Remember Tee-ball? It was mostly about having fun. You could hit the ball three whole feet, run the wrong direction, and still get plenty of high fives—and a shiny trophy at the end of the season. Compare that to professional baseball. In the big leagues, nobody cares that your dad is one of the coaches, …
On a regular basis, people come to me and say some version of: “Do I really need disability insurance? I mean, I have a desk job, and as long as I have my mind, I can always do my work, right? Besides, wouldn’t my employer’s workers’ compensation insurance take care of my basic needs if …
It sounds too good to be true: You give an insurance company a sum of money, and they promise to give you a check for as long as you live. This is what’s called a “single premium immediate annuity” (SPIA). It’s essentially a form of insurance. To the recipient, it works like an employer pension …
Tim Berry wishes he had discussed long-term care insurance with his parents. When Tim’s dad had open heart surgery, the family was told there was only a 3% chance of anything going wrong. But in the days following the procedure, Mr. Berry suffered a stroke. “His mind was wiped out,” Tim told the Asset Protection …
How do you know if your investment manager is doing a good job? (Especially when the markets are so volatile.) Before we answer that question, let’s remember what an investment manager is and isn’t. A good investment manager is not… 1. An Economic Alchemist. In ancient times, alchemists were individuals who claimed the ability to …
“I’m unhappy with my financial advisor,” a man told me. “Not only have I lost money, but I don’t feel like he knows I’m alive! Is it too much to expect that my advisor would take care of me and my money?” This man is surely not alone in his thinking. Maybe you feel the …
A man once said to me, “My friends are always talking about their financial plans, but the idea that I could create such a thing feels impossible. I’m terrible with money!” I told him, “I understand that feeling. But the truth is you could create a smart financial plan. It really is possible.” (That’s a …
Someone told me they have two primary emotions whenever they think about their financial situation: “It seems like I’m either frustrated or mad. Is that weird? Should money always make me so upset?” This admission reminds me of a book written more than 50 years ago by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross in which she discussed five distinct …
A client recently asked this question: I’ve got some money I’d like to leave to my grandkids. I want it to grow, but I’m not comfortable putting it at risk in the market. Meanwhile, safer investments like CDs seem like they’re barely keeping up with inflation. Do you have any suggestions? It’s a classic case …
A client told me: “I grew up poor. I was the first in my family to attend college. Now I have a comfortable income. But because of my background, I tend to be cautious with my money. Sometimes I wonder if I’m too cautious.” Hearing that, I thought of an interview with Erin Botsford in …
What Bad Financial Experiences Do To (or For) Us Read More »
Speak with an Advisor