The stock market has been hot lately! From January 2010 through December 2020 the S&P 500 Index has gained over 322%! It's easy to be a stress-free investor in this type of market. BUT - when things get too hot they sometimes catch on fire. Is it time for an investing fire drill? Let's talk [...]
As a fee-only financial planner, I spend time each morning reading about current events and trends that might impact my clients' financial plans. Reading through news recently I stumbled on an article about more than a dozen large companies - think Apple, Google, Bank of America - that no longer require new employees to have [...]
Hurricane season runs from June 1st to November 30th. Those of us that live here in the SouthEast need to pay attention for developing storms in these months - and make sure our risk of financial impact from hurricanes is properly covered. Do you understand the type(s) of insurance you need to minimize financial risk [...]
Why does a diversified portfolio commonly have a mix of different asset class exposure? Great question! Let's explore that question and also look at 8 key investing indexes, that track popular asset classes, to see how they've performed recently. But first... What Is An Asset Class? Investopedia defines an asset class as "a group of [...]
Would you like to knock out your debt? Are you ready to lower your debt load, or even become totally debt free? Read on for an explanation and example of the power behind the debt snowball. Ways To Pay Off Debt There are four main ways to pay off your debt. Let's look at them [...]
Mortgage amortization. A mortgage is easy enough to understand. That's the loan you take out to purchase a house. But what about amortization? And how does mortgage amortization specifically impact you as a homeowner? Let's break it down in a way that makes sense. Then you can manage your mortgage in a way to help [...]
Student loan debt is a big problem. It's like a financial anchor tied around many American's necks. Do you have student loans? Would you like to pay off your student loans faster? Here are some thoughts and resources to help you achieve that debt-free goal. The Student Loan Debt Nightmare We've worked with recent graduates [...]
Is it possible to find a high-paying job when you don't have a college degree? Would you be surprised to learn that there are dozens of jobs paying well above $50k that don't require you to be a college graduate? I was surprised, but it's true. Here are the highest-paying jobs that don't require a [...]
As mentioned in How We Made Our Second Million, I started a business in my 20s. Starting a business is one of the top ways of building wealth in America. And the great thing is that just about anyone can do it! Many people say that they've thought about starting their own business but haven't [...]
Understanding your tax bracket can make a big difference when managing your finances. But few people really understand how tax brackets work. Here is the easy guide to understanding tax brackets and how it impacts your personal finances. What Is A Tax Bracket? The United States uses a progressive federal tax system. That means that [...]