Hidden Costs, Expenses & Penalties
Just about every month I come across someone who claims that their investments don’t cost them anything or someone who doesn’t seem to understand all they are paying in internal expenses. All too often (in the case of those buying commission based products) they have been told that something they bought does not contain any […]
It’s Good to be the Banker
Even when Not Playing Monopoly Thinking more like a banker can provide us many benefits from a tax re-positioning perspective and a loaning vs borrowing / cash flow perspective. Not too long ago, I and a client were interviewed by a reporter at Forbes about the benefits of making serial conversions to Roth IRAs over […]
The Power of Choice & The Pace of Change
Founder and former CEO of Netflix, Marc Randolph spoke at to a group of us last week about the power of ideas and entrepreneurism at the annual Excell meeting in Las Vegas. It was refreshing to hear which experiences have shaped his thinking and most importantly how he has learned much more from his failures […]
Is There Nothing to Fear?
My children finished out their last days of school this week. Sydney will be heading off to middle school after the summer and all three of them are thinking much more about what fun they will have over vacation than anything else. The month of May usually starts off a summer period in the markets […]
Lessons from Jack Nicklaus
A few weeks back, Jennifer and I took our kids to Boca Raton for spring break. This break just happened to coincide with an LPL Financial trip rewarding its top ten percent of financial advisors and it was the kids first trip of this kind since Sydney and Jack were little. I enjoyed getting to […]
Are You a Believer?
According to legend, experts said for years that the human body was incapable of running a four minute mile. It wasn’t just dangerous; it was impossible. During the 1940s, the record was pushed to 4:01 where it stood for nine years but on May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute barrier with at […]
Where’s the Beef?
What a Difference a Year Makes! Those who thought the S&P 500 would be the best place to invest in 2016 may have been surprised to find that “the beef” was to be found in many other types of investments last year. Some of the most unloved asset classes recovered well after February with Energy, […]
Turning Death, Divorce, and Multiple Lawsuits … Into a Positive Experience
Eight years ago this weekend my father passed away in a horrible car crash. My brother Tim and I worked diligently to settle items in the estate, closing down a plastic surgery practice, dealing with fallout from various business interests, winding up the domestic relations order from his recent divorce and working through the probate […]
How To Get The Best Answers
The Key is Starting with Great Questions When you read something particularly good, it’s hard not to want to share with everyone. Many ideas are original but sometimes other ideas are just too good not to share. Ben Carlson wrote a particularly good blog last month that I felt I should share with everyone and […]
How My Father’s Death Transformed Our Practice
“We believe it is important to stay fit physically and financially. Our Wealthfit™ process is at the core of everything we work with clients to accomplish over their lifetimes.” – Joe D. Franklin – CFP® I still remember how everything was turned upside down in September of 2008. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were placed […]