Retirement Planning
Articles from our nationally recognized, weekly blog.
Finding your Passion: A Critical Financial Planning Component
The other day I had a conversation with Jay, the Operations Lead here at Diversified. I enjoyed the conversation as he excitedly told me about getting back into creative writing on the weekends. As he described his process and the new writing group he joined, he perked right up. I could see his entire demeanor change. In fact, Jay was telling me about something in which he had a deep rooted love. As the conversation continued, I started getting excited for him and somewhat envious, too. What he did, without realizing it, was describe his passion to me.
Retirement Life Insurance: The Need or The Want
Life insurance is part of any solid financial plan. First-hand, I’ve experienced how it can save a family in the darkest of days. I’ve also seen how the lack of life insurance leaves loved ones in a difficult situation. Without a doubt, there is a proper discussion to be had about life insurance as part […]
My 3 Financial Guilty Pleasures
In my business you get a real unique perspective on how people view things. Especially when it comes to money and finances. One of the often funny things I get to witness is people’s financial quirks. The things that each of us do that makes us financially funny in a way. For some people it is how they track every last expense. For others it may be how close they are to a magic investment number like a million dollars.
Snow Day Thoughts: The Work from Home Dilemma
As I write this blog I’m sitting in my bedroom on our “butterfly chairs” looking out the window. All I see are beautiful rolling hills and snow flurries as the winter elements are starting to fill the air. I’m in my sweatpants and tee shirt while my daughters are watching television home from a snow day. It is 9am and I’ve already worked out, sent dozens of emails, and made a few phone calls. Generally I’m not a big work from home guy (although I feel like I’m always working regardless of where I am) but today’s weather has got me thinking. What would it be like to work from home all the time? Would I like it myself? As an owner of a small company would I like it for my employees? Let me share my thoughts and would love to hear yours as well.
Tax Season’s Two Big Changes
Taxes. They are on everyone’s mind these days. With 2018 behind us, it’s time to prepare for tax season. Soon most of us will be filing with the IRS. Most people I know are praying they won’t owe too much. That said this leaves many with some lingering thoughts, or concerns rather, about how the […]
6 Ways Your Parents Affect Your Relationship With Money
Financial psychology fascinates me. Every day I get to see it have real world implications during meetings with clients. When I have the pleasure of working with ones parents and children (3 generations), it becomes a real social experiment. In this setting I see how these people are more alike than they imagine. It offers itself as an interesting generational sample pool.
The Life Lesson Learned from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
I’ve written about the struggles of taking “real” vacations many times. Unfortunately, I have many clients who seem afraid to take a vacation. These individuals never decompress and thus make themselves miserable. Much of the show’s second season is filmed in the Catskills. Back then families vacationed together for the entire summer. Often, they’d rent a cabin (think Dirty Dancing style) for the season where there’d be dances and activities for the whole family to enjoy. Most importantly, they’d relax for an entire three months a year. (Crazy, right?)
To Lump Sum or Not To Lump Sum {The Big Pension Debate}
Whether retiring soon, or you got a letter from an old employer, many are forced to make “the big pension decision.” Do you accept a one-time, lump sum option, or keep the pension as a monthly annuity payment? Every year, this topic arises with clients. Therefore, I thought it’s time to share the thought process […]
The Downsizing Myth
Is downsizing just a myth? Many people in retirement upsize, “rightsize” or make no change at all.
2018: Year in Review
Well 2018 is officially in the record books! It came in like a lamb and left like a lion as they say. We saw some crazy things in the markets including one of the worst single point drop days in the Dow Jones history. Only to be followed by our first 1,000 point up day as a late holiday gift. We also experienced our first bear market (classified as down 20% from the peak) since the financial crisis in 2009. That said, like every year, there were big stories and smaller ones that framed the market performance.
Finding your Passion: A Critical Financial Planning Component
The other day I had a conversation with Jay, the Operations Lead here at Diversified. I enjoyed the conversation as he excitedly told me about getting back into creative writing on the weekends. As he described his process and the new writing group he joined, he perked right up. I could see his entire demeanor change. In fact, Jay was telling me about something in which he had a deep rooted love. As the conversation continued, I started getting excited for him and somewhat envious, too. What he did, without realizing it, was describe his passion to me.
Retirement Life Insurance: The Need or The Want
Life insurance is part of any solid financial plan. First-hand, I’ve experienced how it can save a family in the darkest of days. I’ve also seen how the lack of life insurance leaves loved ones in a difficult situation. Without a doubt, there is a proper discussion to be had about life insurance as part […]
My 3 Financial Guilty Pleasures
In my business you get a real unique perspective on how people view things. Especially when it comes to money and finances. One of the often funny things I get to witness is people’s financial quirks. The things that each of us do that makes us financially funny in a way. For some people it is how they track every last expense. For others it may be how close they are to a magic investment number like a million dollars.
Snow Day Thoughts: The Work from Home Dilemma
As I write this blog I’m sitting in my bedroom on our “butterfly chairs” looking out the window. All I see are beautiful rolling hills and snow flurries as the winter elements are starting to fill the air. I’m in my sweatpants and tee shirt while my daughters are watching television home from a snow day. It is 9am and I’ve already worked out, sent dozens of emails, and made a few phone calls. Generally I’m not a big work from home guy (although I feel like I’m always working regardless of where I am) but today’s weather has got me thinking. What would it be like to work from home all the time? Would I like it myself? As an owner of a small company would I like it for my employees? Let me share my thoughts and would love to hear yours as well.
Tax Season’s Two Big Changes
Taxes. They are on everyone’s mind these days. With 2018 behind us, it’s time to prepare for tax season. Soon most of us will be filing with the IRS. Most people I know are praying they won’t owe too much. That said this leaves many with some lingering thoughts, or concerns rather, about how the […]
6 Ways Your Parents Affect Your Relationship With Money
Financial psychology fascinates me. Every day I get to see it have real world implications during meetings with clients. When I have the pleasure of working with ones parents and children (3 generations), it becomes a real social experiment. In this setting I see how these people are more alike than they imagine. It offers itself as an interesting generational sample pool.
The Life Lesson Learned from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
I’ve written about the struggles of taking “real” vacations many times. Unfortunately, I have many clients who seem afraid to take a vacation. These individuals never decompress and thus make themselves miserable. Much of the show’s second season is filmed in the Catskills. Back then families vacationed together for the entire summer. Often, they’d rent a cabin (think Dirty Dancing style) for the season where there’d be dances and activities for the whole family to enjoy. Most importantly, they’d relax for an entire three months a year. (Crazy, right?)
To Lump Sum or Not To Lump Sum {The Big Pension Debate}
Whether retiring soon, or you got a letter from an old employer, many are forced to make “the big pension decision.” Do you accept a one-time, lump sum option, or keep the pension as a monthly annuity payment? Every year, this topic arises with clients. Therefore, I thought it’s time to share the thought process […]
The Downsizing Myth
Is downsizing just a myth? Many people in retirement upsize, “rightsize” or make no change at all.
2018: Year in Review
Well 2018 is officially in the record books! It came in like a lamb and left like a lion as they say. We saw some crazy things in the markets including one of the worst single point drop days in the Dow Jones history. Only to be followed by our first 1,000 point up day as a late holiday gift. We also experienced our first bear market (classified as down 20% from the peak) since the financial crisis in 2009. That said, like every year, there were big stories and smaller ones that framed the market performance.