Posts

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Do You Have Financial Peace of Mind?

Do you have financial peace of mind? You are where you are today because of the decisions you have made in your life. We usually get what we deserve in life.  When it comes to money, how you handle your monthly cash flow is the single most…
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3 Retirement Obstacles

Getting older just kind of happens.  The next thing you know you've hit 50 and can't believe you are that old. Many of my clients are fiftyish and have their focus squarely on getting their childthrough the college years and/or retirement.…
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Do You Really Understand Your Income Tax Bracket?

You Pay Too Much Income Tax Not to Understand How it Works. Most people do not understand how our progressive income system works. It's time for you to learn if you are one of the many. What's the difference between your marginal…

Is Your Portfolio Ready for Stock Market Drop?

Lifeboat Drills for you investment portfolio should be done BEFORE the markets have a big drop. Stocks rebounded so fast from the last stock market drop you hardly had time to worry. Now that the stock market has recovered  it makes…
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Tax-Advantaged Investment Opportunities

It's not what you make, but what you keep that counts! Consider the strategies I have been using for years to minimize my taxable income. I'm overwhelmed by all the tax I pay (income, real estate, sales, etc.) so I try not add to my tax burden…
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Our Story

My wife, Soni, and I celebrated 23 years of marriage recently and I thought I would share what some of the key financial decisions we made along the way and the impact they had on our family. The themes are consistent: Figure out what is…
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And the Winner is? Active vs. Passive Investing

Part 1 of 2 on Investing: Active vs. passive investing For this article the passive approach will be reflected by the S&P 500 stock index. Understanding the differences: It's easy to get caught up in the Wall Street hype about which…
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Does 4% Retirement Rule Make Sense For You Today?

The most important and anxious questions I answer for my clients are:  "How much money will I have at retirement and will that be enough to live on? Of course, there are many variables in that calculation, one of the biggest is choosing…
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Stock Market Roars Up - Use Logic Rather Than Emotion

The U.S. stock market just had a terrific first quarter.  The S&P 500 index was up 10.0% over the past three months. My client portfolios were not up that much because they also own many other investment asset classes that didn't advance…
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$1 Million in Life Insurance Not Enough

Last week, I was shaken when I heard about the tragic death of a Glen Ellyn acquaintance that lost a two-year battle to cancer. The death of this fine man, husband and father hit home not only because he had lived a few blocks away, but he was…
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Who is Your Financial Planner?

Financial Planners are for Everyone “Failing to plan is planning to fail." - John Wooden” It was recently brought to my attention that many people think that only "rich" people have financial adviser's.  Nothing could be farther from…