One question that comes to mind when thinking about giving is how much? How does one determine the correct amount of a gift? It’s a personal decision, there are no right or wrong answers. Giving is a popular topic around the holidays, here’s some considerations...
Last August I wrote about who we serve and the similar traits our clients share. Each household is unique and has their own goals. What’s driving the trend in similarities? In our business and all businesses, it’s important to know who your clients are. What do...
Coach Krzyzewski spent 42 years as head coach at Duke University men’s basketball team. Upon retiring earlier this year, he had some decisions to make. Where does he go, what does he do? After spending four decades at a single employer and collecting 13 final four...
This year there seems to be more tricks then treats when it comes to investing. Tricks are sneaky and can cause a disciplined investor to abandon their plan and portfolio at the worst time. Treats on the other hand are more satisfying yet arrive slowly. They require...
Can you have financial success in a down market? I believe so. It’s easy to be pessimistic when markets are down, this can look smarter than being optimistic about future. I’m a realist and believe ongoing planning and strategy makes optimism possible. Here’s my...
The trees were full of color as the grey cliffs surrounded me on a 10-mile swim through the Tennessee River gorge. After completing a 6-mile swim earlier this summer, I wanted to test myself and see if I could go further. My curiosity persisted and there was only...
Sunday October 9th marks World Post Day, recognizing postal services around the globe. Most of our communications today have moved electronically to phones and computers. Where would we be without text messaging and email? Yet, receiving a birthday card is still...
These three words are very powerful when you right size them to fit your financial decisions today. Saving to cash reserves for opportunities and planning margins. Investing for future wealth. Spending the rest with confidence. In a declining market, this approach...
Earlier this year I read “Let my people go surfing, the education of a reluctant businessman” by the founder, and now prior owner of Patagonia clothing company. I truly enjoyed this book which was originally published in 2005. Recently, Yvon Chouinard, transferred...
Company values contracting, expanding, and contracting again can test the patience of the best investors. This up/down movement in prices is unsettling, especially if you allow account values to define your progress as an investor. If you haven’t created or updated...
We (investors) love watching our accounts expand. It’s nice to see forward progress in values so you get closer to what you want. This calendar year so far has been “less awesome” from an investment perspective. The roaring returns of the past several years, decade...
September will arrive later this week, so will our semiannual review meetings. I learned years ago that attempting to squeeze all planning items into a single annual meeting was unproductive. This didn’t allow time for clients to share personal updates or urgent...