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The Beauty and Fragility of Life
Life has a funny way of humbling you when you don't even know you need it. There are things we all worry about on a daily basis that have no relevant impact on the true quality of life, yet we let it affect us every day. Last week I...
Read More1099 Earners & Business Owners: Solo 401(k) vs SEP IRA
Oftentimes, there is a lot of appeal to being a 1099 independent contractor and/or a business owner, especially when it comes to the flexibility of retirement contributions. The purpose of this article is to strictly focus on a single...
Read MoreFinancial Planning for the Stay-At-Home Parent
In December 2021, my wife and I found out that we were expecting our first child. We were both working, me as your favorite financial advisor, and her as a medical assistant at a colon and rectal clinic. We had always talked about both...
Read MoreTiming the Market
Time in the market is more important than trying to time the market. Here's why...
Read MoreWhere There's Value
Want to know the 5 best stocks to own in 2023?Yeah, me too.I was doing a search for some articles to look into the recent data of growth stocks vs value stocks and the first result was:"Best Value Stocks to Buy in 2022" The Motley...
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Is your balance sheet like Apple's or Applebee's?
Building a balance sheet takes time and it takes repetition of good habits. It's not easy to do, and it's something that most families, and most businesses, struggle with over time. It's why the biggest fear of retirees is running out...
Read MoreWhat are the benefits of putting your farm land in a trust?
Setting up farm land in a trust can offer several benefits for farmers, depending on their specific circumstances and objectives. There are a number of reasons why farmers...
Read MoreWhat are the benefits of putting your farm land in a trust?
Setting up farm land in a trust can offer several benefits for farmers, depending on their specific circumstances and objectives. There are a number of reasons why farmers...
Read MoreWhat are the benefits of putting your farm land in a trust?
Setting up farm land in a trust can offer several benefits for farmers, depending on their specific circumstances and objectives. There are a number of reasons why farmers...
Read MoreHealth, Wealth, & The Pursuit of Happiness
Your money and your health may be two of the most correlated things in life. There is plenty of data and research out there that shows how poor financial situations often lead to poor physical and mental wellbeing. Check out this...
Read MoreFinancial Entertainers Have Lost Their Minds (and maybe your money)
This one is going to ruffle some feathers, I know it. I'm ok with it though because, in my opinion, many financial gurus are great at helping people who have lost hope, however they can be detrimental to...
Read MoreTop 6 Strategies for Agribusinesses
Running an agricultural business requires you to be an expert in a lot of areas. But as the saying goes, "a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none" can often leave financial planning on the back burner for most agriculture producers.
Read MoreFailure to Plan is a Plan to Fail
Think about this: someone makes $500,000 a year and retires with $4,000,000 of assets. Is that enough? Well, unfortunately there is a high likelihood they're going to run out of money. On the surface they look successful, but when you...
Read MoreThe 9 Basic Financial Questions You Need An Answer To!
Money and personal finance can be stressful, but it doesn't have to be. No one has ever complained that they started too soon. These are the 9 basic financial questions to answer in order to begin stress testing your financial plan.
Read MoreInflation Creeping into Personal Finances
If you have a balance on a credit card or an adjustable rate mortgage, you might be noticing changes in your payments. Higher interest rates are starting to ripple through the personal finance landscape, and it doesn’t look like...
Read MoreSaving for College - Pros & Cons of Many Options
When it comes to planning for your children's college, there are so many options to consider. We've all heard of the 529 plan, but is that the best and what else is out there? Let's dive in...
Read MoreIs Retirement The End?
Think about that question for a minute. It's kind of eerie to think about. So many people talk about getting to retirement as if it's an end goal. But is it?
Read MoreTop 5 Money Hacks for 2022
Well it's almost 3 full months into 2022, can you believe it?! We're 1/4th through the year which means we still have plenty of time to get on track...
Read MoreBiggest Financial Regret From Retirees?
Not saving enough money If you don't save enough along the way, you have only two options later on: 1) You keep working longer, delaying retirement 2) You are forced to live off of less With all of the pressures on your finances every...
Read MorePerfect Practice Makes Perfect
Have you ever heard the phrase "practice makes perfect"? If you're like me, you have probably heard that more than once growing up. Whatever it is you were practicing for, people always told you to practice because if you did, you'd...
Read MoreOpen Enrollment: Navigating Employer Benefits
Group insurance is meant to be supplemental, not core. Swiss Cheese Holes and gaps Non-transferrable Increasing cost
Read MoreKiss Social Security Goodbye
You weren't really going to rely on Social Security in retirement were you? The truth is, nearly 9 out of 10 retirees1 do and it represents about one third of their income in retirement. As of 2021, 65 million people are currently...
Read MoreHow much do you spend each month?
Do you know? What's your best guess? When I ask this question to new clients, I often get interesting reactions. Some people have an idea of what it is, but most people surprisingly don't. You know who do know it like the back of their...
Read MoreBecoming A Financial Survivalist
Over the last year or so, my wife and I have gotten into the "survivalist" shows. Learning how to survive in extreme situations and putting your body and mind to the ultimate test really shows some of the amazing things about the human...
Read MoreFrom FOMO to Oh No!
How many times have you heard people talk about the stock market in the last 6 months? It's probably been at least more than once, and in some cases, maybe more than ever before. Imagine that in January you took a trip to a remote...
Read MorePaying Debt vs Saving For Retirement?
Which to start working on first? Instant vs delayed gratification What is your plan? Which would you feel better with? What if you had $10k more in savings vs $10k less in loans? What if the right answer is both - financial...
Read MoreFinancial Rules for 20/20 Vision
Delayed Gratification Protect what's important Progress to Save 20-25% of gross income Invest - yourself, stocks, retirement, property Attack debt with a plan Splurge, Yep, that's right
Read MoreOpportunity is N O W H E R E
What does that say to you? Opportunity is No Where? Or, Opportunity is Now Here? In times of stress and uncertainty, it is easy to fall into the category of "Opportunity is No Where" crowd. As we shut out the "noise" and filter out...
Read MoreThis System Can Change Your Life
In my last post, I covered the cash flow system that the overwhelming majority of people use to manage their finances. Over the years, I have seen that there are many issues that people encounter throughout their careers and lifetimes....
Read MoreThe CARES Act & Student Loan Forgiveness
On Friday, March 27th, Donald Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law after it was passed by Congress earlier in the week. This $2 Trillion bill has some key aspects that can reduce your...
Read MoreA Strategy For Success In A Volatile Market
In 2017, the S&P 500 had only 4 trading days where it moved +/- 1%. All four of those moves greater than 1% were to the downside. Of the 251 trading days in that year, 113 days were negative returns from the open to the close. That...
Read MoreJump Start Your 2020 Financial Goals
We are already two months in to 2020, where are you at on your financial goals? At this point, things have settled down with the holidays and we have gotten through the initial rush at the beginning of the year to get caught back up....
Read MoreFalling out of balance, financially, is easy and very common. Here's why...
In working with hundreds of families, I’ve learned that managing cash flow is often a number one concern. What I’ve heard from them, especially as they’re getting closer and closer to retirement, is they feel like...
Read MoreAchieving Financial Balance – How to Navigate Repaying Student Loans and Saving for a House
For many people, buying a house is one of their top priorities within the first few years post-graduation, but doing so is no easy task. With the amount of student loan debt many graduates have, it can often feel like an uphill battle....
Read MoreHow Do You Define Risk?
When you think of risk, what comes to mind? Does it give you a lot of warm and fuzzy feelings? Does it give you peace of mind and certainty? Most humans would say no to all the above. Risk is associated with losses, nervousness, and...
Read MoreCan Chasing Returns Really Save You?
Can Chasing Returns Really Save You? What if you could get what you want, and where you want, with less risk of failure along the way? Read that again. Isn’t that what everyone strives for? To get where they want to go with the...
Read MoreStudent Loan Idea!
If you haven't heard, there is over $1.5 TRILLION of outstanding student loan debt in this country, so you are not alone. In fact, depending on the type of college you went to, somewhere between 75%-88% of people graduate with student...
Read MoreThe Real Signs of Inflation
Real Signs of Inflation With so much in the news recently that “inflation is dead” or the Fed “seeing no signs of inflation,” it really got me thinking – Are they crazy or just ignorant?! Do people really...
Read More6 Things to Know Before You Start Investing
So, you want to start investing? Good! It’s about time! Investing can be a great friend if done right, however, it could also be your worst enemy if you walk in blind. The market can turn on the drop of a hat, and there is...
Read MoreThe Student Loan Mistake You Don't Want to Make
Every June and July, as new residents begin to get a taste of what it’s like to finally be making some money, they also begin to feel the weight of the mega amounts of student loan debt. With some student loan balances higher...
Read MoreMillennials: Why Now is the Best Time to Start Investing
One of the biggest questions I was getting from people 10-12 months ago was, “Is now the time to get invested?” If you remember, that was right about the time the S&P 500 (a gauge for the U.S. stock market) was at all-time...
Read MoreThe Top 4 Strategies to Pay Off Debt
Almost everyone in America carries some sort of debt, yet not one single person enjoys doing so. If you had a choice to buy a car in cash or take on debt, everyone would use cash. So why do so many people have debt? Here is the...
Read MoreThe Road to Financial Success: Step 4 - Get Out of Debt
Consumer debt is an anchor that weighs down the majority of the wallets across America. Taking on too much leverage will cripple any household or business. Just ask Long-Term Capital Management, a group of the smartest guys in finance...
Read MoreThe New iPhone XS: Why It's the 2nd Largest Risk to Your Wealth
When people think of building wealth and growing their money over time, everyone first focuses on the return of their initial investment. That is an important factor to consider, however, there is likely to be a risk associated with an...
Read MoreThe Road to Financial Success: Step 3 - Defense Wins Championships
There is a reason this is one of the most famous sayings in sports. It’s because it is true. Look at any major sports team, any world champion, any franchise with a history of winning, and I am sure a big reason why they got to...
Read MoreHow 'bout it: Buying a Beach Bar
I have a close friend who would probably define at least some version of his “success” as owning a bar on the beach. That’s you Mike P.! Let’s go with that for a second. I did a quick Google search and I found a...
Read MoreThe Road to Financial Success: Step 2 - Save
Is it easy for you to save money? If so, you’re not saving enough. My mentor in this business has always told me that people don’t know how much they can save until they save too much. In Step 1, I asked you to define your...
Read MoreThe Road to Financial Success: Step 1 - Define Your Success
Everyone wants to be on the road to financial success, yet so many people fall short of their definition of “success.” Why is that? In most cases, it is because there are so many ways to easily fall off track, and there is...
Read MoreMid-Year Financial Check Up: 11 Questions to Ask Yourself Half-Way Through
The start of the year often brings out optimism, hope, and expectations of what a great next 12 months could look like. New Year’s resolutions – getting out of debt, saving a certain amount, buying a house, traveling more,...
Read MoreThe First Year Pharmacist's Financial Strategy
You did it! Congratulations! You’ve graduated, spent countless hours studying for Boards, and landed your first – real paying – job! Oh, wait, you did a residency?!? Well read this again in a year or two, but...
Read MoreWhat Does "Retirement" Mean to You?
If you are young, it probably doesn’t mean too much. For me, it’s kind of like a mythical land so far off into the future that I have trouble wrapping my mind around it. For folks who are older, who are living it or will...
Read MoreUpdate: New Proposed Changes to Student Loans
It’s no secret student loans* are a huge part of many people’s lives. And if you have a graduate degree, it is probably an even bigger part of your life. But, on top of that, it is an even bigger part of the United States...
Read More401(k) or 401(nay)? Why You Should Seriously Reconsider Traditional Thinking
Growing up, I always heard people talk about contributing towards retirement. That is what everyone is always working towards – saving for retirement, so when they finally get there, they can finally enjoy the life they always...
Read MoreResidents: The Needs Vs Wants Struggle Of Living Like A Doctor
For most residents and fellows, their financial hope during training is to survive long enough to get a job and start making “real” money. What’s funny is that the $50,000 a year salary they make during residency is...
Read MorePGY 1 #Goals
Goal number 1, survive sleep deprivation. By now you have settled in to your first year of residency. Clinic, rounds, journal club, all of that takes up most of your time, and the other part is spent sleeping or out with some friends....
Read MoreA Financial Strategy for 20-Something Year Old's
A couple weeks ago, I was with some friends of mine and they were asking about what they should be doing now to get started on a good financial track. I started thinking, but to provide them with the best possible answer, I also read a...
Read MoreMed Student to PGY1: What do you mean I'm not making bank?!
First off, congratulations on matching with a program. That is great! Over the next few months as you finish your final rotations, you will begin to look for places to live for your residency. So, what to do? Do you buy or rent? I...
Read MoreThe Financial Side of Medicine: The Journey From Medical School Through Residency, and Into Practice
Congratulations on receiving your M.D. (or D.O.)! You have entered the elite company of other M.D.’s across the country. Now I know what you are thinking, my M.D. is my doctorate in medicine; however as Lee Corso would say,...
Read MoreObama's "Risk-Free" Retirement Plan: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, The MyRA
The year 2017 will bring a lot of change to the United States. New jobs, new opportunities, new markets, new goods, and a new “retirement savings vehicle” – the myRA. Obama wanted to help Americans save for retirement...
Read MoreHow do I repay my student loans?
As we approach graduation season, thousands of college graduates will be turning the page in their book of life. No longer do they have the responsibility of ‘studying’ each and every night (of course), or deciding whether...
Read MoreSpring Cleaning: Organizing Your Financial junk Drawer
Over the last few years, I have met with hundreds of individuals and families and there has been one common theme in helping each of them. Financial Organization. Not necessarily the paper aspect of it (tax returns, investment...
Read More10 Commandments of Personal Finance
1. Don't Be Greedy, Give Back To The Needy Be a good steward of all that you have been blessed with in life. There are many people who don't have, and may never have, the good fortune that you do today. There is no better feeling than...
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