With the right strategies, stock market downturns can become opportunities to strengthen your financial plan. Three Financial Planning Strategies for When Markets Fall By Matthew Sommer, Ph.D. CFA®, May 1, 2025 The market volatility experienced in early April may have left some investors feeling a bit unnerved. While many tried-and-true strategies such as “stay the course”… Continue reading →

  As a financial advisor, increasingly I find myself in a ticklish situation: Trying to convince people that taking an easy yield on cash is not a long-term investment strategy.  Here is what typically happens, in my experience. Imagine a couple in their early 60s. They have diligently saved for retirement.  As they approach the… Continue reading →

Financial Planning in a Volatile Market Volatile investment markets highlight the importance of proactive financial planning. Part of building a plan is ensuring proper investment allocation so you can build resilience against market fluctuations. To prepare for this, it’s essential to understand your complete financial picture, something a comprehensive plan can help you achieve. The… Continue reading →

As a financial advisor, a common question I get from friends and family is “Can you recommend a book that will help me understand how to invest?” I always hesitate with this question, not because I do not know what to suggest, but because there are too many good choices! For some folks, the clear… Continue reading →

“Legacy” is a loaded word. It suggests principles and ideals that will outlive one generation and guide the next. For parents, even those who are engaged, the journey often requires letting go and allowing children to make mistakes and learn. When reflecting on legacy and the knowledge that fosters success and happiness, one figure comes… Continue reading →

You may have heard about a type of tax-advantaged college savings plan known as a 529 plan. Similar to an IRA or 401(k), money put into a 529 is “qualified,” meaning it grows tax-free and can be used tax-free in the future. You will find 529 plans sponsored by all 50 states and the District… Continue reading →

Medicare Made Simple? Not Quite: Decoding the Alphabet Soup to Maximize Your Coverage.   Medicare plan options are confusing. This book may help. By Michelle Singletary, November 22, 2024 For all its pluses, Medicare can be a hellish system that befuddles and frustrates so many beneficiaries. Medicare provides health insurance for millions of Americans 65… Continue reading →

Many people, prompted to think about how long they might stay at work, fall back on statistics they hear in the media. You know, the ideal retirement age is 65, maybe a few years more, tops. The thing is, that number made sense only briefly around the time the government was setting up Social Security,… Continue reading →

When we’re young, retirement can feel like a far-off concept, more fantasy than reality. It’s in our middle years that the reality of aging and approaching retirement starts to hit home. By “home,” I mean your actual home, if you live with or near your own aging parents. Many folks in their 40s and 50s… Continue reading →