it comes […]
Scarcity and Opportunity
If you play fantasy football, you probably understand the economic principle of scarcity. Generally, there are a limited number of draft picks participants can use to maximize the talent on their teams. So, it’s essential to know which positions and players offer the greatest value. If there are a lot of great quarterbacks and defenses […]
