Emily and I opened 529 accounts for Jack and Gwen within a month of their birth with The College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC). When I set up Jack’s account more than 10 years ago what initially stuck out was how dated the website was...
Several years ago, I stopped asking my clients when they wanted to retire. I came to the realization that it was a difficult question to answer. One of the things that initially tipped me off were the responses I would receive. In terms of frequency,...
One of my favorite books is The Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren. In her book, Warren discusses how many of the most mundane tasks and routines we do daily can carry a more profound meaning. I often think of this idea of liturgy...
Since 2010, there have been no fewer than five significant changes to the tax code. It began with the passing of the Affordable Care Act, which added a 0.9% Medicare tax on earnings above a certain threshold plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT)...
One of my all-time favorite sporting events—the summer Olympics—will be held in Paris next year, which means that world championships in sports like swimming, gymnastics, and track and field are being watched with an extra bit of scrutiny this year. But, while I love track and...
I am thankful for a short, 13-minute commute to the Beacon office, which is just long enough time to listen to the Up First podcast to hear 3 main news stories of the day, and 1-2 good songs before starting the workday. Over the past...
Recently, I made three different investments that I'm confident will pay significant dividends in the future. Normally, people in my profession should avoid making such statements, but I think I'm in the clear in this case. A couple weeks ago, I wrote about the importance...
Last Saturday the entire Beacon team, including kids, gathered at Jared's house to hang out and have dinner. On the drive home, Gwen asked a question that she and Jack ask from time-to-time: "Dad, what do you do at work?" My response is typically something...
In a recent podcast hosted by economist Tyler Cowen, the following exchange took place between Tyler and his guest, Noam Dworman (owner of the Comedy Cellar in New York City): COWEN: How important is the seating arrangement for a good comedy show? Do you think long and hard, how close together...
Before our son Baker was born in March, I often wondered what a labor and delivery bill looked like. How much is charged? How many providers will send me bills? How can I be sure they are all in-network? What am I personally liable for...
