Tickle Me Elmo, Troll dolls, Pokemon Go, Fidget Spinners. What do these things have in common? They were fads that caused an uproar then died away just as quickly. Many times we can spot a passing trend a mile away, but sometimes--especially with kids--it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and give in. When that happens, we can usually just laugh it off. It probably didn’t cost us much and we can get over the 10+ fidget spinners in various colors littered around the house (speaking … [Read more...]
Does Someone You Know Need Our Help?
If you aren’t aware of the roller coaster the market has been on these past few years, you’re probably living under a rock. And since talk of the markets often makes us want to go find said rock and tune out the news, why not get a little help? Even if you read Market Watch on the daily and are the most patient of investors (which, let’s be real, very few of us fall into these categories), you may be questioning the strength of your investment plan. So that’s the technical market stuff, … [Read more...]
10 Smart Money Moves to Make Before the Ball Drops
Let’s talk New Year’s Resolutions. So many of us seem to have a love/hate relationship with them. Every year, we create these lofty goals, only to push them to the back of our minds by April (okay fine, February). When you watched the New Year’s Eve countdown last December and raised your glass to 2017, did you make a resolution to put your money and finances first this year? Finance-related resolutions are the third most popular New Year’s resolution, coming in right after self-improvement … [Read more...]
Is Disaster On Your Mind? How to Bulletproof Your Money and Finances
These past few months have been a doozy. Hurricanes, wildfires, a mass shooting, political chaos, international uncertainty (aka North Korea getting feisty and who knows what the heck is up with Russia). Do you feel like you’re just waiting for the next shoe to drop? Or maybe your life has been shaken up on a personal level. Are you going through a divorce, a death of a family member, or another major upheaval that has serious repercussions? As individuals living our day-to-day lives, we … [Read more...]
Five Pitfalls of Real Estate Investing You Should Know
There’s always been some kind of starry-eyed dream around the idea of making a big payoff in real estate investing. I’d say about half my clients have floated a real estate idea in one form or another to me over the years. I think it’s because of the “cocktail party” effect (or “BBQ effect,” if you aren’t the cocktail party type. I’m not). The stories are juicy. They are hard to ignore: “Yeah, my buddy Jim made $500,000 on an apartment complex in Austin. He’s asking me if I want in on his … [Read more...]
How to Prepare You and Your Money For a Market Correction
There are few things in investing (and life) that are guaranteed. But the one thing we can count on for sure is that the market won’t stay at the same level. What goes up must come down. Now, I’m no doomsday prophet, but I do know that history tends to repeat itself and history tells us that from 1900-2016 the markets have experienced a correction about once a year.1 There are pretty good odds it will happen again. Are you prepared? A Lesson On the Markets Let’s stop for a quick minute … [Read more...]
Are You Affected by the Equifax Data Breach? Here’s What to Do
If you have a credit report (and most of us do), there’s a good chance that you were one of the estimated 143 million Americans affected by the recent Equifax Data Breach. If you have been affected, it’s important to be proactive to protect your credit now. What Happened? According to the Federal Trade Commission, the breach lasted from mid-May through July. Criminals were able to access people’s names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, credit card numbers, and even driver’s … [Read more...]
6 Simple Ways to Make Early Retirement a Reality
I’m going to make a bold statement here: early retirement is the same as conventional retirement. You may be rolling your eyes, thinking, “But Greg, if it’s the same, why aren’t more people retiring early?” Because the one factor that makes the difference between retiring early and at the typical retirement age is time. People are worried they won’t have enough money to say sayonara to their jobs at age 67, let alone 55. But the truth is that the same strategies that set you up for … [Read more...]
6 Ways a 401(k) Loan Could Be Hazardous to Your Wealth
You need money and you need it now. Whether it’s for a major medical expense or a new roof on your house, you find yourself with a necessity for more cash than you have available. You lose sleep figuring out how to pay for these things. Then you wake up in the middle of the night with a lightbulb moment and declare, “I’ll take a loan from my 401(k)!” feeling all proud of yourself for thinking outside of the box. Hold up a sec. Yes, this is a viable option, but do you know the risks … [Read more...]
Where to Stash Your Cash: 10 Best Short-Term Investments For Your Money
Need a place to park your cash and earn some interest? Maybe you’re saving up for a kitchen remodel, summer cabin, seed money for a new business, or some other near term investment. Any money to be used in less than 2-3 years needs to stay out of the stock market, period. The stock market is simply too volatile for such a short-term time frame. This is where short-term investments come into play. Your money will grow and earn compound interest, yet you still maintain easy access to your … [Read more...]