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Tuesday, December 13, 2022

 It’s that time of year. No, not the holidays. It’s the time that every analyst, economist, and strategist will declare their forecasts for 2023. These forecasts come from well-educated, intelligent individuals –...

 

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

I saw this headline prominently displayed on the home page of Marketwatch.com a couple weeks back.  It’s representative many of headlines that you may be seeing even today.  Think of it as financial click-bait (or as I...

 

Thursday, September 15, 2022

A recent article I read about the company Robinhood creating a tracking index started me thinking – always a dangerous thing. The article discussed creating an index comprised of Robinhood clients' “top...

 

Thursday, September 1, 2022

Let’s talk about a favorite and costly pastime of investing: chasing returns. It means that we invest in assets that have recently done well or we get out of investments that have recently done poorly. This happens in good times...

 

Thursday, August 11, 2022

Whenever we undertake any activity, it is a wise practice to identify risks involved.  That means we want to understand what the risks are, where they come from and what (if anything) we can do to lessen the risk or hedge against...

 

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Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Do you have a Financial Plan or a bunch of accounts?  A portfolio of investments is NOT A PLAN.  Too many people have a bunch of accounts that don’t work well together and don’t complement one another.  What...

 

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

 

Thursday, April 28, 2022

 

Monday, April 18, 2022

 

Friday, March 18, 2022

 

Sunday, February 20, 2022

 

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

No matter the reason for selling, it is important we have a well-thought plan for what we will do with the proceeds...before we pull the trigger.

 

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

 

Thursday, December 16, 2021

 

Monday, November 15, 2021

After nearly 13 years of a bull market, some are suggesting that there is no longer a need for bonds or fixed income in their portfolios. This ideas centers on the fact that stock returns are so strong year after year after and some...

 

Monday, November 15, 2021

After nearly 13 years of a bull market, some are suggesting that there is no longer a need for bonds or fixed income in their portfolios. This ideas centers on the fact that stock returns are so strong year after year after and some...

 

Thursday, September 16, 2021

There are many concerns today that can significantly affect our thoughts, actions and quality of life. Fires out west. A devastating hurricane in the south. Afghanistan. COVID. The list could go on and on. These things are beyond our...

 

Monday, August 16, 2021

Most of the time when we think of noise, we may consider horns honking in traffic, the noise of a coffee shop or the neighbor’s barking dog. We seldom think of the content or information as noise – but we should. Noise in...

 

Monday, August 9, 2021

These tables calculate your annual required minimum distribution (RMD), which is the rate at which retirees over age 72, must withdraw income from their retirement accounts (IRAs, 401Ks, 403Bs, etc.) or face stiff penalties. To reflect...

 

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

1. Tax-Free WithdrawalsMoney that goes into a Roth IRA is after-tax dollars. Because you've already paid taxes on that money, once it is withdrawn, it comes out tax-free. There are some restrictions on those withdrawals if you want to...

 

Tuesday, July 6, 2021

To become a successful investor, it is important that we live in reality, and not what we wish reality would be. The following three reality checks may help. Define what you don’t know. Warren Buffett has said, “what counts...

 

Thursday, July 1, 2021

As we are midway through the year, it can be a good idea to take stock of what happened so far, and what we can learn from it. Looking back is an important activity as we seek to progress. It’s not about beating ourselves up for...

 

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

After all my years in this profession, I still don’t really know what makes someone or some group “Smart”. There is no standard definition. As a matter of fact, their confident predictions are wrong more than half the...

 

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

The COVID scare last year resulted in the market going down 35% in just a matter of weeks. Not a single client of mine sold during that time, and several bought. Kudos to you! The most profitable investment strategy is always to buy...

 

Thursday, March 25, 2021

At all times in our lives, we should strike a delicate balance of living well today, while still planning for our future. Early in live we can afford to make financial mistakes and it doesn't effect us much. Once we hit your 50s,...

 

Thursday, February 25, 2021

If you haven’t heard that phrase, it means Fear Of Missing Out. FOMO is a feeling of resentment aroused by another’s circumstances, good fortune or outcomes. It occasionally rears its ugly head frequently among participants...

 

Friday, February 19, 2021

Warren Buffett said, “Investing is simple, but not easy.” But in real life simplicity has little to do with ease. Take losing weight. Very simple. Burn more calories than you take in. Easy, right? Why is it not easy: The...

 

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

2020 was a difficult year. It is easy to find things to complain about, get depressed about and/or get angry about. Those are all natural and expected responses from such a significant and negative shock as a global pandemic. Many of...

 

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Thanksgiving is perhaps one of the most underappreciated holidays, but my absolute favorite. Thanksgiving is not marketable; one doesn’t give lavish gifts, or decorate...

 

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Regardless of your age, gender, industry, or company size, you will eventually need to exit from your business. How well you exit and how much you get for selling your business is largely dependent upon how well and how early you plan....

 

Monday, September 28, 2020

I actually wrote this blog a long time ago - way back in July. July seems like a long time ago, doesn't it? I wouldn't change a word from way back then...interesting. In my 20+ years in this profession, I don’t think I have ever...

 

Monday, June 15, 2020

A long time ago a mentor explained something very important to me. If wealth and being financially set was about a “product or investment” that one could buy, then we would all own that product or investment and people...

 

Thursday, April 16, 2020

 

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

We have our first surprise of the year: The Coronavirus (AKA COVID-19). Just last month I wrote in my annual forecast that we will be surprised by something this year. This is likely the first of several unexpected, unpredicted events...

 

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

We often evaluate the quality of our decisions based on its outcomes. If it was a favorable outcome, then it was a good decision – and vice versa. This form of evaluation may be useful in a lab setting when variables can be...

 

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Today is a simple BLOG. When you hear the work RISK, what does it mean to you? - Opportunity? - Uncertainty? - Loss? Let's have a conversation about risk, so I know how to best position you going forward to pursue your goals.

 

Monday, December 9, 2019

The concept of retirement is undergoing a metamorphosis. Demographic, societal, and workplace trends have all converged to offer a stage of life that is much more fluid and flexible than what most of us previously imagined. In fact,...

 

Monday, November 25, 2019

Tis the season of gratitude. Thanksgiving is perhaps one of the most underappreciated holidays, but most needed. Because Thanksgiving is not marketable, there is not publicity on it. Instead, it’s all about consumerism. The focus...

 

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Dopamine is prevalent in many of our lives. It is the desire that drives us to do certain things. It is powerful and can influence us to behave in irrational ways. Dopamine can be triggered when we think about something. Imagining...

 

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Does money buy happiness? Yes and no. Researchers have found that money can increase happiness for individuals living in poverty. However, once we are above the poverty level, money doesn’t do much to promote happiness. Pleasure...

 

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

The Power of Adaptation Humans are very good at adapting to our changing world. Adaptation is a change in behavior that allows us to be better suited for our current environment. Anticipation of change is often more powerful than the...

 

Friday, August 16, 2019

Many are speculating about a potential recession because of an inverted yield curve. NO ONE KNOWS FOR SURE. Economic activity is strong, balance sheets are still in good shape. While every recession was foretold by an inverted yield...

 

Monday, July 15, 2019

SUNSETS are one of natures prettiest pictures! Sometimes the sun doesn't cooperate and hides behind some clouds, Some nights, it just reddens the sky and others it just sets in the horizon without fanfare. That's why we need a full...

 

Monday, July 1, 2019

The Virtue of Slowing Down Time is an interesting dimension. It is a fixed measurement, yet our perception of time varies greatly depending on what we are doing. I can attest to that since I’m just back from vacation. It has been...

 

Friday, May 31, 2019

Here are five “life-changing” developments that are driving a fundamental shift in the way everyone should view and prepare for retirement. Should we have a conversation about these?

 

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

I didn’t expect to write a blog about this subject, but I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to review a great piece of financial pornography put out by Marketwatch.com. I find this terribly funny (pun intended)! We are...

 

Thursday, April 4, 2019

Warren Buffett said, “Investing is simple, but not easy.” You would think that if something were simple that it would also be easy. Not so. Take losing weight. Burn more calories than you take in. The surefire way to invest...

 

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

What the heck is “Smart Money” anyway? In my 26 years in the profession, I still don’t know what makes the media proclaim someone or some group “Smart”. Is it their confident predictions (that are wrong...

 

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

We spend much of our time thinking about, predicting and anticipating CHANGE. Several years ago, the founder and CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, turned the question of change on its head. He said it is more important to consider what will...

 

Thursday, January 10, 2019

This is the time of year when we think about predictions for the market in the New Year. What's it going to do this year? Is the market going to do really well because it was so bad last year? Is the market going to continue in a...

 

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Yesterday we had the first “Accomplished & Fabulous Women Connect” event at ModernWell in Minneapolis. Mary Schmid and I hosted what turned out to be a smashing success! 20 women connected by talking about: Name something...

 

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Perspective If you had gone into hibernation or stasis on January 1 and just woke up, you might think that the market didn’t do a thing all year! What? Yes, the S&P 500 was 2743.15 on January 1 and closed at 2726.22 yesterday...

 

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

This is the time of year that the media ramps up election coverage and reminds us how “important” the results will be for us. When it comes to investing, is that really the case? Fact: the party of the sitting president...

 

Friday, October 26, 2018

Have you been watching CNN …Yahoo Finance… Bloomberg? If so, let’s take a step back and get a little perspective. Here are 6 things I want you to think about. Markets are volatile by nature. We will have losses...

 

Monday, October 1, 2018

A large function of my role is to ensure that financial decisions are made thoughtfully and deliberately. This has been a lot easier over the last few years due to abnormally low market volatility. While no one knows exactly when, the...

 

Monday, September 10, 2018

For years now I’ve sent the Monthly Market Insights email. It’s the one email most of you open. While I think markets are kind of cool (yes, that makes me a nerd), and I like to help you understand what’s going on in...

 

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Financial planning, wealth management, investment management (whatever you want to call it), is a male dominated industry. I should know – I’m on the inside. The industry doesn’t always talk to women the way women...

 

Monday, June 4, 2018

Warren Buffett said, “Investing is simple, but not easy.” But in real life simplicity has little to do with ease. Take losing weight. Very simple. Burn more calories than you take in. Easy, right? NOT!!! Why is it not easy:...

 

Friday, May 4, 2018

I’m not a CPA (and I don’t even want to play one on TV), but we all know that there was a new tax law and it impacts everyone. These are significant changes which means that both individuals and small business owners may...

 

Monday, April 23, 2018

We like to think we are independent thinkers, but the truth is our thoughts, attention and energy are heavily influenced by what we read in the headlines. • “Almost 40% of the market value created during the Trump rally is...

 

Friday, January 12, 2018

I am quite confident in my forecast for 2018. To be fair, it was the same forecast I had in prior years and will likely be the same forecast in future years. Why wouldn’t I keep it the same…it has an overall accuracy very...

 

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Tip: How Much? Check your Social Security earnings and see an estimate of your benefits on the Web site, www.ssa.gov. Social Security’s been a fact of retirement life ever since it was established in 1935. We all think we know...