I’m fascinated by “fuck you money”, or as some call it, “FU you money.” I remember the first time I heard the term was early in my career. It was not used in the way many individuals use it today. It was used in the context of having enough assets under management as a financial … Read more
Do you ever experience an acquaintance who says something so confidently it feels like it must be true? It usually goes something like, “Oh, you must absolutely do…” and then they finish with something that sounds logical. Then, you think, “Wait, I’m not doing that. I should probably do that now.” That exists in personal … Read more
Are you outcome-focused or process-focused? Do you judge decisions as good or bad based on the outcome or the process? For example, if you ate healthily, exercised, and did the normal things you are supposed to do to live a long life and then died of cancer at an early age, was the decision to … Read more
When people start their first job, they often know they have access to a 401(k) plan, but they are not sure what it is exactly or how best to use you. Instead of brushing it off and thinking, “Hey, I’ll do it in a few years. Retirement isn’t for a long time,”, I suggest we … Read more
I quit my job. Yesterday was my last day as a financial planner with my prior employer. I’m one of those odd millennials – not because I quit my job, but because I was there for 10 years. It’s the only full-time job I’ve had. I started as an intern in 2011, worked part-time in … Read more
This is a year of transition. More on that in future posts. For some reason, turning 30 earlier this year has felt like a crossover point. I’m out of my 20s. The 30s are here, and with them, a whirlwind of change. I’m taking time to reflect on my 20s. Not only with personal life … Read more
What an incredible gift to learn from others’ mistakes. It is a blessing to not actually make the mistake and still incorporate that knowledge and experience into your own life. Imagine if you had to make a mistake to learn anything. Life would be tough. Life would be really tough. Thankfully, people come before us, … Read more
Should you contribute to a Traditional IRA or a Roth IRA? There are countless articles online addressing this question because it’s one of the most common questions in personal finance. I am frequently asked this question by people who want to start investing. Normally, people do a little research online, open an account, and never … Read more
Retirement plans can be confusing. They sound like an alphabet soup – 401(k), 403(b), SEP, SIMPLE, 457, and more. Let’s take a look at two of them today – the Roth 401(k) and the Traditional 401(k). One of the more common questions is, “Which is better?” As with most financial questions, the answer is: it … Read more
Carl Richards says, “Risk is what’s leftover after you think you’ve thought of everything.” I love this sentiment because it gets at the heart of almost everything in finance. With investments, people fear the latest news story – a war, congress passing a new bill, or the market irrationally hitting a new high. They don’t … Read more