Which of the Four Are You?

All of us are innately wired to react certain ways when it comes to making investment decisions.  Some of us are spenders while others are savers.  Some are thrill seekers while others prefer to play it safe.  Each of these personalities has good qualities and areas for improvement.  We’ve found that being “self-aware” is the first step […]

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 […]

It’s Time to Talk About Aging

We are all, inexorably, marching toward old age. By 2030, 72 million Americans will be age 65 or older.1 The good news is longevity has been improving, and people are remaining healthy and vibrant at older ages. The bad news is cultural perceptions of ‘old’ people have not kept pace. A 2016 analysis by the World Health […]

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 […]

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, […]

Laddering versus Chunking

Many times clients come to us to find a better rate than what their bank is offering when a CD is coming due.  Sometimes they are looking for the best short term rate because they fear interest rates are going up and want to have the money available sooner rather than later.  Other times they […]

Is a “Back Door” Roth IRA Right for You?

Have you ever known something was right for you and been told you couldn’t have it? It can be pretty frustrating. Many high-income earners, who would like to contribute directly to Roth accounts, cannot do so because of IRS income limits. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible for high-earners to reap the benefits associated with […]

Did You Miss the Gorilla?

Last week we hosted our first session of Brain Games in which we found as many ways as we could to trick the audience.  We unveiled to them their own biases and ways their own instincts work against them, especially when it concerns investing.  It’s especially interesting to see how most people believe that they […]