The Opposite of Spoiled

When you have children or grandchildren, your first thought is often, “How do I give them the world?”  But the second may be, “How do I raise good, kind, generous people—the opposite of spoiled?”  They can coexist, but what is the answer?  I am...

Drowning in Paper? How to Clear the Clutter

When it comes to document retention, it is easy to get overwhelmed figuring out what to keep and what to discard.  Often, we resort to keeping EVERYTHING. But in this digital age, with online statement and document retrieval, what we need to keep on hand has decreased...

True Confessions of a Reformed Bad Behaviorist

Many of you may know that I finished school with a degree in engineering.  Chemical Engineering to be exact.  The type of personality that might be attracted to the engineering sciences most often has a data-driven, problem-solving mindset.  Overly touchy-feeling...

The State of Social Security Benefits

Earlier this year, the Social Security Board of Trustees released their annual report on the solvency of Social Security benefits.  Over several years, the Board of Trustees has continued to report on funding issues for fulfilling long-term benefits.  Unfortunately,...

Resolute, Part II – The Bond Market

Following up on our recent blog – Resolute, Part I – The Stock Market – we now shift our focus to bonds. There’s a tenet of investing known as the Risk/Return Tradeoff.  Simply put, the more inherently risky an investment is, the higher the potential return (this is...

Money Skills that Grow with Age

Everybody wants to teach their kids the most important and valuable things in life.  Money management is an essential life skill that is important at all ages.  Whether you are a child or well into your retirement, there are important money skills that you can develop...