Blog

Do you have a Financial Plan or a bunch of accounts?

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...

Some Thoughts on Thinking

Don't Look at The Market!

The Holy Grail of Investing.

The Certainty of Uncertainty & Probabilities

5 Financial Decisions That May Haunt Us

The Challenge of Selling

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.

How We Measure & Compare Things

Tis the Season for Forecasts - be mindful.

Does a Diversified Portfolio Still Make Sense?

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...

Does a Diversified Portfolio Still Make Sense?

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...

Creating a Virtuous Cycle

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...

Noise

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...

What will the new IRS Life Expectancy Table Mean for You?

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...

The Roth IRA’s Secret Tax Benefits That Everyone Should Know

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 Because you've already paid taxes on that money, once it is withdrawn, it comes out tax-free.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...

Successful Investing

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...

2021 First Half Review

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...

Smart Money?

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...

Pondering the Market & Economy

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...

A Delicate Balance

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,...

FOMO

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...

SIMPLE, but not easy

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...

2020 - Synthesizing the Year

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...

This the season...

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...

Exit Planning - What the heck is that?

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....

We can't predict, but we can prepare

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...

Chasing a unicorn

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...

Video from Joan Gilles

Coronavirus: A Healthy Perspective

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...

Improving the Quality of Our Decisions

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...

RISK - What does that mean

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.

Retirement in Metamorphosis

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,...

Practicing Gratitude

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...

Dopamine, Rats and Quality of Life

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...

Can Money Buy Happiness?

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...

The Power of Adaptation

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...

My Thoughts on the Yield Curve

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...

Capture the Sunset Week - Summer is here!

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...

Slow Down, you move too fast...

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...

Five Trends That Will Redefine Retirement

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?

Buying the Dip: what does that mean?

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...

Simple, Yet Difficult

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...

What the heck is "Smart Money" anyway?

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...

Fundamental Truths

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...

Predictions

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...

Accomplished & Fabulous Women Event

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...

Perspective

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...

Mid-Term Election Mania!!

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...

Market Perspectives

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...

NOW is the time to create a plan for the next market downturn!

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...

Monthly Market Insights

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...

Women & Finances

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...

The Cost of Being Comfortable

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:...

The New Tax Law Impacts - REVISED

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...

Are we as independent as we think?

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...

A reliable forecast for 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...

9 Facts About Social Security

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...