Beacon Wealthcare |

17 Jul 2020 How Do We Make Sense of This?

Posted at 11:33h in The Friday Brief by Ryan Smith, CFP®, RICP®, CTS™, MSFP

Earlier this week I came across this chart and the story it tells is staggering. What you see is the year-over-year change in what JP Morgan considers “High Frequency Activity,” things like driving, eating out, flying, staying in hotels. Look how quickly and severely activity...

26 Jun 2020 How to Maximize Your Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Posted at 08:00h in The Friday Brief by Ryan Smith, CFP®, RICP®, CTS™, MSFP

[vc_video link='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nncNbL9Qfnk'] What is an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) and how does it work? How should you incorporate it into your financial life and what’s the most important decision to make prior to enrolling? It’s easiest to understand how an ESPP works by first understanding the...

05 Jun 2020 The Dark Side of the Moon

Posted at 07:00h in The Friday Brief by Ryan Smith, CFP®, RICP®, CTS™, MSFP

On December 21st, 1968, Apollo 8 lifted off from what’s now known as Cape Canaveral with three men aboard. Their mission was to enter the moon’s orbit, slingshot around the dark side, and return home safely. A manned flight around the moon had never been...

08 May 2020 Is College a Good Investment?

Posted at 08:00h in The Friday Brief by Ryan Smith, CFP®, RICP®, CTS™, MSFP

There has a been a lot of talk the last few years about whether a college education provides a good return on investment (ROI). High tuition, absurd annual increases, and stagnant employee wages (not to mention the rise of the Gig economy) over the past...