Transitions are inevitable in life, but February was quite full of them for our family. Wesley and I traveled abroad for a brief trip and left Baker in care of my very capable parents. Although, as first time parents, this was still anxiety inducing even...
There are a lot of ways that small decisions can add up in your financial life to make a difference over the long haul. One of those small wins is optimizing the credit card that you use for day-to-day spending. A caveat at the beginning...
Monday, January the 29th, marked the start of our nation’s tax season. That’s the date when the Internal Revenue Service began accepting and processing 2023 tax year returns. Very few people enjoy filing their taxes as it can be a difficult and complex process. Perhaps one...
Any client of mine knows I am a proponent of delaying Social Security until age 70. There are times where it doesn't make sense, such as poor health or a family history of shorter than average life expectancy. But, by and large I encourage my...
Major stock indexes hit all-time highs over the last week, following a calendar year in 2023 where the S&P 500 was up nearly 25%. Bonds will take a bit longer to recover as rates continue to "normalize." A decade-plus run-up in bond prices (while rates...
One of my favorite features of photo applications is the prompt to view pictures taken 4 years, 6 years, 10 years ago, or when the app shows you random featured pictures of the day with no rhyme or reason to the collection. Just this week,...
Lately, I've been thinking, and writing, a lot about the possibility of making alternative investments in our "retirement portfolios." Not the kind of alternative investments that the Yale Endowment or ultra-high net worth family offices often make. Rather, investments in our health and our relationships,...
As the new year begins, many people quickly write down a few goals they want to achieve for the year. While this is a fun thing to do, this Brief isn’t strictly another of the many goals blogs you have likely been inundated with over...
Christmas is just a few short days away! Unless you're a child, of course. In that case, each of the days leading up to Santa's arrival feels like its own separate eternity. For many reasons, the holidays are a magical time of year. There's the decorating...
My maternal grandfather was born in south Alabama in May of 1924, and I remember him telling a story from his childhood of a Christmas morning during the Great Depression when he woke up to find an orange in his stocking. Such was the extent of the...
